Level 3: Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship with additional SEND Training

The Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship is ideal if you are working in an educational setting and are looking to upskill by developing SEND expertise in order to enhance your career, or learn new skills. It is also suitable for those with aspirations of becoming a Teaching Assistant.

To join this apprenticeship, you will need to have:

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong communication skills
• The ability to work as part of a team

It would also be desirable for you to have:

• Grade C or above or 4/5 at GCSE in Maths
• Grade C or above or 4/5 at GCSE in English

The apprenticeship is available to schools in England who have access to the Apprenticeship Levy. The levy can be used to cover the cost of the apprenticeship training and assessment. The way in which the levy applies depends on the type of school and the overall employer. For more information, please contact the Educational and Sporting Futures Training team on 01438 791068 or admin@esfapprenticeships.co.uk.

Completing this Apprenticeship will qualify you as a Teaching Assistant. This role is an interesting, varied position that provides valuable opportunities to gain experience in a professional setting working with young people and colleagues. Depending on the school there may be a specific focus on certain curriculum areas.

As a Teaching Assistant, you could expect to be involved in:

• Liaising with the teacher to understand the objectives of each lesson
• Providing teaching support in small groups and where necessary be assigned to individual pupils in order to aid the teacher
• Assisting the teacher with observations and monitoring of the progress of children, both educationally and socially
• Promoting positive behaviour patterns, raise self-esteem, and improve independent working in children to assist their education and growth

Benefits for the school include:

• Use the Apprenticeship Levy to upskill and develop the knowledge and skills of your current  Teaching Assistants
• Increase the support available in your setting for pupils with SEND
• Build a specialist team of Teaching Assistants to provide your SENCO and Classroom Teachers with additional support
• Increase capacity for 1:1 support and interventions for pupils with SEND
• Establish a Professional Development or career pathway for current Teaching Assistants
• Upskill your current Teaching Assistants to Level 3
• It is also possible to develop your Teaching Assistant workforce by employing a new Teaching Assistant apprentice

Training is provided through a blended programme of practical activity, group training and virtual learning. The programme provides opportunities to share experiences with other apprentices and learn from experienced professionals.

Course content includes:

• An understanding of how pupils learn and develop
• Supporting pupils to learn, progress and thrive
• The importance of feedback in promoting independent learners
• Practical strategies to support teaching and learning
• Behaviour support strategies
• An understanding of the National Curriculum and effective assessment practice
• Understand current statutory guidance including ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’
• Part 1, Safeguarding Policies and the Prevent Strategy
• The importance of ICT and how it can be used effectively
• Effective communication to support the needs of children
• Masterclasses in understanding and supporting the high-incidence needs of children including Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and ADHD

The apprenticeship is 13-15 months in duration, inclusive of the End Point Assessment (EPA). In total approximately 300 hours of training and apprenticeship-related activity will be delivered and directed throughout the programme over this period of time.

In line with the standards set for all apprenticeships by the ‘Institute for Apprenticeships’, apprentices should complete 6 hours of ‘off-the-job’ (OTJ) learning per week, if they are a full-time apprentice (working at least 30 hours per week).

However, these OTJ hours will not all be completed through structured learning sessions. They also include all the practical application of your learning, for example, your project and portfolio work, as well as any other non-guided implementation and practice of learned skills and knowledge, which can be carried out as part of your new SEND remit in your setting.

Over the course of the apprenticeship, you will be required to:

• Submit a portfolio of evidence that comprises written assignments, case studies and presentations
• Practical observations
• Professional discussion
• End Point Assessment (EPA)

£0. Schools can use their Apprenticeship Levy to fully fund the apprenticeship.

Contact the Educational & Sporting Futures Team on 01438 791068 or admin@esfapprenticeships.co.uk if you would like to find out if your school is eligible for the Apprenticeship Levy (the vast majority are) or if you would like to know more about how to access and use this.

You can register for this apprenticeship now and we accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the year. Places are limited, so please register your interest as soon as possible

Please register your interest and we’ll be in touch to answer any questions and help you enrol for our next cohort, starting April 2024.

“At present six of our staff are undertaking Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeships and they are thoroughly enjoying this experience. They relish the opportunity to engage in fortnightly professional development which in turn is supporting them to support our pupils to an even higher standard.

They are always talking to one another about their study, sharing ideas, top tips and good practice and it has been so rewarding to see our staff engaging in such a high quality qualification.”

Sim Bains
Deputy Headteacher, Knebworth Primary and Nursery School