At Tradewind, we have thousands of jobs for teaching assistants in London and across the UK for all entry levels; those who are completely new and thinking about becoming a teaching assistant, right through to seasoned teaching assistants looking for a change.

It is the perfect job for someone who is just beginning their teaching career and needs some experience. If the teacher is busy with another pupil and other children in the classroom need help they can ask the teaching assistant, so you can also gain a huge amount of knowledge about most subject areas, depending on the age range.

Teaching assistants work in most schools, including nursery, primary, junior, secondary, independent and special schools.

What does the role of a teaching assistant involve?

• Helping the children with tasks such as reading or writing
• Providing additional support to children with special needs or international language students
• Helping the teacher prepare for lessons e.g. setting up the classrooms
• Encourage and support the children
• Assist the teacher with marking and correcting the children’s work
• Help organise school trips and activities
• Attending teacher meetings and reviews

Do I need qualifications to become a teaching assistant?

Technically you do not need qualifications to become a teaching assistant, but having relevant qualifications will work to your advantage.

Below are some of the main criteria that will be expected of a teaching assistant:

• For an entry level position, you will usually need to demonstrate good reading, writing and numeracy skills and have some experience working with children
• Most schools will require GCSE level qualifications in maths and English
• The school will carry out a background check via the Disclosure and Barring Service

What can I do to improve my prospects?

Here at Tradewind Recruitment we run regular CPD sessions via webinar that will improve your application success, including:

• Introduction to Teaching Assistants

There are also a number of NVQ courses that will improve your chances of securing a job as a teaching assistant, such as the Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools, and the Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools. 

Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA)

If you are already working as a teaching assistant and have achieved the above qualifications you can advance your career to the next level by completing a foundation degree in relevant subjects, such as learning support and teaching, or education studies. These qualifications will assist you in becoming a higher level teaching assistant (HLTA). 

Take a look at our latest Teaching Assistant jobs in London and apply today: