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. 

Staff wellbeing is crucial to the ongoing success of any school, it can help support with; staff retention, nurturing a strong sense of community in the staffing body, building positive relationships with all stakeholders and contributes positively to school culture and outcomes.

As governors and trustees, we have many opportunities to shape, monitor and maintain a positive wellbeing culture in our settings, none more so than our work on committees that review staff structures and workload, review staff pay and performance and ensuring staff CPD and wellbeing support is appropriately budgeted for and monitored.

We have a duty to ensure that our schools are a safe, inclusive, and supportive place for all staff and other stakeholders. The following are some of the ways governors can support staff wellbeing:

• By ensuring that wellbeing is woven through the actions and ambitions in the school development plan.
• Reviewing policies and procedures through a wellbeing lens, ensuring its embedded practice.
• Ensuring that school leaders model a healthy approach to a good work-life balance, setting great examples for staff to follow.
• Ensure that the staff voice is heard and any suggestions for workload reductions are considered and acted upon appropriately
• Asking school leaders how they are monitoring staff wellbeing and reviewing the impact of any initiatives put in place to improve wellbeing (not forgetting that monitoring the wellbeing of school leaders needs to be a board priority as well!)
• Ensuring that external and school-based support is clearly signposted such as Employee Assistance Programmes or other counselling services such as mentoring or coaching schemes.

Amongst the growing list of link governor roles, both essential and desirable, having a governor focussed on wellbeing either by way of a link role or as a champion for wellbeing is a great step to take. It may be useful to have a role descriptor that could include reporting termly to the board as a standing item, regularly meeting with the staff wellbeing lead or senior leader, ensuring that wellbeing is considered when policies are being reviewed and the school development plan is being drawn up and receiving data on staff absence, staff turnover, staff exit interviews and staff survey results. For the governor or trustee, it would be important to ensure they have the necessary skills to fulfil the role such as being a good listener, empathetic and approachable as well as being able to challenge effectively and supportively and a willingness to engage with training to help with understanding the role. For smaller boards, or boards with a number of vacancies, rather than having a specific link governor, to consider weaving wellbeing into all other link role visits and reports, maybe have a section on the visit report where staff wellbeing observations can be captured.

So, what are the practical steps we can take to help support with staff wellbeing? Whatever steps we do take, we need to have the capacity to deliver and monitor them, if we overburden school leaders and staff with too many it will have the opposite effect of what we are trying to achieve!

In the first instance the school could carry out an audit of staff wellbeing, this can be used to measure future surveys against and will enable senior leaders to work with the board to identify where things are going well and areas for improvement. Use the audit to create a wellbeing strategy with clear and measurable goals and ensure it aligns with the school or academies overall values and vision. Create a culture where staff are recognised and celebrated for excellent work or ideas, this can be done in many ways including celebration boards, staff newsletters, social events and celebrating milestones and achievements. Another key area is staff voice and the encouragement of open communication, this can be achieved in many ways such as suggestion boxes, staff surveys, regular ‘forum’ style staff meetings (occasionally without senior leaders present?), a clear process for staff to raise concerns and ultimately a well signposted whistle blowing procedure. In doing some of these things you are removing barriers to improving staff wellbeing, opening up lines of communication and ultimately ensuring staff are seen, heard and respected. The board needs to ensure it remains strategic in this regard, look to receive regular updates at board meetings on the effectiveness and impact of the agreed wellbeing strategy.

Staff wellbeing isn’t a tick box exercise but an ongoing opportunity, it’s a shared endeavour between senior leaders and the board, and in championing staff wellbeing as a top priority you will shift the dial measurably on staff recruitment and retention. After all a school with a reputation for having a fantastic staff wellbeing culture will help you attract the best staff and in the longer term, with such a supportive culture, you will improve retention as well. View it as a less tangible investment in the future sustainability of your school, where the true dividend will be  the trickle-down effect on pupil wellbeing and ultimately improved outcomes for all the children in your school.

Supporting with staff wellbeing

DfE’s  Reducing school workload - support and practical resources for schools to help reduce workload, including the school workload reduction toolkit

Learn more about the HFL Education Wellbeing Quality mark here , placing health and wellbeing at the heart of the whole school community.

Governance Guide (maintained schools) 4.7 – consideration of staff wellbeing, workload and working conditions Maintained schools governance guide - Guidance - GOV.UK

Governance Guide (academies) 5.3 – working with Executive team; 5.4 - staff wellbeing, workload and working conditions Academy trust governance guide - Guidance - GOV.UK

I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of curiosity, awe, and wonder in the early years classroom. These elements are not just beneficial; they are essential for fostering a love of learning and helping children develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.

The Educational Programme for Communication and Language in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework (2024) states that: ‘The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development. Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development. The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial.’

The EYFS Profile is the statutory assessment completed at the end of the academic year in which children turn five, usually reception year. Teachers must assess whether a child has met or not yet met the expected level of development for each of the 17 Early Learning Goals (ELGs). The ELG for Communication and Language, Listening, Attention and Understanding states that: Children at the expected level of development will:

• Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments, and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions.
• Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding.
• Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers. (EYFS Profile Handbook 2024)

When speaking to colleagues in school, I often hear that ‘children don’t ask relevant questions.’ This makes me reflect on why this might be and consider how we can adjust our provision to encourage children to ask meaningful and relevant questions. I am confident that adults can create opportunities for curiosity, awe and wonder cost effectively without adding significantly to existing workload by thinking creatively about how young children learn.

