Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Level 3 with SEND
The Level 3 Teaching Assistant (TA) Apprenticeship with SEND is tailored for both current TAs and those aspiring to become TAs, focusing on supporting students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Applications close 22 December
At a glance
Course duration
15 - 18 Months
TA Level 3
Blended learning
One-to-one teaching sessions
Up to 100% funded
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Gain additional certificate in SEND
Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship with SEND (Level 3)
Our programme offers a flexible approach to learning for both schools and learners, with a strong emphasis on the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) pathway. This ensures that all learners acquire the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to support teachers in enhancing pupil learning, both in groups and individually. By doing so, learners help ensure that pupils understand their assignments, know their learning objectives, and stay focused to make progress.
Specialising in SEND, learners will develop an in-depth understanding of various areas of need, such as Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), Dyslexia, and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This specialised knowledge will enable them to play a more effective role in supporting students with SEND.
What are the benefits?
- Certificated training in up to two chosen specialist areas: SEND, Early Years, Behaviour, EAL and Assessment
- Fantastic well-being programme BPN Boost to support learners throughout the programme
- Potential fast-track to Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) status
- Levy-funded, which we can help you access
- Safeguard and promote the health, safety and welfare of children
- Work with teachers to understand and support assessment
- Apply for an TOTUM Student Discount Card
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Learners must:
- Be employed as a Teaching Assistant with support from your school and levy account holder/Apprenticeship Service Account holder.
- Support from your Line Manager/designated Mentor to work with you throughout the programme and support you with the 20% off-the-job training including webinars, portfolio preparation, shadowing, reading and time to attend Review meetings. Also to set the plan for the on-the-job training according to an Individual Learning Plan.
- GCSEs in English and maths at Grade C (4) or above or able to achieve Level 2 English and maths whilst on programme
- Have experience in the role or similar roles.
- Have held a residency in the UK for the last three years
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This programme has termly start dates. Work is submitted using Bud, the cutting-edge online platform, which is easy to use and includes login access for schools to keep track of their learners progress. You can also get a Bud app so you can check progress on the move.
Delivery includes:
- Half-termly (4–6) Tutor on-site visits to carry out observations and professional discussions in the school work place
- A extensive curriculum with 17 Knowledge, 16 Skills and 6 Behaviours that help support the class teacher and enhance learning
- 6-weekly remote or face-to-face online reviews with the Tutor and the Head Teacher/ Line Manager/ mentor
- Reflective CPD online journal or blog
- One-to-one teaching sessions with a dedicated Tutor
- Group webinars and online catch-ups
- HLTA competencies and career development
- Individual learning plans
Learners are able to choose an additional specialist area alongside the SEND pathway. For every additional specialism module, you will gain an accredited certificate.
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You can choose more than one specialism alongside your SEND pathway but you must ensure that this is discussed with your employer and tutor so that time spent on these specialisms does not impact your workload and core apprenticeship course requirements
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You will gain a certificate for any specialism successfully completed
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The additional specialisms become available six months after the apprenticeship start date
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| Early Years | English as an Additional Language | Behaviour | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| The focus of the Early Years specialism is good practice in nursery and reception that ensures children are given the best possible start to their schooling, in line with the principles and practices of the Early Years Foundation Stage. | Selecting EAL will equip TAs to support pupils who may be at different stages of English language acquisition and who have different backgrounds and needs. | The behaviour specialism develops a deeper understanding of behaviour strategies to support children to behave in ways that help them and others to gain the most from their schooling. | A specialism in assessment will support TAs' understanding of formative assessment techniques to; find out what children already know so that they can build on this, unpick children’s misconceptions, check learning within (as well as at the end of) lesson and be able to provide effective feedback to move learning forwards. |
- This 18-month apprenticeship costs £7,000 but can be delivered at no cost to you or your setting if your setting is an Apprenticeship Levy payer.
- If your setting doesn’t pay into the Apprenticeship Levy Fund, the government will pay 95% of your fees, with your setting contributing just 5%, which is £350. More details can be found on the Government website.
- Contact our friendly apprenticeship team to confirm the availability of funding for your setting.
Employer Incentive
An employer incentive payment of £1,000 is available for new apprentices aged 16 to 18 and those under 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Apprenticeship Levy Transfer
If an employer pays into the Apprenticeship Levy and has unspent funds, they can transfer up to 25% of that contribution to another employer. That means you can benefit from the levy-contributions of a different organisation to cover the full costs of an apprenticeship for a member of your team.
Organisations who are actively willing to transfer unspent funds can be viewed on the pledge page. Learn more about the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer on the Government website.
As well as ensuring full competency as a Teaching Assistant, this standard provides a foundation for potential progression into a number of career paths in the Educational sector including Higher Level Teaching Assistant, Assistant Teacher and Teacher.
On successful completion:
Successful learners will achieve the level 3 apprenticeship qualification and will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to make a difference in their school.
All learners will complete the programme with a final individual learning plan (ILP) to support career development. Best Practice Network's national footprint as an experienced and leading provider of HLTA status, and our teacher training connection as part of our NPQ and Early Career Framework contracts with the Department for Education, ensure we are well-placed to offer expert guidance with the ILP.
A unique feature of our programme is that successful learners, post end-point assessment, will be eligible to apply for a fast-track to HLTA assessment with Best Practice Network.
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