Special Needs Teaching Assistant Job Information | National Careers Service

The work

Your work would depend on the age of the children and their individual needs, but would usually involve:

• helping with schoolwork under the supervision of the teacher
• preparing learning materials
• encouraging children to be confident and independent
• helping children understand instructions
• carrying out a child's care plan (education, social, behaviour and personal)
• encouraging children to communicate
• giving information and help to teachers
• supporting children during social activities and outings
• helping children during therapy sessions
• recognising when children are upset and comforting them
• looking after children's physical needs
• keeping records.

You could work in a special school that supports children with severe or complex special educational needs, or with an individual pupil or small group of pupils in a mainstream class.

You could have a different job title, such as special needs classroom assistant, learning support assistant, support worker or special needs assistant.

Hours

You would usually work school hours, Monday to Friday, during term-time. However, many teaching assistants work part-time. You may sometimes go to training and meetings outside school hours.

Some special schools are residential. If you work as a teaching assistant in this type of school, you may have to work a mixture of shifts covering seven days a week.

Income

Salaries for full-time teaching assistants can be from £12,000 to over £17,000 a year.

Salaries for full-time Higher Level Teaching Assistants can be between £16,000 and around £21,000 a year. This varies depending on the Local Education Authority (LEA) and the responsibilities of individual jobs.

Wage rates are set by each LEA or school. Teaching assistants who work part-time and/or paid term-time only would earn a portion of full-time rates (known as 'pro rata' payment).

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

Individual local education authorities (LEAs) and schools decide what qualifications and experience they expect, so it is worth checking local job advertisements.

It is unlikely that you would find paid work without relevant experience, and most qualifications for special needs teaching assistants are aimed at people working or volunteering in a school.

A useful way to start gaining experience is to volunteer to help in a local school, perhaps for a few hours a week at first. General experience with children or young people with disabilities or learning difficulties would also be useful.

For some jobs it would help you if you had nursery nursing qualifications.

You will need Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance before you can begin working or volunteering. See the CRB website for details.

• Criminal Records Bureau

To work with pupils with hearing impairment you are likely to need a sign language qualification such as the Certificate in British Sign Language to at least stage 1.

Training and development

As a newly-appointed special needs teaching assistant, you would usually complete a short, nationally approved induction training programme. Some local authorities also offer a range of training, which may lead to qualifications.

You can also work towards Level 2 and 3 Award/Certificate/Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools. The Award will develop the knowledge and understanding you need to work in a school, and you will not need to be working to complete it. To complete the Certificate and Diploma you will need to be working or volunteering in a school.

You may also need qualifications such as GCSEs or the equivalent. Ask colleges for their entry requirements.

Local Education Authorities (LEAs), some colleges, charities and disability organisations provide training whilst you are working, relating to particular types of disability or learning difficulty. Your employer will usually help you to arrange this training.

Depending on your job, it could be useful to have training in relevant communication skills, such as:

• Signature (formerly CACDP) qualifications, including Deaf Awareness, British Sign Language, Deafblind Awareness and Deafblind Support Work
• Makaton (or similar) sign-supported English
• Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) courses, including Partners in Learning - this is a modular BTEC course for teaching assistants that work with pupils with sight problems.

See the Signature, Makaton Vocabulary Development Project (MVDP) and RNIB websites for details (website addresses in More Information below).

When you are experienced as a special needs teaching assistant, you may be able to study for a foundation degree. These are offered by a number of colleges and universities, and have various titles, like:

• Teaching and Learning Support
• Education Studies for Teaching Assistants.

After completing a foundation degree, you might be able to progress to a related honours degree. This could provide a route for qualifying as a primary school teacher.

Skills and knowledge

To be a special needs teaching assistant, you would need to have:

• an interest in education and in working with children
• good communication and 'people' skills
• the ability to work well as part of a team
• good literacy and numeracy skills
• tact and sensitivity
• a responsible attitude
• patience
• the ability to be firm when necessary
• willingness to help with children's personal care needs.

An ability to speak local community languages could also be useful for some jobs.

More information

Signature
Mersey House
Mandale Business Park
Belmont
Durham DH1 1TH
Tel: 0191 383 1155
Textphone: 0191 383 7915
www.signature.org.uk

Department for Education
Support Staff Enquiry Line (freephone): 0800 389 5335
www.education.gov.uk/schools/careers/traininganddevelopment/staff

Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB)
105 Judd Street
London
WC1H 9NE
Tel: 020 7388 1266
www.rnib.org.uk

Local Government Careers Information
www.lgcareers.com

Makaton Vocabulary Development Project
www.makaton.org

Opportunities

You could find opportunities in special schools, or in mainstream or independent schools. Local authorities, disability organisations and charities run special schools, usually for pupils with severe or complex special educational needs.

Plans to educate pupils with disabilities and special needs in mainstream schools means that there will probably be more opportunities in this type of school.

With experience you may be able to progress to a senior assistant job. You may be able to take on more responsibility by applying for training and assessment for Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) status. Visit the Department for Education website for details.

• Department for Education

You may find the following links useful for vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):

• LG Jobs
• Times Educational Supplement
• eteach

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

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