Vocational.uk The route, drawn out

Business, Retail & Logistics

Teaching Assistant

Support pupils and teachers in the classroom, including children with additional needs.

Strong demand Level 3 apprenticeship
Typical pay once qualified
£21,500 – £28,000
Training length
1.5 years
Apprenticeship standard
Teaching assistant
Where to train
253 providers listed

The route, drawn out

DWG 7F03 · 5 stops · 1.5 years to qualify
  1. Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
  2. Year 2 Training continues, pay rises min. £21.2k+
  3. 1.5 years Fully qualified around £21.5k
  4. +3–5 years Experienced up to £28k
  5. Then Higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) next step

The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.

What the job is

Teaching assistants make mainstream education work for the children who would otherwise struggle in it. You support individuals and groups, prepare resources, manage behaviour and often specialise in SEND.

Schools recruit apprentices directly, and the hours suit people with families — term time, school day. Many TAs progress to higher level teaching assistant, and some go on to qualified teacher status through a degree apprenticeship.

A typical day

  • Support pupils individually and in small groups
  • Prepare classroom resources and displays
  • Help manage behaviour and classroom routines
  • Support children with SEND and implement care plans
  • Feed back on pupil progress to teachers

How you get in

  • Usually GCSE grade 4 (C) in English and maths, or Functional Skills
  • Enhanced DBS check is mandatory
  • Patience and consistency with children
  • School-based interviews often include a classroom observation

Where it leads

  • Higher level teaching assistant (HLTA)
  • SEND specialist or learning mentor roles
  • Pastoral, safeguarding or family liaison work
  • Teacher degree apprenticeship and QTS

Where to train for this

253 colleges and training providers on our list cover Teaching Assistant training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.

East Midlands 15
East of England 18
London 22
North East 14
North West 33
South East 25
South West 18
UK-wide 17
West Midlands 25
Yorkshire and the Humber 20
East Scotland 6
North Scotland 7
West Scotland 9
North Wales 2
South Wales 11
West Wales 2
Northern Ireland 6
Channel Islands 2
Isle of Man 1

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