CPD - How to become a teaching assistant

Teaching assistants and classroom support staff serve an essential purpose in classrooms throughout the UK and demand for talent in the industry has never been higher. If you’re looking to break into the teaching industry, becoming a teaching assistant is a great way to experience teaching first-hand and understand all aspects of how a classroom operates. In this CPD article, you will learn about what becoming a teaching assistant entails and how you can develop the skills necessary to start your teaching career.

Is there a teaching assistant shortage?

In short, yes!

There are currently 275,812 full-time teaching assistants in the UK according to the latest government statistics¹. This is 4,400 more than was recorded in 2020. And though the numbers are rising, there is still a desperate need for talent in the industry.

A recent study² by Hays Education showed that 75% of schools had experienced difficulty recruiting staff in the past 12 months and expect to encounter a shortage of suitable teaching professionals over the next 12 months. The study highlighted that over the past 12 months, classroom-based support staff have been the most difficult to hire (45%), with specialist teaching assistants also one of the most difficult positions to fill (20%).

Almost half (48%) of respondents attributed the skills shortages in education to fewer professionals entering the job market in the sector. This is great news for anyone aiming to enter the industry - you’re in high demand!

What are the duties and responsibilities of a teaching assistant?

Teaching assistant responsibilities vary between schools, but as a teaching assistant, you can expect the following to be part of your role:

• getting the classroom ready for lessons
• listening to children read, reading to them or telling them stories
• helping children who need extra support to complete tasks
• helping teachers to plan learning activities and complete records
• supporting teachers in managing class behaviour
• supervising group activities
• looking after children who are upset or have had accidents
• clearing away materials and equipment after lessons
• helping with outings and sports events
• taking part in training
• carrying out administrative tasks

The way that teaching assistants carry out these roles often varies too. Some will need to support pupils with their individual needs, often this will be on a one-to-one basis, whereas in other situations working in small groups is more appropriate. 

What skills are needed to be a teaching assistant?

There are a number of essential skills for teaching assistants that you can seek to develop or think about how you’ve demonstrated these in your professional and personal life to aid you in entering the profession:

• Sensitivity and understanding for building good relationships with children and adults.
• Verbal communication skills for motivating children to learn.
• Active listening skills to understand pupils’ needs.
• Good organisational skills.
• Be flexible and open to change for working on different activities.
• Creativity.
• Enjoy working with children.
• Enjoy working with other people.
• Good literacy and numeracy skills.
• Ability to manage groups of pupils and deal with challenging behaviour.
• Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
• In some roles, it can be beneficial to have IT skills or be fluent in the languages spoken by the local community.
• A sense of humour always goes a long way!

It’s also important to note that not every teaching assistant role will expect you to tick every single skill to be able to apply. You can develop the skill sets you need over time through experience or Continuing Professional Development. Undertaking a CPD accredited course is a great way to develop the necessary skillsets to become a teaching assistant and demonstrate your desire for learning - something that is an essential part of working in the education industry.

Teaching assistant CPD courses

We host a number of different courses on behalf of our members. Explore the various certified teaching assistant courses available in our CPD Course Catalogue.  All the courses shown on our website have been reviewed and recognised as meeting the required industry standards. To see how CPD can help teaching assistants and support staff develop these skills and the benefits of professional development courses, please read our previous article.

We hope this article was helpful. If you are looking to become a CPD Provider, please contact our team to discuss your requirements in more detail. Alternatively if you are looking to record your CPD, please go to the myCPD Portal where you can manage, track and log your learning in one simple place.

References

¹https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england

²https://salary-guide.hays.co.uk/salary-guide-2022/p/31