The Power of Curiosity

Curiosity can be a powerful driving force behind learning. When children are curious, they are motivated to explore, ask questions, and seek out new knowledge. This natural inclination in the early years makes it the perfect time to nurture and encourage curiosity.

Consider

Natural objects

Create an area in the provision, a curiosity cube, or empty fish tank, with intriguing objects such as unusual rocks, shells, or plants. Change the items regularly to maintain interest and encourage children to ask questions about the new objects. Displays I have seen have included a collection of cactus plants. I did not want the children to touch them (for obvious reasons), but the conversations about the spines were fascinating.

Mystery boxes

Use mystery boxes filled with different objects that children can feel and guess what they are. This can spark curiosity and lead to discussions about the possibility of what the box contains and can lead to deep mathematical conversations about size and capacity. A mystery box also provides opportunities for children to mark make or write their ideas.

Exploration walks

Take children on nature walks regularly to collect interesting items. Back in the classroom, discuss what they found and encourage them to ask questions about their discoveries. You could decide on a criterion for collecting objects, such as colour, shape, or size.

Creating awe and wonder

Awe and wonder are emotions that can profoundly impact a child's learning experience. When children encounter something extraordinary, it can leave a lasting impression and inspire a sense of wonder about the world.

Practical ideas

Life cycle observations

Often the planned curriculum includes an opportunity each year to learn about a life cycle such as a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis or a plant growing from a seed. These experiences teach children about life cycles, growth, and change. Reflect on opportunities to gain experience of growing plants throughout the year; for example, cress is a fast-growing plant, whereas runner beans or sunflowers will take longer to emerge from the seed. Could children experience growing a different plant every term?

Historical artifacts

Introduce historical objects like old coins, typewriters, telephones or even VHS video tapes. Encourage children to decide on their purpose, origins and uses before providing the facts, which will spark wonder about different times and cultures.

Science experiments

Conduct simple science experiments that have a ‘wow’ factor, such as volcano eruptions with baking soda and vinegar, melting ice or chocolate. The process of cooking is a straightforward way of exploring scientific concepts and talking about the change of states. Experiments can prompt questions about how and why things happen.

Encouraging Questions and Conversations

The latest Ofsted research, Stronger Foundations in the First Years of School, found that ‘Sometimes adults give more attention to the confident and articulate children. This promotes their intellectual and social development at the expense of the minority who need the most support.’  When adults are conscious of this and plan for focused interactions with all children in the provision, opportunities to develop language skills, critical thinking, and social interactions will increase.

Practical ideas

Daily question

Have a ‘Question of the Day’ related to a story, object, latest news article or topic in the classroom. Encourage children to think about and discuss their answers with peers.

I wonder 

The use of the ‘I wonder’ sentence starter is a great way to instigate a conversation about the most random topic. For example, when discussing the fixed climbing equipment in the outdoor area, an adult could say, ‘I wonder what vehicle was used to bring the climbing frame to school’ or ‘I wonder what birds do when it rains.’

Interactive displays 

Create interactive displays linked to a story, theme, topic, or current interest of the class, where children can add their own questions and comments about the objects on display. I once set up a display and asked children to bring in a food wrapper or a box from home. All children could participate, and it was interesting to see children talk about having the same or similar packaging at their home.

Understanding the world and making connections

By exploring objects from nature and history, children gain a better understanding of the world around them. They learn about diverse cultures, communities, and the natural environment, which helps them develop empathy and respect for others.

Practical ideas

Cultural Celebrations

Celebrate diverse cultural festivals and traditions in the classroom. Use artefacts, food, and stories to help children understand and appreciate diverse cultures. Adults can make clear links between elements of the festivals, such as ‘I ate special food to celebrate Eid, and you ate special food to celebrate Christmas.’

Global Connections

Introduce children to global concepts through maps, globes, and stories from around the world. Encourage them to make connections between their own lives and those of children in other countries. Opportunities to research countries that children may have visited or where members of the extended family live, will ensure the learning is significant to the class.

Community Involvement

Invite community members to share their experiences and knowledge with the children. Consider asking parents/carers or governors to lend or talk about an interesting object. This helps children make connections between their classroom learning and the wider world.

Fostering curiosity, awe, and wonder in the early years classroom positively impacts children's cognitive, emotional, and social development. By encouraging children to explore and ask questions, we help them develop a lifelong love of learning and become more confident, independent thinkers.

The introduction of interesting objects can stimulate their curiosity, prompting children to ask questions and understand the world around them. This process helps children make connections to their own lives, fostering a sense of identity and belonging. Moreover, these interactions enhance their speaking and communication skills as they articulate their thoughts and engage in meaningful conversations with peers and adults.

If you implement any of the ideas described above, we would love to hear from you or even see a photograph.  Do get in touch at earlyyearsteam@hfleducation.org