Classroom support

These roles require good literacy and numeracy skills, and usually some experience of working with children, but many people become Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Assistants without any prior training and it's quite common to learn on the job.

There is lots of training available in Hertfordshire as well as formal Teaching Assistant qualifications, which can all help to build your confidence.

Teaching Assistant

Teaching assistants support children with their learning and act as additional adults in the classroom to enable pupils to be independent learners. They work closely with teachers to support lesson plans, through marking and feedback of pupils’ work and assessing the children within the lesson.

These roles are critical to support our county's learners and involve helping them with their education and wellbeing.

Learning Support Assistant

A Learning Support Assistant (LSA) helps individual pupils who need support within the classroom. This role assists teaching staff to create an environment where pupils with extra learning needs can make the most of their education.

An LSA can be based within a Primary or Secondary School, or within a Special Needs and Disabilities (SEND) School.

You could be working one-on-one or in a small group, supporting children with their education, behavioural and social development, helping children who find it difficult to learn because they have additional needs or who don’t speak English as a first language.

Being a Learning Support Assistant requires you to be an empathetic and compassionate person who is passionate about providing a nurturing learning environment.

Higher Level Teaching Assistant

For those with more experience who wish to seek a higher level qualification, Strictly Education 4S, as part of the HLTA national assessment partnership are the regional provider of HLTA status in Hertfordshire. 

A suite of online HLTA preparation courses are available and delivered as 6 x 2hour sessions. Leading to a half day (3 hour) assessment.

For further details please contact the HLTA team at Strictly Education 4S on [email protected] or see HLTA National Assessment Partnership | HLTA National Assessment Partnership

Find out more about working in a classroom support role:

See Hertfordshire case studies here

Watch DfE case studies here