Teaching assistant
Teaching assistants (TAs) support teachers in the classroom and help children with reading, writing and learning activities.
Typical Salary
£21,000 – £25,000
per year
Working Hours
16–36
hours per week
Day-to-day tasks
As a teaching assistant, you could:
- help teachers prepare materials
- set up classrooms ready for lessons
- work with individual students and small groups
- watch, record and report the progress students make
- look after children who are upset or unwell
- lead classes and activities with help from the teacher
- work closely with families and carers
Skills needed
- sensitivity and understanding
- excellent verbal communication skills
- active listening skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be flexible and open to change
- to enjoy working with other people
- the ability to teach pupils how to do something
- the ability to create the best conditions for learning or teaching new things
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to get into this role
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- volunteering
- applying directly
Career progression
When working as a teaching assistant, your employer will give you opportunities to develop your skills.
For example:
- managing behaviour
- mentoring
- understanding special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
- providing extra support for particular subjects
With experience, you could take a course to become a higher level teaching assistant (HLTA).
You might also wish train to become a qualified teacher.