Apprentice Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Summary

Begin your career in education with this Level 5 HLTA apprenticeship, supporting teaching and leading learning across a school environment. Gain experience delivering lessons, supporting pupils, and developing advanced classroom skills. A great opportunity to progress your career with strong support and development opportunities.

Wage

£13,520 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Salary is payable at £8.00 per hour in line with the Year 1 apprenticeship rate. From the second year of the apprenticeship, pay will increase to the relevant apprenticeship rate applicable to the employee's age. Salary is paid on a pro rata basis of 45.3 weeks per annum, reflecting 39 working weeks (term time only) plus 5 additional days.

Training course

Specialist teaching assistant (level 5)

Hours

Monday - Friday, Term-time only. Shifts to be confirmed.

32 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 2 November 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

2

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

• Supporting and delivering learning activities across lessons
• Leading whole-class sessions or covering lessons when required
• Working with individuals and small groups to support progress
• Planning and adapting activities under the direction of teachers
• Assessing and recording pupil progress and providing feedback
• Delivering targeted interventions and structured learning programmes
• Managing classroom behaviour in line with school policies
• Preparing resources and supporting curriculum delivery
• Supervising pupils around the school, including unstructured times
• Contributing to lesson planning and supporting wider school activities

Where you'll work

You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship is available in these locations:

• Birdsedge First School, Penistone Road, Huddersfield, HD8 8XR
• Liley Lane, Grange Moor, Wakefield, WF4 4EW

Training

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

Training provider

BEST PRACTICE NETWORK LIMITED

Training course

Specialist teaching assistant (level 5)

What you'll learn

• 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

• Training will take place both online and within the school environment, allowing you to apply your learning in practice
• You will receive regular training throughout the apprenticeship, combining on-the-job experience with structured online learning

More training information

• Training will be delivered by Best Practice Network, a specialist provider for Teaching Assistant apprenticeships
• This Level 5 programme includes 16 core modules alongside a specialist pathway in an area such as SEND, SEMH, or curriculum provision
• You will receive one-to-one support from an experienced apprenticeship tutor, with reviews and support sessions every 6 weeks, either online or in person

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 4)
• Maths (grade 4)

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
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Presentation skills
• Administrative skills
• Number skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience

Other requirements

• Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check