Specialist Teaching Assistant - Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship Summary
Specialist teaching assistants support provision related to special educational needs and disability (SEND), the social and emotional well-being, of learners, or within another area of specialist curriculum provision such as forest schools, EAL, subject-based interventions or music education.
This occupation is found in primary, secondary, special schools, alternative provision, further education institutions such as sixth forms and colleges, and a range of other education settings such as music hubs. Specialist teaching assistants will work alongside colleagues to inspire learners to progress and achieve well. Specialist teaching assistants work across all age ranges, supporting a range of learners. In the Early Years, specialisms are achieved through continuing professional development opportunities subsequent to staff achieving a recognised qualification which enables them to work in a setting in accordance with the Early Years qualification requirements and standards. Specialist teaching assistants may support provision related to special educational needs and disability (SEND), the social and emotional well-being, of learners, or within another area of specialist curriculum provision such as forest schools, EAL, subject-based interventions or music education.
Typical job titles that may be used across a range of organisations include academic mentor, SEND teaching assistant, learning mentor, specialist learning support and specialist learning assistant.
Apprenticeship standard dates
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Anytime
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University Centre
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Anytime
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University Centre
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Next steps
As an Employer
If you would like to offer this as an apprenticeship vacancy within your organisation, enrol one of your existing employees on this apprenticeship or simply find out more about supporting an apprenticeship within your organisation, please complete the Enquire Now form above and a member of our Business Development Team will be in touch within 2 working days to advise you on next steps.
As an Apprentice
If you are interested in securing an apprenticeship as a Specialist Teaching Assistant you need to be working in this role within your current employment, or about to start a role as a Specialist Teaching Assistant. This is required to support you in achieving the mandatory knowledge, skills and behaviours.
If there are currently no roles available, please submit an enquiry form using the Enquire Now button above to register your interest. We will use this information to let you know when a suitable vacancy becomes available and also to advise you of any courses we offer that might advance your career goals in the meantime.
Key information
Entry Requirements
You will need to be employed in a role that allows you to achieve the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the Specialist Teaching Assistant with a skills scan undertaken to confirm that this qualification is suitable for you.
It is preferable that you have English and maths at GCSE 4/C or above however functional skills at level 2 is also acceptable. If you do not have functional skills at level 2 you will be supported to achieve these prior to end point assessment.
How will the Apprenticeship be funded?
As the employer
How your apprenticeship is funded will depend on whether or not you pay the Apprenticeship Levy. If you do pay the Levy, your apprenticeship will be funded out of this, provided you have sufficient monies available. If you do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy, 95% of the apprenticeship will be funded by the Government, with the remaining 5% being funded by you. There may also be some further incentives offered by the Government which we will be able to advise you of when setting up your apprenticeship. Either way, B&FC's Business Development Team will be on hand to help you navigate the funding arrangements and support you through this process.
As the apprentice
One of the benefits of an apprenticeship is that, as the apprentice, you are not required to fund your training. You will also receive a wage for the work that you do with minimum hourly rates set by the Government. Your employer can choose to pay you more than the minimum wage, but they cannot pay you less. For details of current minimum wage rates for apprentices, please visit the Government
Terms and conditions
Read our full terms and conditions for more information
What will my Apprentice learn?
Knowledge
- Performance management techniques including how to identify the learning needs of others and solutions to address them.
- Processes and policies which support the delivery of operational requirements together with policies and procedures relating to people and organisational culture.
- Project management tools and techniques including time management and prioritisation tools.
- Relevant regulation, legislation, and compliance that impacts their role and the organisation.
- Organisational strategy and objectives and how their role impacts on them.
- How to manage resources to implement operational and team plans.
- Approaches to leadership and management
- Principles of change management and continuous improvement.
- Problem-solving and decision-making principles.
- Communication techniques
- The impact that external factors such as sustainability and the wider social and economic environment has on the business
- The purpose of their role within the organisation, including their level of responsibility and accountability.
Skills
- Use resources, including digital tools, to schedule and implement operational and team plans.
- Use tools to organise, prioritise and allocate daily and weekly work activities.
- Collate and interpret data and information and create reports.
- Identify and support the development of the team through informal coaching and continuous professional development.
- Manage individual and team performance by setting objectives, monitoring progress, and providing clear guidance and feedback.
- Communicate information through different media, such as face-to-face meetings, emails, reports, and presentations
- Review work processes to identify opportunities to improve performance
- Interpret organisational strategy and communicate how this impacts others.
- Interpret and apply regulation and legislation, share best practices
- Identify future changes in the sector such as technology advances that may impact their organisation.
Behaviours
- Act professionally, ethically and with integrity.
- Support an inclusive culture, treating colleagues and external stakeholders fairly and with respect.
- Take accountability and ownership of their tasks and workload.
- Seek learning opportunities and continuous professional development.
- Work flexibly and adapts to circumstances.
Expert Tutors
All tutors involved in the delivery of courses and apprenticeships within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver.
Our recruitment process ensures that tutors delivering a given programme are suitably qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and a familiarity with professional practice. This is especially important for apprenticeships where off-the-job training needs to align with apprentices' on-the-job experience.
How will the Apprenticeship be delivered?
The apprenticeship will typically be delivered over a 24-month period with additional time required to prepare for the End Point Assessment. Delivery will be once a month face and face at Blackpool & The Fylde College. This is complemented with off the job learning with an expectation that this will equate to 6 hours a week. Further guidance will be provided at sign up to ensure that you can meet the requirements of the apprenticeship.
What support will I get from B&FC?
As the employer
Each employer is supported by an experienced member of our Business Development Team to set up their apprenticeship. For those employers who are completely new to the apprenticeship process, the Team will support them with all the necessary paperwork and administration to get their apprenticeship programme up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible. For existing employers, their dedicated Client Services Manager will be an ongoing point of contact for all their apprenticeship queries, however big or small.
We can also help employers who are looking to recruit new apprentices by advertising their vacancy, finding suitable applicants and supporting them with the interview and selection process. Once an apprentice is onboard, our Curriculum Tutors and Apprenticeship Trainers and Skills Coaches also step in to support the employer-apprentice relationship and ensure the apprentice is on track to succeed.
As the apprentice
In the first instance, we aim to give potential apprentices all the support they need to find a suitable apprenticeship. That can mean working with them prior to an application to improve their CV, hone their interview skills and advise them of any additional training that may help them secure an apprenticeship vacancy.
Once they start their apprenticeship, we continue to support them with their off-site training and with regular meetings with our Apprenticeship Trainers and Skills Coaches to ensure they are progressing and acquiring all the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will ensure they complete their apprenticeship successfully.