Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant

Harris Institute is pleased to announce the launch of its new Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship programme. This exciting opportunity is available to experienced Teaching Assistants (TAs) across both primary and secondary academies, with training set to begin on 1st July 2025.

Specialist teaching assistants support provision related to special educational needs and disability (SEND), the social and emotional well-being, of learners, or within another area of specialist curriculum provision such as forest schools, EAL, subject-based interventions or music education. 

This 18-month programme will lead to a Level 5 academic qualification and is designed to provide Specialist Teaching Assistant apprentices with a comprehensive learning experience across five core themes:

1. Regulation and Guidance
2. Advancing Learning
3. Planning and Assessment
4. Professionalism
5. Communication

Additionally, apprentices will select one of three specialisms to focus on:

SEND specialist teaching assistants support the implementation of SEND policy, processes, and procedure. They will advance learning for those learners with SEND.

Social and emotional well-being specialist teaching assistants support the implementation of policy, processes, and procedure in this area. They will focus on learners’ social and emotional well-being, to advance learning.

Curriculum provision specialist teaching assistants provide support for learners and advance learning in a specialist curriculum or subject area of expertise. This may include, but is not limited to, supporting with advancing learning through early reading or early maths interventions, supporting a specific subject area or forest school provision, or supporting provision for learners with English as an additional language (EAL).

The programme also includes an opportunity for Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) accreditation, for those not yet accredited, subject to application criteria.

The benefits of this apprenticeship to schools are:

• It is fully funded to the amount of £12,000 by the apprenticeship levy, so schools can access high quality training for free.
• It’s an opportunity to upskill your support staff team and provide them with the knowledge and skills to take the next steps in their career.
• Some training is delivered in a combination of 8 face to face and 7 twilight sessions, but the majority has been organised so they can engage with the work they're already doing and use this as evidence.
• Specialist TAs are trained on pedagogy, assessment and curriculum which helps them engage with classroom content and support students at a higher level.

Funding Eligibility

This programme is funded by the ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency). There are rules that govern eligibility. Please read through and answer the questions below. If you find you do not meet one or more of the eligibility questions below, please get in touch with the Apprenticeship team Apprenticeships@harrisfederation.org.uk, as there may be other development opportunities open to you.

Question	Response
Do you have valid and eligible residency status in the European Economic Area (EEA) or have lived in the UK or EEA for the past three consecutive years?	Yes	You meet the eligibility criteria.	No	Please contact:  Apprenticeships@harrisfederation.org.uk
Do you have an employment contract for a period long enough to complete the apprenticeship successfully? (The employment contract must last longer than the programme, to ensure it covers 3 months for the EPA)	Yes	You meet the eligibility criteria.	No	You may be ineligible – but check the status of your substantive employment contract and contact:  Apprenticeships@harrisfederation.org.uk
Do you work at least 30 hours per week?	Yes	You meet the eligibility criteria.	No	Please contact: Apprenticeships@harrisfederation.org.uk

GCSE Qualifications

If you do not have GCSE grade C/4 or Functional Skills Level 2 in English and/or Maths, or if you hold an international equivalent to GCSE qualifications, we will contact your Line Manager/Principal to provide approval.

If you would like to register your interest, please complete the Expression of Interest form here: 
https://harrisapprenticeships.org.uk/expression-of-interest/

Or scan the QR code:

For more information, please contact Martha Lopez: Martha.Lopez@harrisinstitute.org.uk