What is a Level 3 Teaching Assistant (TA)?
It can be the aspirational starting point to professionally grow in the education sector and establish career in a role you love.
Read on to find out what responsibilities Teaching Assistants have, how they might differ depending on experience, and how you can become a TA yourself.
What is a Level 3 Teaching Assistant?
Teaching Assistants are the superheroes in the classroom working as part of the team. They are guided by the class teacher to have a specific focus on whole class, group or individual support where needed.
On a day-to-day basis, L3 TAs spend most of their time supporting pupils’ learning and helping the classroom teacher whenever needed, including setting up lessons and preparing lesson material.
Teaching Assistants can choose to work with children and young people in a variety of age groups, from early years to secondary.
Similar to teaching positions, there are different levels and opportunities for progression, which we’ll discuss further down this blog.
What is the difference between a Level 2 and Level 3 Teaching Assistant?
If you’ve just started exploring the different routes into becoming a Teaching Assistant, then you might have come across the Level 2 and Level 3 Teaching Assistant courses and levels, but how are they different?
The main difference between a Level 2 and Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification is the depth of knowledge and skills you'd gain, and the level of responsibility you’d have:
- Level 2 Teaching Assistant
The Level 2 TA qualification covers the basics of being a Teaching Assistant, such as lesson planning, providing feedback to teachers, and supporting literacy, numeracy, and ICT skills. The course is designed to prepare you for working in primary or secondary education.
- Level 3 Teaching Assistant
This qualification builds on the basics of a Level 2 qualification and covers additional skills and experience. Level 3 teaching assistants are likely to have more responsibility. They will be working independently to perform tasks such as communicating with parents about student progress, working with small groups or 1:1 intervention.
Level 3 qualifications are often required for specialised roles, such as SEN education, or for higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) roles.
What are the key responsibilities of a L3 Teaching Assistant?
As the superheroes in the classroom, Level 3 TAs get involved in a variety of tasks and activities in the classroom. Their responsibilities usually involve:
- Working with small groups
- Supporting teachers with lesson planning
- Looking after the health and safety of pupils in the classroom
- Supporting children with special educational needs (SEN)
- And much more
L3 TAs might sometimes update reports and progress checks, but their main responsibilities would be to support teaching and learning in the classroom.
How to become a L3 Teaching Assistant
You can take different routes to get into a career as a Teaching Assistant. The right one for you would depend on your qualifications, experience and preferences. The main routes include:
- Completing a TA apprenticeship which provides a Level 3 award
- Applying directly with a school
- Completing a college teaching assistant course
Not sure where to begin or what the right route is for you? Have a look at our comprehensive guide on How to become a teaching assistant, which covers how to become a TA if you don’t have experience, what qualifications you need to have, what funding is available and more.
Career progression for Level 3 Teaching Assistants
Wondering if there are opportunities for progression after gaining a L3 qualification? Yes, there are multiple roles you could go into.
HLTA – higher level Teaching Assistant is a natural progression to the role of a Teaching Assistant once you’ve completed the Level 3 qualification and if you have the aspiration to specialise.
If you do have a degree and wish to move into a teaching position, then completing an Initial Teacher Training course could be an appropriate route for you.
But in any case, being a Teacher Assistant comes with a lot of opportunities to further improve your skills and develop, while making a difference to a young person’s live.
L3 TA FAQs
What qualifications do I need to become a teaching assistant?
The qualifications needed would depend on the route you decide to take. For example, if you take the Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship route, you’d need to have a minimum of functional skills level 2 for English and maths or GCSE English and maths at grade C/level 4. Having said that, here at Tes Institute, we do offer training and additional support for the tests if you don’t already have them.
What skills do I need to be a Teaching Assistant?
As someone working with children, you’d need strong ability to adapt, patience and flexibility. You’d also need strong literacy and numeracy skills ready to educate young learners. Having strong communication skills is also a must as you need to be clear and promote positive behaviour
Can I work part-time as a L3 TA?
Yes, you can work part-time as a L3 TA. However, it’s worth noting that if you’re on an apprenticeship route, the course will take longer than the expected 18-month active study plus the 3-month End Point Assessment.
Final Words
Teaching Assistants play an important role in the classroom and children’s education. If you are considering becoming a TA, there are multiple routes you can take.
Our Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship is run across the country, with the ambition to help you develop your knowledge, skills and behaviours to impact children’s learning and progress to gain a recognised Level 3 qualification. Have a look at our course description or get in touch and our team would be more than happy to answer your questions.