Currently delivering this programme with
What will you learn?
Level 2 Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
This is an optional add-on that will be delivered by The Childcare Company.
What You’ll Gain As A Learner
Through expert teaching, quality resources and ongoing support from industry professionals, you will gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to support children and young people in their most important years. With nearly 20 years of training expertise and a 99% learner success rate, we are your trusted partner in supporting your career growth and helping you empower young lives. We are committed to growing careers and nurturing the careers of people who impact young lives.
What You’ll Gain As An Employer
Your success is our priority. We provide expert teaching through quality resources and ongoing support to take your staff to the next level. With nearly 2 decades of training expertise and a 99% learner success rate, leave the teaching to us as we support the next generation of teaching professionals on their journey to empowering the lives of children and young people.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship is a professional training programme designed to prepare learners to support teachers and help pupils make progress in their learning within schools and educational settings.
Teaching Assistants work closely with teachers to support the planning and delivery of lessons, assist pupils during activities, and help create a positive and inclusive learning environment. They may also support pupils with additional needs, encourage independent learning, and help monitor pupil progress and development.
This apprenticeship is suitable for anyone who is passionate about supporting children and young people in their education and wants to make a positive impact in the classroom. It is ideal for both those starting their career in education and those already working in a school setting who want to formalise their experience and develop their skills further.
No previous experience is required to start the programme, as many learners enter the apprenticeship as their first step into a teaching assistant career. The programme provides structured on-the-job training and support to help learners build the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to succeed in the role.
Yes. Many learners start a Level 3 Teaching Assistant apprenticeship with little or no experience in education.
The programme is designed to support you as you learn on the job, developing your skills through structured training, classroom experience and tutor support.
Employers also benefit from developing confident, qualified staff who grow within their school setting.
During the apprenticeship, you’ll learn how to support teachers and pupils effectively in the classroom. This includes understanding child development, safeguarding, communication, behaviour support and curriculum delivery. You’ll also develop professional skills such as working with other professionals, building relationships and reflecting on your practice. You’ll gain experience planning learning activities, supporting pupils’ progress and responding to individual needs, and have the opportunity to learn about supporting those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The Level 3 Teaching Assistant apprenticeship typically lasts around 16 months. During this time, you’ll complete a combination of face-to-face and online learning alongside your job role. Apprentices must also complete a minimum of six hours per week of off-the-job training. At the end of the programme, your knowledge and skills will be assessed through an end-point assessment.
As part of the apprenticeship, learners will have the option to complete a Level 2 Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The requirement and timing of this course will be discussed and agreed upon with the learner, employer, and The Childcare Company during their apprenticeship journey.
This 12-week programme develops understanding of SEND conditions, inclusive practices, and legal frameworks. Learners will build the skills to support individuals with SEND, provide guidance to families, and promote inclusive learning environments. On completion, apprentices will achieve an accredited Level 2 TQUK qualification in SEND, further enhancing their expertise in early years education.
Off-the-job training is structured learning that takes place during your paid working hours but is separate from your normal day-to-day duties. You’re required to complete a minimum of six hours per week of this training to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for your apprenticeship. Activities can include online learning, workshops, research, mentoring and other development tasks relevant to your role.
You can also use our Learner Enrichment Calendar to help plan and log suitable off-the-job activities that count towards your training hours, giving you a variety of ways to grow your skills throughout the programme.
All off-the-job training hours must be recorded on your e-portfolio system, Aptem, to ensure your progress is tracked throughout your apprenticeship.
For the learner, there is no cost.
For employers, the cost depends on whether you pay the apprenticeship levy:
- Levy-paying employers: You can use your apprenticeship levy funds to cover the full cost of the programme. These funds are accessed through your digital apprenticeship service account.
- Non-levy employers: The government will fund 95% of the training cost, meaning you only pay the remaining 5%. Based on the £5,000 funding band, this equates to just £250.
This makes apprenticeships a highly cost-effective way to develop your workforce, with the majority of training costs covered through government support.
All applicants must have been a UK, EEA, or EU resident for at least the past three years to undertake this training programme.
Additionally, Learners aged 16–18 who do not hold a Level 2 qualification (GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent) in Maths and English will be required to work towards these as part of their apprenticeship.
For learners aged 19 and above, Functional Skills in Maths and English are optional and not mandatory to complete the apprenticeship, but must be discussed and agreed with the employer. Functional Skills are strongly recommended to support employability.
Functional Skills are nationally recognised qualifications in Maths and English that help learners develop practical, everyday skills used both in the workplace and daily life. Within apprenticeships, Functional Skills support learners in building confidence with important areas such as communication, problem-solving, reading, writing and numeracy.
If you are aged 16–18 and do not already hold GCSE Maths and English at grade 4/C or above, you may be required to complete Functional Skills as part of your apprenticeship. Some adult learners may also choose to complete Functional Skills to strengthen their knowledge and career opportunities.
The Childcare Company understands that completing Functional Skills in Maths and English alongside your apprenticeship can feel daunting at first, as well as time consuming. That’s why we provide enhanced support to make the process as straightforward and efficient as possible.
We’ve partnered with Pass Functional Skills (PASS) to give you access to a new, improved online learning platform designed to help you achieve your qualifications more quickly and with greater confidence.
Through this platform, you’ll benefit from a clear and structured learning journey, including a diagnostic assessment to identify your starting point, personalised learning pathways, and high-quality interactive resources. You’ll also have access to bite-sized learning modules, practice questions, mock assessments, and progress tracking tools to help you stay on track.
Alongside this, you will continue to receive support from your tutor or development coach throughout your apprenticeship, ensuring you have guidance, feedback and encouragement at every stage of your Functional Skills journey.
As an apprentice, you will earn a wage while completing your training. Apprentice pay rates can vary depending on your age, employer and experience level.
Many early years apprentices work between 30–40 hours per week while completing their qualification alongside practical workplace experience. Apprentices are also entitled to paid holiday and other employee benefits in line with their employment contract.
Yes. Teaching Assistant apprentices are employees and are entitled to paid holidays in the same way as other members of staff. Your exact holiday entitlement will be set out in your employment contract and may vary depending on your employer and working hours.
Most apprentices are entitled to at least 20 days of paid holiday per year, plus bank holidays, although some employers may offer additional annual leave and wider employee benefits.
As a Level 3 Teaching Assistant apprentice, you will earn a wage while gaining practical experience in a school or educational setting and working towards a nationally recognised qualification. You will also benefit from the same workplace rights as other employees, including rest breaks and a safe working environment.
You can learn more about apprenticeship rights, pay and workplace expectations in our Learner and Employer Hub.
After completing the Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship, learners can progress into a range of education support roles and further specialist training opportunities within schools and educational settings.
Typical career progression routes include roles such as:
- Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
- SEN Teaching Assistant
- Learning Support Assistant
- Pastoral Support roles
Many learners also choose to continue their professional development by progressing onto the Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship, which allows them to specialise further and take on more advanced responsibilities within education.
As part of this programme, you will choose one specialist pathway to focus your development:
- SEND Specialist Teaching Assistant – focusing on understanding and supporting learners with special educational needs and disabilities.
- Social and Emotional Wellbeing Specialist Teaching Assistant – developing strategies to promote emotional wellbeing, resilience and positive behaviour.
- Curriculum Provision Specialist Teaching Assistant – supporting curriculum planning, delivery and assessment to enhance learning outcomes.
Each pathway is designed to build on your existing experience and help you take on more responsibility, develop specialist knowledge and progress into more advanced support or leadership roles within a school or educational setting.
