Apprentice Teaching Assistant Level 3

Summary

The work involves supporting children individually, in groups or as a whole class in schools. You will engage with pupils across a range of abilities and undertake duties that support the teacher, such as preparing the classroom. Some TAs work exclusively with pupils with special educational needs (SEN) or with those with other specific needs.

Wage

Competitive

Competitive wage offered

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

The wage is £12.26 per hour, 30 hours a week, term time only.

Training course

Teaching assistant (level 3)

Hours

Monday-Friday, exact hours to be agreed between the apprentice and your manager.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

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

Teaching Assistants work in Primary, Special and Secondary education across all age ranges encompassing special educational needs and emotional vulnerabilities.

The primary role of the Teaching Assistant is to support the class teacher to enhance pupils’ learning either in groups or individually, ensuring pupils understand the work set, know their learning objectives and stay on task in order to make progress.

Promoting self-belief, social inclusion and a high self-esteem play an integral part to pupils’ well-being; ensuring pupils thrive in a positive, nurturing, safe environment.

It is an active role supporting the learner to access the curriculum. They are good role models, act with honesty and integrity, take part in team meetings; contribute to planning and class activities. Promoting Fundamental British Values through spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and positive behaviours are crucial in contributing to improved pupil progress and development.

Job Description of a Teaching Assistant

The duties will depend on your experience and training. Generally, you'll need to:

Deliver tailored teaching activities to pupils on either a one-to-one basis or in small groups
Ensure that the pupils you support are able to engage in learning and stay on task during the lesson or activity
Support the social and emotional development of pupils, reporting any issues when required
Support the teacher in managing challenging pupil behaviour and promoting positive behaviour
Listen to pupils read and read to pupils as a class, group or one-to-one
Guide and monitor pupil progress
Help with the planning of some lessons
Provide detailed and regular feedback to teachers on pupils' progress
Carry out administrative duties, such as preparing classroom resources
Look after pupils who have had accidents, need help dressing or are upset
Create art displays of pupils' artwork
Provide support outside of your normal classes, such as helping during exams, covering TA absences or going on school trips
Help with extracurricular activity such as breakfast and after-school clubs, homework club, revision sessions or lunchtime duties
Supervise other support staff
Coordinate specific areas of teaching support once you have the right level of experience

Where you'll work

Concorde Drive
Westbury-on-Trym
Bristol
Bristol
BS10 6NJ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND STROUD COLLEGE

Your training course

Teaching assistant (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Apply strategies to support and encourage the development of independent learners.
Adapt communication strategies for the audience and context.
Apply behaviour management strategies in line with organisational policy.
Adapt resources to support all learners.
Communicate with teachers to ensure clarity of the TA’s role.
Apply teaching strategies to deliver learning activities or interventions.
Build relationships with learners, teachers, other professionals and stakeholders.
Comply with legislation, guidance, and procedures for Prevent, safeguarding and health & safety.
Support the well-being and mental health of learners.
Observe, record, and report on learners in line with organisational procedures.
Apply methods of formative assessment.
Use up to date technology safely, to support learning.
Encourage safe use of technology by learners.
Adapt teaching strategies to support all learners (for example, scaffolding, open questioning).
Identify and respond to pastoral and academic behaviours in learners.
Provide feedback to learners.
Apply strategies to support and encourage the development of independent learners.
Adapt communication strategies for the audience and context.
Apply behaviour management strategies in line with organisational policy.
Adapt resources to support all learners.
Communicate with teachers to ensure clarity of the TA’s role.
Apply teaching strategies to deliver learning activities or interventions.
Build relationships with learners, teachers, other professionals and stakeholders.
Comply with legislation, guidance, and procedures for Prevent, safeguarding and health & safety.
Support the well-being and mental health of learners.
Observe, record, and report on learners in line with organisational procedures.
Apply methods of formative assessment.
Use up to date technology safely, to support learning.
Encourage safe use of technology by learners.
Adapt teaching strategies to support all learners (for example, scaffolding, open questioning).
Identify and respond to pastoral and academic behaviours in learners.
Provide feedback to learners.

Your training plan

SGS College will support apprentices in building their portfolio to cover the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprenticeship standard.

On programme learning will be followed by the final End Point Assessment, which includes a practical observation with question and answer, portfolio of evidence submission and a Profession Discussion.

Full time apprentices will spend typically 18 months on-programme working towards the apprenticeship standard, with a minimum of 20% off-the-job training.

Each apprentice will be assigned a dedicated tutor who will support them in completing their Portfolio and preparing for the End Point Assessment.

The Employer, Training Provider (tutor) and the learner will decide when the learner is ready to enter the Apprenticeship Gateway.

The tutor will help prepare the learner to ensure they are confident to complete all components. The tutor will schedule regular 1:1s and complete progress reviews with the apprentice and their Line Manager/Employer at 8 to 12-week intervals.

More training information

You will attend the Filton Campus of SGS College for you college release, which will be on a Tuesday, term time only.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4 and above)
Maths (grade 4 and above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Customer care skills
Administrative skills
Number skills
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience

Other requirements

You will need to pass an enhanced background check (DBS). https://www.gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role. Due to age ranges of the children you will be working with, this employer is looking to recruit somebody aged 19 plus as you will be supporting 16 year olds.

About this company

BFS is a thriving community secondary school with Sixth Form serving 1250 students and their families. BFS has a unique legacy, being created by the local community to serve the families from Westbury-on-Trym and its locality. BFS is an ambitious school which works to ensure every child makes excellent progress from his or her starting point and experiences a breadth of opportunities which develop the whole person. We want our young people to leave BFS with confidence and a strong belief that they can make the best of their life chances and be positive citizens with a strong moral compass. Success, to us, is a broad statement about the whole person and is linked to knowing oneself and being equipped to thrive in this fast-moving, ever changing world. Community. Ambition. Opportunity

https://bristolfreeschool.org.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

As well as ensuring full competency as a Teaching Assistant, this standard provides a foundation for potential This field is optional. However it is helpful for a candidate to be able to see where the role is progression into a number of career paths in the Educational sector including Higher Level Teaching Assistant, Assistant Teacher and Teacher.

Ask a question

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