The Journey of being a Teaching Assistant
Shauna Bently has recently completed her Teaching Assistant Level 3 Apprenticeship with us here at Heart of England Training. She works at Stow Heath Primary School. They are a school that strongly pride themselves in ensuring that all pupils engage in a broad and balanced curriculum that develops their knowledge, skills and understanding. They celebrate and welcome differences whilst also ensuring that every child is recognised as a unique individual, meaning they can cater their learning around their starting points as they progress.
Shauna told us that one of the main reasons she started an apprenticeship was because it was the most flexible education path that she could get into whilst still having the ability to provide for her family at home with a wage.
“I feel like throughout the apprenticeship I have learnt lot’s of skills and gained experience within my role. I have enjoyed in particular building lots of positive relationships with staff and children whilst at my placement.”
Shauna also stated that she received endless amounts of support from her mentor Emma, who has guided her through the process,. Her educator Fay has also provided amazing support.
“I am really grateful for how fun and painless they collectively made my apprenticeship journey.”
The Teaching Assistant Level 3 Qualification
Our Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Course currently has a 94% pass rate. It is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to understand pupils’ learning and development, support assessment and add value to education.
During your apprenticeship, you could be working in primary, special and secondary education across all age ranges encompassing special educational needs and emotional vulnerabilities. The role of the Teaching Assistant is to support the class teacher to enhance pupils learning either in groups or individually. Also ensuring that pupils understand the work set, know their learning objectives and stay on task in order to make progress.
Promoting self-belief, social inclusion and high self-esteem play an integral part to pupils’ wellbeing. Ensuring pupils thrive in a positive, nurturing, safe environment. The Teaching Assistant’s role is an active one: supporting the learner to access the curriculum. They are good role models, act with honesty and integrity Take part in team meetings and contribute to planning and class activities. They promote Fundamental British Values through spiritual, moral, social and cultural development to improve pupil progress and development.
Learner Feedback
She carried on telling us about her journey, stating that she found the training from HOET really helpful.
“Throughout I have had lots of support and frequent meetings with Fay and Emma. I have also had 1 to 1 sessions to assist my learning and aid me in reflecting on my practise. I feel like I could have approached anyone for support at any time which was amazing.”
Shauna said that she would definitely recommend an apprenticeship with HOET. If you are looking to do something new but still need to financially support yourself, an apprenticeship is the best option. She found it great to be able to learn whilst on the job and gain a wealth of experience.
Employer Feedback
Shauna’s employer, Emma Jones, has also given us some feedback on her experience having Shauna as an apprentice.
Emma told us that as an experienced member of staff, she has had the pleasure of training several colleagues. She was keen to ensure that her practise would benefit Shauna and her portfolio.
“I’d like to think that I gave a lot of help and support to Shauna in order for her learning to be as purposeful as possible. I feel she can now use the experience in any role as a TA. I would give the same support to any trainee so that the new generation of TA’s can be fully equipped to do the job.”
Emma explained that Shauna’s educator, Fay, was very supportive and beneficial. She said that she was very knowledgeable and guided herself through the process so that it was as easy as possible. OneFile was easy and accessible to use from her point of view.
Lastly, we wanted to know what it was like taking on an apprentice for Emma, and she said this.
“It has made me think about my own practise. Also how to explain clearly to another person my own expectations so that my classroom still runs smoothly and looks attractive and inviting. If a job was not done correctly, I feel it would have been a reflection on myself. I have high expectations therefore I’d hope that these were passed on so that Shauna’s practise will reflect this. I believe that everybody deserves the best job experience and education that I can possibly give them.”
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.
