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Teaching Assistants CPD Pathway

General Introduction

Teaching assistants (TAs) comprise over a quarter of the workforce in mainstream schools in England. The growth in the numbers of teaching assistants has also been driven by greater inclusion of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream schools, with teaching assistants often providing the key means by which inclusion is facilitated.  Find out how to maximise the impact of your teaching assistants here. Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)

Teaching assistants play a pivotal part in our school communities through the everyday differences they make to children and young people. Find out more about what our Norfolk children and young people say an ideal teaching assistant is like. To help you employ the 'ideal teaching assistant' for your school/setting you may find these values based recruitment questions useful.

Many Teaching Assistants progress into successful careers within education, including teaching and senior leadership.

TA CPD pathway introduction

The following content provides a recommended CPD pathway for teaching assistants that aim to enhance their skills and knowledge in various aspects of their role. These courses are designed to complement the existing induction and mentoring programs that schools and trusts may offer to their teaching assistants to develop their professional practice and career progression and meet the needs of their school community so that all children and young people in Norfolk can Flourish.

Using this Pathway

Wherever possible, the content is fully funded and remotely accessible, enabling flexible approaches to accessing so you can support with independent and group CPD approaches in way that meets your bespoke school or setting needs. This may include:

  • Independent self-directed CPD time including assemblies, tutor time etc.
  • Whole team CPD as part of an inset session/ day

We recommend that where CPD is accessed independently, provision is made within the school to reflect upon and embed the learning. This may include:

  • Teaching assistant collaboration on approaches to putting the learning into practice
  • Supervision sessions
  • Department planning    

We recommend using this Teaching Assistant CPD pathway in the following order, securing a spiral, developmental approach to building skills and confidence:

  1. Norfolk priorities
  2. Meeting the cohort needs of your school/setting community
  3. Inclusion programmes and interventions

Caveat: Statutory Training

It is important to note that the recommended training courses do not include any mandatory training for statutory compliance, such as safeguarding, health and safety, data protection, equality and diversity, and prevent duty etc. These are essential training requirements that all staff working in schools and trusts must complete as a priority. The responsibility for ensuring that teaching assistants have completed the mandatory training for statutory compliance lies with the school or trust that employs them. Schools and trusts should have clear policies and procedures for delivering, monitoring, and recording the statutory compliance training for their staff.

Norfolk Priorities

Teaching assistants play a vital role in helping teachers create inclusive and effective learning environments for children and young people, addressing the shared Norfolk priorities:

  1. Support high quality teaching and learning to improve attainment
  2. Improving SEND and inclusion provision
  3. Identification and responding to social, emotional and mental health needs
  4. Increase confidence to effectively address behaviours that challenge.
  5. Improve attendance

Priority 1 - Supporting high quality teaching and learning

Some teaching assistants may benefit from increasing confidence in their own academic skills. Adult Learning provides a range of courses including English, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Maths and Computer and digital skills: English, maths, ESOL and digital courses

Teaching assistants can access support to understand good classroom practice, enabling them to enhance this through their role:

Priority 2 - Improving SEND and Inclusion

Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) are entitled to provision that supports achievement at, and enjoyment of, school. This guidance report offers five evidence-based recommendations to support pupils with SEND. Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools  | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)

The 5 a day reflection tool, supports teaching assistants to consider how to effectively embed the five a day principles.

Teaching assistants working with children and young people with SEND and their families can access materials to support inclusive practice through the professionals site Log In (justonenorfolk.nhs.uk) (click on the SEND Training tab). This CPD includes Essential SEND learning; Understanding specific needs; Participation; Transitions; Parents with learning difficulties toolkit.

Priority 3 - Identification and responding to social, emotional and mental health needs

The Anna Freud Centre has developed a short animation for all staff that recognises the importance of supporting children and young people's mental health in schools and colleges, and offers a simple principle for staff to remember; CARE

The Children's Society has developed this comprehensive yet simple guidance on how to best support young people's wellbeing, based upon research and young people's views. The guidance outlines 5 key steps that are built from children and young people's experience to remember when approaching these conversations.

How to talk about and support young people with their wellbeing : Mentally Healthy Schools

CPD-certified anti-bullying online training with specific modules to address SEND and inclusion needs: Bullying and SEND; Young Carers, Looked After Children; GRT; Mental Health and Bullying: Free CPD online training (anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)

Priority 4 - Increase confidence to effectively address behaviours that challenge

Free behaviour CPD and resources inc lunchtime fixes; sensory checklists; SEND behaviour linkingclassroom behaviours to possible underlying special needs. Includes trauma, ADHD, autism and more. Free behaviour resources (beaconschoolsupport.co.uk)

Norfolk Steps is a training and support service that helps school staff to manage behaviours that challenge and promote positive relationships in schools. Norfolk Steps offers practical strategies based on the principles of therapeutic crisis intervention and positive behaviour support. Norfolk Steps aims to reduce the need for restrictive interventions and create safe and inclusive learning environments. TA's will be able to support in the accurate identification of needs, development of behaviour support plans and safe handling where restrictive physical intervention is needed to prevent harm.

Priority 5 - Increasing attendance

Reduced or non-attendance at school by a child or young person is often rooted in emotional, mental health or wellbeing issues. This school attendance and mental wellbeing guide can help school staff to develop strategies to support children and young people in your setting. School attendance and mental wellbeing  | Anna Freud

Meeting the cohort needs of your school community

Schools and settings will be working hard to welcome and meet the needs of children, young people and their families from a range of backgrounds, with a range of needs. Teaching assistants play an important role in supporting with this, ensuring a culture of inclusion.

Our One Minute Guides provide a wealth of information, with links to national and local CPD supporting with cohort needs including SEND, children in care (CiC), Gypsy Roma and Traveller children and young people (GRT), English as an additional language (EAL), refugee and asylum seekers, Service families, young carers, and more!

Also see our Learning support assistants section.

Leading inclusion programmes and interventions

You may also consider encouraging your TAs to take part in extra, appropriate CPD to enhance their abilities and spearhead activities that foster inclusive practice in your school, depending on your school community needs and current priorities.

Research on TAs delivering targeted interventions in one-to-one or small group settings shows a consistent impact on attainment of approximately three to four additional months.The EEF provides e-learning and guidance on the effective use of teaching assistants to lead impactful interventions:

Inclusive cultures:

School of Sanctuary:  - Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers - Norfolk County Council

Young Interpreters:  - Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers - Norfolk County Council

SEMH Interventions:

This self-care plan walks children and young people through a series of steps, helping them create a simple self-care plan that works for them. It helps children identify activities that they can use to support their mental health.

ELSA: Resources for Emotional Literacy Support Assistants - ELSA Support (elsa-support.co.uk)

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