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Higher Level Teaching Assistants

Higher Level Teaching Assistants. Briefing for school leaders. We will cover. HLTAs roles The Standards The assessment process Implications for school leaders. HLTA roles.

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Higher Level Teaching Assistants

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  1. Higher Level Teaching Assistants Briefing for school leaders

  2. We will cover • HLTAs roles • The Standards • The assessment process • Implications for school leaders

  3. HLTA roles • In our experience HLTAs have varied and challenging roles including supporting curriculum teams, learning support and pastoral care. These roles have often evolved as a result of the HLTA’s area of expertise. • These are some of the roles that HLTAs are currently carrying out in secondary schools in this region: • Advancing learning of individuals, groups and whole classes as part of a curriculum team • Leading groups of SEN students in alternative education programmes • Managing medical support and provision • Career guidance and work placements • Pastoral care, including being learning mentors and form tutors • Leading teams of TAs and managing their timetables • Providing points of contact for parents and the wider community

  4. Reasons to employ a HLTA • The HLTA status recognises and rewards the high levels of skill, knowledge and understanding of many TAs. • You can be confident that your HLTAs have met a secure and demanding National Standard for teaching assistants. • HLTA’s help you to create a flexible whole staff team working across your school. • Helping HLTAs to gain their status shows your commitment to whole school Continued Professional Development. • Qualified HLTAs can work with individuals, groups or whole classes of children. • Recruiting HLTAs helps to reassure your parents, pupils and teachers about the quality of support staff in your school. • Providing HLTAs broadens your school’s specialist learning support. • Supporting HLTAs’ development enhances relationships in your whole school team. • The HLTA qualification provides an opportunity for TAs to access high quality training or preparation which is free to both school and candidate. • Having HLTAs gives school managers greater flexibility over staff deployment.

  5. Professional standards for HLTAs Set out what every TA should know, understand and be able to do in order to be awarded the status • Professional Values and Practice • Knowledge and Understanding • Teaching and Learning Activities

  6. Important Standards 2.6 qualifications in literacy and numeracy at NQF level 2 (No other qualifications or certificates necessary)

  7. Whole classes 3.3.5c - working with whole classes where no assigned teacher is present to advance pupils’ learning • Not defined by absolute or precise number of pupils • Determined by your school’s ‘context’ • It is the role of introducing, managing and completing a topic or task • No minimum or maximum length of time • Maybe regularly or rarely • Must be under the direction and supervision of a teacher • There must be evidence that pupil’s learning has been advanced

  8. Assessment • Assessment is about enabling candidates to demonstrate that they meet the Standards • It is based on what TAs normally do in the classroom and school • It is not intended to be a demand on headteachers and other colleagues • Funding is available from LAs – there is no cost to the school • It consists of completing written tasks...accounts of situations where TAs have worked with an individual, a small group, a class (more than once) and other shorter accounts of situations • Collecting evidence in a small portfolio • A half day visit from an assessor

  9. The school visit • Assessor • Verifies claims that TA has made • Explores additional evidence (the file & interviews) • Ensures that evidence is found (where it exists) to enable a TA to meet the Standard • TA • Explains in more detail aspects of activities • Provides documentary evidence to support the four tasks • Headteacher and Teacher(s) • Meets with the assessor to verify claims of the candidate • Provide further evidence about a TA’s skills, knowledge and understanding

  10. Implications for school leaders Suggestions prior a TA undergoing HLTA Training, Preparation and Assessment: • Raise awareness of the HLTA Status among all staff • Build opportunities for TAs to develop skills and knowledge leading to HLTA status from induction • Discuss potential of gaining HLTA status as part of TA Performance Management • Look into providing opportunities for TAs to access HLTA related training

  11. Implications for school leaders For those undergoing HLTA Training, Preparation and Assessment: • Provide ‘mentor’ support for TAs to discuss training, preparation and assessment tasks • Provide non-contact time for TAs to complete tasks – often cover costs for this will be available as part fo the funding • Ensure that key staff are aware of HLTA Standards and assessment • Ensure that staff are available for Assessors visit to the school, and have had the opportunity to be briefed by the candidate

  12. Next steps • Every LA has a dedicated budget to fund HLTA status • The named contact for your LA will be able to advise you on training and preparation opportunities available in your area • They will also be able to support candidates who need further training, either in HLTA skills and knowledge, or in producing evidence of level 2 skills

  13. For more information www.hltaeast.org.uk

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