Ofsted endorses Tes Institute’s Level 3 TA apprenticeship

The report, published after an inspection visit in February 2023, highlighted the robust curriculum, expertise across the whole team and how well we support our apprentices from the outset.

The monitoring visit examined our quality as an apprenticeship provider in advance of a full inspection and focused on three areas:

• The progress made in meeting the requirements of a successful apprenticeship course
• The quality of the apprenticeship provision
• The effectiveness of its safeguarding arrangements

Across all three areas, our provision was judged to have demonstrated ‘Reasonable progress’.

Director of apprenticeships, Emma Cook said:

“We’re delighted with our report from Ofsted, it celebrates our high-quality curriculum, team expertise and the excellent progress our teaching assistant apprentices are making during their 18-month course. Apprentices on our course have comprehensive on- and off-the-job training that prepares them very well for their future careers. The HMI inspectors highlighted the strength of our relationships between ourselves and the teaching assistants' employing schools, which we foster from the outset. We’re all extremely proud of the report but most importantly of our teaching assistant apprentices, who are invaluable members of their school communities.”

We began delivering our Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship alongside our Level 6 Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship in 2021.

In the short time since then, Ofsted inspectors noted the positive response we’ve made to requests from school leaders to provide teaching assistant apprenticeships, which has helped to fill the many gaps left by staff progressing into teaching roles. The report also noted that programme directors ‘draw on their extensive knowledge and experience in the school sector to provide apprenticeships for teaching assistants'.  

Quality of the provision

The report stated that ‘effective processes’ have been put in place to help ensure the quality of the course, such as audits and observations of practice as well as feedback collected from apprentices and their employing schools through regular reviews.

All apprentices and employers sign agreements that include comprehensive plans detailing off-the-job training and apprentices ‘develop the new knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to become successful teaching assistants’.

Our programme team identify apprentices' prior experiences, knowledge and qualifications at the start of the course and ‘plan individualised programmes so that apprentices can develop the substantial new knowledge and skills that they need to work as teaching assistants in schools’.

Our online learning platform, Tes Learn, enables apprentices to access the on-the-job training provided in their schools and allows employing schools to have a clear overview of the progress their apprentices make.

Pathway tutors were also noted as being ‘highly experienced and well-qualified’. As former heads of departments, or ex-teachers, pathway tutors were recognised for using ‘their experience well when working with employers and apprentices to provide training that is relevant to each school setting’.

When examining the support we offer, the report noted that we provide ‘helpful training to pathway tutors’ and have ‘adjusted the curriculum to include child development and mental health awareness units’ which have helped to prepare apprentices for the changing role of teaching assistants.

“Leaders plan, sequence and evaluate the curriculum effectively to enable apprentices to develop incrementally the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need at work. The first module introduces apprentices to the fundamental safeguarding knowledge they will need to prepare them to work in schools and keep children safe. Subsequent modules cover knowledge of teaching assistant roles and responsibilities, phonics, fundamental British values and special educational needs.”
Ofsted report February 2023

Effective safeguarding policies and procedures

In its examination of our progress in ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements are in place, the report noted that we have ‘implemented effective policies and procedures to keep apprentices and the children with whom they work safe’. These procedures include carrying out appropriate background checks, including checking the reasons for any gaps in employment and checking pathway tutors' online presence.

Effective training was also cited as contributing to our progress in ensuring pathway tutors ‘keep their knowledge up to date through frequent updates from schools, in-house safeguarding experts and local authorities.’ As a result, apprentices feel safe and have a suitable understanding of the risks and responsibilities associated with their roles as teaching assistants.

Interested in learning more about our teaching apprenticeships?

To discover how you can develop your career as a TA while you continue to work and earn in your current school, or to apply, visit our Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship course page.

If you’re thinking about taking the next step in your career and becoming a qualified teacher, take a look at our funded, Level 6 Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship. It enables you to gain qualified teacher status (QTS) while you work, earn and learn in your current school, with support from your school, your mentor and the Tes Institute team.

If you have any questions, you can contact one of our friendly enrolment advisors who are on hand to help.

You can read the report in full on the Ofsted website.