Teaching assistant apprenticeship, level 3 · Register title: Teaching assistant (ST0454)
Grow teaching assistants who know why what they do works
The Growth and Skills Levy covers the training and assessment, and we handle the enrolment and the paperwork. Your apprentice learns in your own classrooms, with a coach who assesses real practice, building the child development, assessment and curriculum knowledge behind every intervention. They might be a TA already on your staff without the qualification, a parent volunteer or midday supervisor you'd love to keep, or someone changing career.
Apprenticeships from level 2 to level 5
I adored the role and loved helping the teachers alongside supporting the children. My confidence grew along with understanding and information provided by the course. My role evolved to assisting children with SEND both in and out of the classroom, and that became my most challenging and most rewarding growth professionally.
Gemma Wardle Teaching assistant apprentice, who changed career to work in educationWhat they'll be able to do
Three milestones, ending ready for assessment
Support learning across the class, adapt materials for different needs, promote wellbeing and inclusion, and understand how children develop and cope with transitions.
Support assessment for learning and feedback, record progress accurately, and deliver planned activities under the teacher's direction across subjects.
Work confidently within safeguarding, behaviour and data policy, reflect on their own practice, and be ready for end point assessment.
Their learning journey
Five themes, built around your work
Support, learning and child development
Inclusive strategies, adapting materials, wellbeing and personal care, equality, and child development and transitions.
Assessment
Assessment for learning, the feedback cycle, the TA's role in assessment, target setting and recording progress.
Curriculum
Delivering planned activities, preparing resources, and adapting support across subjects.
Policies and legislation
Safeguarding, health and safety, behaviour within policy, and data and records.
Professional development
Reflective practice, working relationships, and preparing for assessment.
Observation and professional discussion
A 90-minute observation in your school with 20 minutes of questions, and a 90-minute professional discussion underpinned by their portfolio. Graded fail, pass, merit or distinction.
Every programme works the same way. They learn it, use it in your organisation, then look back at what they did and why.
Know it
How children develop and learn, how assessment works, and the policy that keeps pupils safe.
Show it
Interventions delivered, materials adapted, and progress recorded accurately for the teacher.
Live it
Patience, professionalism, and care for every child's dignity.
Who you could put forward
Someone already with you, or someone new
The TA already in your classroom without the qualification
Experienced and capable, and ready for the knowledge behind the practice.
A parent volunteer or midday supervisor you'd love to keep
Someone who's shown you who they are and deserves a proper route in.
Someone changing career
Gemma came from another career, and Katie Wilde from 21 years in retail.
A TA in your SEND provision
They apply each theme to their own setting, with an optional SEND deep dive at the end.
You're trusting us with someone from your team. Here's how we look after them.
One trainer-coach from start to finish, who gets to know your setting, the children and your team.
A one-to-one review every month, and a three-way review with you at the end of every theme. Nobody is guessing where they are or what's next.
Learning built around the school day: a blend of on-site visits from their coach and live online sessions, coaching huddles and workshops. No day or block release.
What your organisation gets
Better calls in the moment, and good people kept
Interventions with a reason behind them
TAs who understand child development and assessment make better calls in the moment.
Teachers properly supported
Planned activities delivered well, and progress recorded so the teacher can act on it.
A route to keep good people
Level 3 leads on to specialist teaching assistant, level 5, without them leaving your school.
Training and assessment are funded from the Growth and Skills Levy you already pay, up to the funding band for this standard. If you don't pay the levy, there's nothing to pay for apprentices under 25, and a 5% contribution for those aged 25 and over.
We check eligibility before you commit to anything. We complete the enrolment, the funding agreement, and the records the rules require, in the format auditors expect.
You get one named account manager, from your first conversation to your last review. If something isn't working, you go to them, and we take it seriously.
Where it leads
The next step, when they're ready
Specialist teaching assistant, level 5 ›For experienced TAs specialising in SEND, wellbeing, or curriculum provision.
The honest answers
Questions people actually ask
At least 348 hours of off-the-job training across the programme. We convert that into hours per week around their role and agree it in writing before anyone starts.
Yes. Apprentices in SEND settings apply every theme to their own setting, and can add an optional SEND theme at the end, taking the programme to about 21 months.
Level 2 English and maths are needed before assessment. We check at the start and support them where needed.
Training and assessment are funded from the Growth and Skills Levy, up to £7,000. If you don't pay the levy, there's nothing to pay for apprentices under 25, and a 5% contribution for those aged 25 and over. We'll confirm exactly what applies before you commit.
From 1 October 2026, you may receive up to £2,000 for an apprentice aged 16 to 24, an extra £1,000 if they're 16 to 18, and an extra £3,000 if they've received Universal Credit for more than six months. We'll check what applies to you before you commit.
If they move to a new employer, they can carry on their apprenticeship there. Your funding commitment from the Growth and Skills Levy ends when they leave.
Let's begin
Tell us who you'd like to back.
We'll reply within one working day. You'll know whether this programme fits them, what it costs you, and how quickly they could start. No commitment. And if we're not the right fit, we'll tell you.
Together, let's go