Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Standard Level 3

Occupational Profile

Teaching Assistants work in Primary, Special and Secondary education across all age ranges encompassing special educational needs and emotional vulnerabilities. The primary role of the Teaching Assistant is to support the class teacher to enhance pupils’ learning either in groups or individually, ensuring pupils understand the work set, know their learning objectives and stay on task in order to make progress. Promoting self-belief, social inclusion and a high self-esteem play an integral part to pupils’ well-being; ensuring pupils thrive in a positive, nurturing, safe environment. It is an active role supporting the learner to access the curriculum. They are good role models, act with honesty and integrity, take part in team meetings; contribute to planning and class activities. Promoting Fundamental British Values through spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and positive behaviours are crucial in contributing to improved pupil progress and development.

Entry Requirements:

Whilst any entry requirements will be a matter for individual employers, typically an apprentice might be expected to have already achieved 5 GCSEs, including Maths and English, Grade C or above or 4/5 (new grading). Some employers will accept other relevant qualifications and experience, including a relevant Level 2 qualification.

Knowledge                                                      

• Understanding how pupils learn and develop
• Understand the need to provide feedback to support and facilitate an appropriate level of independence.
• Comprehend appropriate levels of learning resources to identify and help address weakness, consolidate strengths and develop individualised expectations.
• Recognise different stages of child development through school, eg: transition between key stages.
• Recognise the importance of using appropriate technology to support learning.
• Working with teachers to understand and support assessment for learning
• Understand the need to accurately observe, record and report on pupil’s participation, conceptual understanding and progress to improve practice and assessment for different groups of pupils.
• Understand the school’s assessment procedures for benchmarking against targets set by the class teacher.
• Be familiar with assessment materials.
• Curriculum
• Keeping Children Safe in Education
• Understand current statutory guidance including ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ Part 1, safeguarding policies, Prevent Strategy.
• Understand the importance of sharing relevant information, in a timely manner with the designated Safeguarding lead. Understand the importance of first aid procedures, recording/reporting incidents and a broad knowledge of Health & Safety Policy.

Skills                                                                  

• Developing strategies for support
• Develop strategies to support and encourage pupils to move towards independent learning.
• Use appropriately varied vocabulary to ensure pupils’ understanding.
• Embed effective behaviour management strategies using discipline appropriately and fairly in line with the school’s policy.
• Foster and encourage positive, effective, nurturing and safe learning environments inspiring pupils to take pride in and learn from their individual achievements.
• Recognise, adapt and respond to all pupils encompassing SEN/emotional vulnerabilities, for example, use Makaton, visual timetables.
• Communication and team work
• Work closely with teachers to ensure own contribution aligns with the teaching.
• Ensure regular communication with teachers to provide clarity and consistency of role within lessons.
• Deliver/lead small group teaching within clearly defined/planned parameters using initiative, sensitivity and understanding.

Duration

18 months (this does not include EPA period)

Delivery

The delivery will be done mainly at the workplace, with the off-the-job training accounting for at least 6 hours a week. The assessor will regularly visit you at work to observe you performing relevant tasks and to carry out professional discussions.

You will complete Level 3 Teaching Assistant prior to taking the end-point assessment.

You will receive a login to an on-line portfolio account which can be accessed from any Wifi point or through 3/4G either at work, at home or in our centre. You will be provided with a detailed course programme. At the centre you will have the opportunity to network with other learners, share practice and access different resources to support your learning including laptops, desktops, tablets and textbooks.

Upon completion you can progress onto an advanced or higher apprenticeship at level 3, 4 or 5.

End Point Assessment

The end-point assessment (EPA) for the Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship contains 2 methods of assessment which will be graded as Fail, Pass or Distinction:

• Practical Observation with Questions & Answers
• Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence