Support Children. Inspire Learning. Build Your Future In Education.
Are you passionate about helping children and young people thrive in the classroom? A career as a Teaching Assistant could be the job for you!
Whether you're starting out in education or looking for a meaningful career change, becoming a Teaching Assistant could be the perfect step forward.
Staff at Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary know how much of a difference a teaching assistant can make
What Does a Teaching Assistant Do?
Teaching Assistants support teachers and help pupils reach their full potential—socially, emotionally and academically. No two days are the same, but typical responsibilities include:
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Working one-on-one with pupils or small groups
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Supporting children with special educational needs (SEN)
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Preparing classroom materials and resources
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Helping manage classroom behaviour
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Assisting with administrative tasks
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Encouraging active learning and engagement
You can make this career whatever you want it to be and bring your own passion like the lovely ladies at Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary
Career Progression
There are great progression routes in this field. Some people are happy remaining as teaching assistants as it fits around their lifestyle and their own family life while others wish to progress into roles with more responsibility.
Some TAs also take on Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) roles, leading lessons under supervision and some use their experience to study for a PGCE and progress to becoming a teacher.
Career Journeys
Have a listen to some of our Teaching Assistants in Sefton talk about their career journeys.
Teaching Assistant Early Years to Teaching Assistant Key Stage 2
Teaching Assistant to Higher Level Teaching Assistant and Pastoral Lead
Teaching Assistant to Teacher
Teaching Assistant to Headteacher
Qualifications and Entry Routes
There’s no single route to becoming a Teaching Assistant. Some schools may not require formal qualifications, while others prefer:
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Level 2 or Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualifications (e.g. CACHE or NCFE)
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GCSEs in English and Maths
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Experience working with children (e.g. volunteering, childcare, tutoring)
Outside of academic qualifications, the best TAs are:
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Patient and empathetic
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Strong communicators
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Adaptable and reliable
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Team players
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Passionate about education and child development
Watch one teacher at Our Lady Queen Of Peace Primary describe what a good TA looks like
Don’t have qualifications yet? Many schools offer on-the-job training or apprenticeships for new starters.
Our colleges in Sefton also offer courses in this field, visit the Southport College or Hugh Baird College to start your journey!
Applying For A Role
If you would like to apply for a role with us, take a look at our vacancies
We have vacancies across levels, key stages and SEND specialisms to look out for so we're sure we could find something to suit your skills!