Education apprenticeships & qualifications

An Education & Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship involves supporting teachers in a classroom setting, helping students with their learning and development.

You’ll assist with lesson planning, work one-on-one or in small groups with students, and help manage classroom activities to ensure a positive learning environment.

Upon completion, you’ll earn a Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification, which is recognised across the education sector. This can also be a stepping stone to further qualifications and career progression in education.

Typically, the apprenticeship takes between 12 to 18 months to complete, depending on your pace and the requirements of the programme.

No previous experience is necessary, but a passion for working with children and young people is important. Some basic literacy and numeracy skills are usually required, as well as a desire to learn on the job.

As a teaching assistant, your responsibilities include supporting students with their learning, assisting with lesson preparation, providing feedback to teachers, and helping to manage classroom behaviour. You may also work with students who have special educational needs.

Yes, you will earn a wage throughout your apprenticeship while gaining practical experience and working towards your qualification.

After completing the apprenticeship, you can pursue a range of roles, such as a full-time teaching assistant, or even explore further qualifications to become a qualified teacher or specialist support worker.

The apprenticeship includes on-the-job training, where you'll work directly in a school, and off-the-job learning through courses and assessments. You’ll be supported by a mentor and an apprenticeship tutor throughout your training.

You’ll develop valuable skills, including communication, classroom management, working with children with diverse needs, and supporting teaching staff with lesson delivery.

Yes, completing this apprenticeship can be the first step towards a career in teaching. Many teaching assistants go on to further training, such as a PGCE or other teaching qualifications, to become fully qualified teachers.

For non-levy employers, apprentices aged 16 to 24 are already fully funded by the government at no cost to you. For apprentices aged 25 and over, the government funds 95% of training costs and you contribute the remaining 5%. You remain responsible for wages, National Insurance, and pension contributions in all cases. More detail is available on our employer apprenticeship funding page. 

Yes. An enhanced DBS check is a statutory requirement for anyone working with children in a school setting. As the employer, you must arrange this before your apprentice begins any unsupervised contact with pupils. Individuals cannot apply for an enhanced DBS check themselves. It must be requested through your school or an umbrella body. 

No. Teaching assistants work under the direction of a qualified teacher at all times. This applies throughout the apprenticeship. As their confidence and competence develops, they will take on greater independence within the classroom, but they are not expected to lead or take sole responsibility for a class or group without a teacher present. 

The Level 3 takes 18 months of on-programme learning, followed by a four-month gateway and end-point assessment period. There are no fixed intake dates, so you can enrol a member of staff at any point in the academic year. 

Yes. Both the Level 3 Teaching Assistant and Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant programmes include inclusive practice and SEND support as core components of the training. Schools looking to build dedicated SEND capability within their support staff team can use apprenticeships to develop practitioners with structured, accredited expertise rather than relying on ad hoc training. 

Yes. We work with both individual schools and multi-academy trusts. For trusts operating across multiple sites, programmes can be coordinated to create consistent development pathways across the organisation. Levy-paying trusts can manage apprenticeship funding across all schools through a single apprenticeship service account, simplifying the administration significantly. Get in touch to discuss how we can support your trust. 

Apprentices should work at least 30 hours per week to complete the programme within the standard timeframe. While 30 hours per week is the recommended minimum for a teaching assistant apprenticeship, apprentices working fewer hours may still be eligible. Regardless of contracted hours, all apprentices must complete the required off-the-job training, which is typically around six hours per week alongside their normal duties. 

Yes. Levy-paying multi-academy trusts can manage funding for apprenticeships across all connected schools through a single apprenticeship service account, provided the schools are connected entities within the trust's PAYE scheme. This makes levy management significantly more efficient for larger trusts. Get in touch to discuss how to set this up across your trust. 

Yes. Safeguarding is a core component of the Level 3 Teaching Assistant standard, and the training aligns with the requirements of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE), updated September 2026. Apprentices develop an understanding of their statutory safeguarding responsibilities, how to recognise and report concerns, and how to support children's welfare in line with current statutory guidance. 

No. Enrolling a member of staff on an apprenticeship does not change their existing pay grade, terms of employment, or contractual hours. They remain employed on the same basis throughout the programme. The only practical change is that a portion of their working hours each week is formally allocated to off-the-job training activity.