Teaching Assistants and Support Staff
We offer a variety of training to enable Teaching Assistants to support the
school, the pupil, the curriculum and the teacher. Courses vary in length from
one session to two years.
Training is linked to schools' needs and to TAs' personal and professional
development, and is offered with the aim of enabling TAs, as part of the
school team, to foster inclusion, help pupils to make progress and to become
independent learners.
Our training courses are offered in collaboration with colleagues from other
services within CEA@Islington, and with a variety of outside agencies,
professionals and FE and HE institutions. They include Induction Training for
Primary and Secondary Teaching Assistants as well as accredited training, both
through University College Northampton - Supporting Learners with Special
Educational Needs - and in partnership with City and Islington College.
Menu of Support
We provide:
Induction courses for Primary and Secondary Teaching Assistants and guidance
for schools through an induction toolkit.
A range of courses, addressing, for example, Literacy Difficulties, Promoting
Positive Behaviour, Language and Communication Difficulties, Child Protection,
ICT for Primary/Secondary TAs, Behaviour in the Playground, amongst others.
A range of accredited training to promote professional development.
Support for schools in teaching assistant professional development and
performance management through the NAPTA audit tool.
Support and advice for TAs on career development, including routes into
teaching and other options.
The opportunity for TAs to access funding for assessment for Higher Level
Teaching Assistant status.
Links for TAs with local FE and HE institutions, including a Foundation Degree
for Teaching Assistants, to promote professional development and strengthen
and clarify the ladders to QTS.
Courses for Teaching Assistants and other support staff to support inclusion.
Materials to support training.
School based training tailor made courses for schools on effective use of
assistants. Individual sessions with a class teacher and assistant.
A newsletter for Teaching Assistants and support staff.