Castlefield’s Primary school aims to develop each child emotionally, physically, intellectually, spiritually, and socially, so that they are able to fulfil their true potential and are prepared for the next stage in their education.

Whilst working in Castlefield’s, Amanda Smith received a well earned distinction for completing her Level 3 Teaching Assistant Qualification with Heart of England Training and told us that she thoroughly enjoyed her course as a whole and that she received all the support that she needed; and more!

“I really enjoyed the whole course. As an older apprentice returning to studying, I thought I may struggle, but I found it easy to fit in around my work and had enough time to complete the tasks I was set.”

Amanda went on to add, “My educator was always on hand if I needed any additional help or support and made the completion of the course so much easier.”

Our Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Course currently has a 98% pass rate and is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to understand pupil’s learning and development, support assessment and add value to education.

With the Teaching Assistant Level 3 being a relatively active role, you can expect to be tasked with jobs such as…

  • Ensuring pupils thrive in a positive and safe environment
  • Take part in team meetings
  • Contribute to lessons and planning tasks/ activities
  • Constant support towards your pupils

Whilst completing her day-to-day tasks and undertaking all of the day courses, Amanda said that her journey on the course has really made her reflect on her practise and identify the areas regarding her style and overall interactions with the pupils that she could potentially broaden and improve on.

“This course has also made me consider the whole picture around the child and not just the pupils that I see in school such as what might be happening at home that might be affecting them inside the classroom.”

Amanda pursued her apprenticeship on a deep and meaningful level and as her training provider, it was really nice to see just how much she cared for the pupils that she taught as well as how much she values the company.

“My entire interaction with everyone at HOET has been professional and I cannot thank them enough for their help and support throughout my course, but a special mention would definitely go to my educator Fay who was always available to support and encourage me.”

Amanda continued on to give a bit more detail into what studying an apprenticeship is actually like, discussing the theory side of the job role and what tasks need to be completed behind the scenes.

A large part of completing an apprenticeship with HOET is keeping on track with your OTJ ( off the job ). Documenting your daily tasks, going into detail about what you plan to do next, and how you are going to do it, as well as using your OTJ to keep a log of what you have completed during your apprenticeship that will benefit you when you come to do your EPA (end point assessment). Amanda said…

“Don’t be put off with the Off the Job hours. It may seem daunting at first but make sure you try and log something a soon as it’s completed and make use of the Anspear courses. Not only were they beneficial but they can be counted wards OTJ and can make a big contribution towards the total hours.”

To finish off, Amanda’s educator, Fay Conroy, had some lovely words to say about what having Amanda as a learner was like, and reflecting on her overall journey as an apprentice with Heart of England Training.

“I would like to say that Amanda was an absolute pleasure to work with. The strong partnership between school and HOET enabled her to apply her knowledge and develop her skills effectively  throughout the course.”

“Amanda’s commitment  to her role  and her high aspirations meant that she  fully embraced the learning opportunities that the apprenticeship provided, and I am sure that she will continue to go from strength to strength.”

 

Want to take the next steps?

Is your business looking for an apprentice? Contact us to find out more or take a look at our Apprenticeship Information for Employers.

We also offer a wide variety of courses for schools  across a broad range of sectors.