Higher Level Teaching Assistant Apprentice
Lift Meadstead
Barnsley (S71 4JS)
Closes in 9 days (Friday 26 June 2026)
Posted on 17 June 2026
Contents
Summary
In this HLTA role, you’ll work closely with our teachers to help deliver an ambitious curriculum, creating a safe, stimulating and inclusive environment for every child. You’ll lead sessions, cover lessons, and guide pupils through key developmental stages – giving them the strongest possible start.
- Wage
-
£20,525 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
NJC 12 - 17 £20,525 - £22,265 (Actual Salary) - £27,711 - £30,060 (FTE)
- Training course
- Specialist teaching assistant (level 5)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, Shifts to be confirmed.
32 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
2 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Our HLTA’s will:
- Plan and deliver small group interventions and cover whole-class sessions when required
- Support with assessment and observations to inform planning
- Encourage children’s social and emotional development
- Build strong relationships with families, supporting parental involvement
- Line manage other TAs where appropriate
Where you'll work
Meadstead Drive
Barnsley
S71 4JS
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
LIFT SCHOOLS
Training course
Specialist teaching assistant (level 5)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Act in line with policies, processes, and procedures related to statutory frameworks and non-statutory guidance, including safeguarding, implementing the setting’s behaviour policy.
- Establish a safe, stimulating and nurturing environment for learners.
- Establish nurturing, effective working relationships with learners, parents or carers and stakeholders.
- Demonstrate understanding of equality and diversity and sustainable development.
- Undertake dynamic risk assessment of the learning environment.
- Respond to and mitigate potential hazards that may adversely affect a learning environment.
- Contribute to the planning of learning and assessment activities.
- Apply teaching strategies to advance learning, for example scaffolding.
- Select and use safely, appropriate equipment and resources to advance learning.
- Apply an appropriate range of assessment methods, including formative, summative and individual needs-based assessments.
- Analyse assessment outcomes to inform reporting and future planning.
- Provide ongoing feedback to learners and support them to respond to feedback.
- Record and report information related to learners’ progress to a range of stakeholders.
- Collaborate with colleagues and other professionals.
- Advocate for and champion the needs of learners.
- Use a range of research to critically evaluate teaching and assessment approaches and practices.
- Critically evaluate a variety of teaching and assessment methods depending on the learning environments and learners’ needs.
- Improve own practice by undertaking continuous self-reflection including seeking and responding to feedback from varied sources.
- Update and maintain their own knowledge and skills as part of managing their own continuing professional development.
- Communicate information and analysis in a variety of forms to reflect the needs of the audience, for example by providing appropriate advice and guidance to parents or carers.
- Support the development of effective practices in others, for example through mentoring and coaching colleagues.
- Identify, action, and challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
- Recognise signs of vulnerability in self or colleagues and the appropriate actions required to minimise risks to professional well-being.
- Implement strategies to support the social and emotional well-being of learners.
- Select and use technologies safely and effectively to promote learning.
- Prioritise and manage own workload, for example recognising the importance of capacity.
- Implement national and local SEND policy, practices, processes, and procedures.
- Apply approaches to the assessment and early identification of SEND.
- Apply strategies to adapt provision and practices to support learners with SEND.
- Implement national and local policies, practices, processes, and procedures related to social and emotional well-being.
- Identify and signpost learners in need of social and emotional well-being intervention.
- Apply strategies to support the social and emotional well-being of learners.
- Implement national and local policies, practices, processes, and procedures related to the specific curriculum provision.
- Adapt planning and assessment to support learning and progress in the specific area of curriculum provision.
- Support colleagues by advocating for the specific curriculum provision.
- Act in line with policies, processes, and procedures related to statutory frameworks and non-statutory guidance, including safeguarding, implementing the setting’s behaviour policy.
- Establish a safe, stimulating and nurturing environment for learners.
- Establish nurturing, effective working relationships with learners, parents or carers and stakeholders.
- Demonstrate understanding of equality and diversity and sustainable development.
- Undertake dynamic risk assessment of the learning environment.
- Respond to and mitigate potential hazards that may adversely affect a learning environment.
- Contribute to the planning of learning and assessment activities.
- Apply teaching strategies to advance learning, for example scaffolding.
- Select and use safely, appropriate equipment and resources to advance learning.
- Apply an appropriate range of assessment methods, including formative, summative and individual needs-based assessments.
- Analyse assessment outcomes to inform reporting and future planning.
- Provide ongoing feedback to learners and support them to respond to feedback.
- Record and report information related to learners’ progress to a range of stakeholders.
- Collaborate with colleagues and other professionals.
- Advocate for and champion the needs of learners.
- Use a range of research to critically evaluate teaching and assessment approaches and practices.
- Critically evaluate a variety of teaching and assessment methods depending on the learning environments and learners’ needs.
- Improve own practice by undertaking continuous self-reflection including seeking and responding to feedback from varied sources.
- Update and maintain their own knowledge and skills as part of managing their own continuing professional development.
- Communicate information and analysis in a variety of forms to reflect the needs of the audience, for example by providing appropriate advice and guidance to parents or carers.
- Support the development of effective practices in others, for example through mentoring and coaching colleagues.
- Identify, action, and challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
- Recognise signs of vulnerability in self or colleagues and the appropriate actions required to minimise risks to professional well-being.
- Implement strategies to support the social and emotional well-being of learners.
- Select and use technologies safely and effectively to promote learning.
- Prioritise and manage own workload, for example recognising the importance of capacity.
Training schedule
- Typical programme duration: 18-24 months delivered through blended learning by expert Lift Schools trainers and leaders
- Progress reviews every ten weeks involving the apprentice, line manager and trainer
- End Point Assessment consists of an observation with questions and a professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence
More training information
Career progression for Level 3 TAs and and TAs with significant experience who want to formalise their learning and gain a recognised qualification
Core Themes:
- Advanced learning
- Planning and assessment communication
- Professionalism
- Regulation and guidance
Requirements
Essential qualifications
Teaching Assistant Training in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Team working
- Non judgemental
- Patience
Other requirements
Designed to equip colleagues with the skills to support learners across a range of educational settings, including primary and secondary schools, special schools, and further education institutions.
About this employer
Who is Lift Schools? Lift Schools is made up of 59 primary, secondary and special schools, educating more than 33,000 pupils across the country. We believe education can transform lives – and we want every child in our schools to achieve their full potential. Our mission: 1. We will provide an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day. 2. With excellent leadership and teaching in every school, we will help children go on to lead successful and happy lives. 3. We will work with others beyond our network to benefit more children and communities.
https://www.liftschools.org/apprenticeships (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Well-being cash plan + pension scheme (LGPS) + additional Lift Schools benefits
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Suitable for aspiring teachers and SEND specialists
- SEND pathway
- Social emotional well-being pathway
- Specialist curriculum pathway
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Lift Meadstead
Talent Team
recruitment@liftschools.org
02039475689
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000037664.
Apply now
Closes in 9 days (Friday 26 June 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.