Teaching Assistant Level 3 Certificate

To access this course, you are required to:  

• Have a Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools, or equivalent OR 
• Relevant substantial occupational experience. 

You are also required to: 

• English & Maths at grade 4 or diagnostic to demonstrate levels
• Prove existing competence in supporting literacy, numeracy and ICT within the National Curriculum framework within a school or further education setting  
• Be working with individual pupils, groups of pupils or in a whole class environment under the direction of a teacher, or independently, for a minimum of one day per week (ideally two or more) 
• Be working as part of the whole school team and have the support of the head teacher to complete the Level 3 qualification 
• Attend an interview to determine your interest, commitment and suitability for the course 
• Have - or be in the process of gaining - valid and current DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) clearance  

During this course you will study:

• Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults
• Schools as organisations
• Understand child and young person development
• Understand how to safeguard the well being of children and young people
• Support learning activities
• Promote children and young people's positive behaviour
• Develop professional relationships with children, young people and adults
• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion in work with children and young people
• Support assessment for learning
• Engage in personal development in health, social care or children's and young people's settings
• Support children and young people's health and safety

By studying this course you will:

• Apply appropriate communication skills relating to the context and audience requirements
• Work in line with the school organisational structure
• Develop an awareness of when a pupil is not meeting developmental targets and act appropriately
• Use professional judgment to safeguard pupils in and out of the school environment
• Support pupils to meet their individual learning targets
• Use assertive behaviour management strategies to promote positive behaviour
• Demonstrate appropriate professional qualities when working with pupils and adults
• Demonstrate an ability to treat all within the school environment with equal concern
• Use assessment to support learning
• Demonstrate an ability to continuously develop as a professional
• Identify potential risks and use appropriate methodology to overcome such risks

This is a portfolio-based course and there are no exams. You will be continually assessed throughout the units on the course by your tutor and assessor and will be required to produce written work and take part in practical assessments and lesson observations.  

The skills you will learn from this course will enable you to:

• Progress on to the Foundation Degree in Supporting Inclusive Practice, a BA degree in Education or a PGCE
• Pursue a career in teaching
• Pursue a career in supporting teaching or by progressing onto and completing the above qualifications move into a teaching career

We have a 98% success rate on this course and excellent feedback from our past students. In fact, many of our past students have gone on to take up posts in a variety of schools ranging from early years to secondary in both mainstream and special provision. 

While you are on this course you will benefit from supportive and knowledgeable tutors and assessors and by sharing good practice from fellow learners.