Teaching assistants
The National Agreement
On 15 January 2003, Ministers signed a National Agreement with key partners including the local authority employers and school workforce unions. Key features of the agreement include contractual changes for teachers to bring about a progressive reduction in teachers' overall hours, a concerted attack on unnecessary paperwork and bureaucratic processes, additional resources and a national 'change management' programme, and reform of support staff roles.
Latest developments on workforce remodelling and guidance, including full guidance on The Education (Specified Work and Registration) (England) Regulations 2003 which clarify the roles of teachers and support staff, can be found on the National Remodelling Team's website.
A one page summary of the Regulations is also available.
Higher Level Teaching Assistant Standards — review and consultation by the Training and Development Agency for Schools
Last summer the Department asked the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) to review the standards for candidates seeking to attain higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) status. This complements the reviews which have already been carried out or are underway of the standards for classroom teachers and the requirements for Initial Teacher Training.
HLTA— Higher Level Teaching Assistants
Guidance for schools on Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) roles for school support staff is available as part of the package of materials that is intended to help schools decide the type and how many staff they need as they plan their workforce.
Cover supervision
The change to the teachers' contract about limits to cover took effect on 1 September 2004. Guidance for schools to consider when deploying staff to carry out cover supervision can be viewed via the following web link: Cover Supervision guidance
Guidance on the employment and grading of school support staff
In October 2003 the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services issued guidance on the employment and grading of school support staff, including examples of job profiles that can be used to support job evaluations and advice on training and development. The pay and contractual arrangements of school support staff are determined locally by LEAs/ schools.
Guidance on the roles of school staff beyond the classroom
Guidance on the roles of school staff beyond the classroom which reflects both the principles of school workforce reform and relevant health and safety legislation has just been produced by the Department.
Support staff training
The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) and its national partners on the School Workforce Development Board (SWDB) have published a three-year strategy for support staff training and development.
Developing people who support learning: a skills strategy for the wider school workforce 2006-09 sets out the way in which the SWDB partners will work together to:
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Support schools as they develop new ways of training and deploying their support staff
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Create a framework of standards and qualifications to enable schools to develop the potential of all support staff
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Extend training opportunities to meet the development needs of all support staff
The strategy builds on the SWDB's interim one-year plan, Building the school team, published in March 2005.
The three-year strategy is designed to provide strategic direction for all SWDB partner organisations and networks, including local learning and skills councils, and local authorities, who will use the document to set the context for their own planning and delivery.
The electronic version of the strategy on the TDA website contains links that give details about specific programmes, and training and development opportunities mentioned in the document.
Guidance on 'Qualifications for teaching assistants'
Guidance aimed at head teachers and those responsible for the training and qualification of teaching assistants. This information may also be of interest to teaching assistants themselves, their managers and other training providers.
Funding and recruitment
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In 2004-05, we included £279 million to contribute to Support Staff salaries and £51 million for their training and development in a new single grant for schools, the School Development Grant, worth £647 million in total. For 2005-06 the total grant has been increased by 4%. Schools will be free to spend their School Development Grant on any purpose to support improvement in teaching and learning. Details are available on the Standards Fund website. |
Further information
If you have any questions about training, development or qualifications, please
contact the TDA at supportstaffenquiry@tda.gov.uk.
