Unlocking potential: training and development for TAs

The EEF Deployment of Teaching Assistants Guidance report (March 2025) “shows how good leadership decisions, including around effective implementation, can unleash the full potential of this [Teaching Assistant] workforce.” Given the right training and support, TAs are adept at creating pre-teaching, overlearning, and increasingly sophisticated and nuanced adaptations and reasonable adjustments for those who need it most and find learning the hardest. Their dedication and expertise are essential in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments

TAs provide reliable and hardworking support day in day out – both in the classroom and often beyond on playground duty or in after school clubs. For many children - and especially those with SEND - TAs are the consistent link providing familiarity and reassurance, often forming relationships that endure as children progress through their school years.

We have been talking about TAs a lot in the HFL SEND team recently. We discuss the scaffolded support that TAs provide to learners with SEND in most of our school visits; we have been considering the latest research in the newly updated EEF guidance, and SENCOs have told us that across Hertfordshire it is not as easy as it could be to find the most relevant and cost-effective training for TAs.

Despite their importance, it's becoming increasingly difficult nationally to recruit TAs, and high staff turnover rates are a common challenge. In the latest DfE School and College Voice survey report (December 2024), 68% of leaders reporting recruitment difficulties highlighted teaching assistant roles as hard to fill.  Nine-in-ten leaders said they struggled to recruit TAs with the desired level of skills and experience initially, so ensuring a quality induction programme is crucial to ensure that TAs acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be successful.

The EEF guidance includes information about the training and development of teaching assistants:

The DfE research “Use of teaching assistants in schools” (September 2024) described a high level of interest from TAs in training opportunities -with TAs most frequently requesting strategies to support high quality teaching in literacy, phonics or maths (74%) and in training relating to SEND interventions (76%).  The same report found that 50% wanted more opportunities to progress.

Remember, being able to provide high quality professional development is not all about off-site or online training events - structuring and valuing everyday opportunities will provide useful input too such as:

• Providing regular time for teachers and TAs to talk through subject planning, discuss individual written plans, or to give and receive feedback on pupil progress
• Organising shadowing opportunities to gain experience in less familiar year groups, subjects, or interventions
• Sharing an interesting blog or article (a range of short CPD sized blogs are available from HFL Education)

To ensure your TAs have the best start to the new academic year, here are three things you can think about now:

1) If you’re going to have new TAs joining you in September, review your induction programme to ensure you provide the skills, support, and training for them to have success from the start.

Schools are busy places, and we need to invest time in providing a quality induction or risk unintended consequences such as TAs feeling overwhelmed, making mistakes, or taking too long to get up to speed. To support their classroom role, consider this HFL online webinar on “Inclusive Classrooms: the TA’s Essential Guide”.

2) Sign up to our fully funded TA training offer - a brand-new training resource for TAs in primary, secondary and special schools.

Sponsored by HCC, and fully funded for all Hertfordshire schools you can choose to:

• join some or all the live online sessions on Thursday 25th September 2025
• access a recording of some or all the sessions at a more convenient time.
• use the recording as part of an in-school CPD programme throughout the year.

Packed with a treasure trove of helpful ideas and resources we will share our top tips and ideas on how to make classrooms more inclusive. The practical tips align with Hertfordshire’s Ordinarily Available Provision guidance and can be implemented immediately.

(This event has been planned to coincide with National Teaching Assistant’s Day on Friday 26th September – we encourage you to provide cakes for your TAs to enjoy as they listen to their training sessions! 

3) Look out for the Hertfordshire TA Training Directory – providing clear information about TA training and resources across HCC, HFL Education and your local DSPL area.  This new resource will be available from September 2025.

Together we can continue to make sure that TAs within Hertfordshire are given great training and support and valued for the incredible work they do every day.