“Teaching assistants have made teachers’ jobs more productive and provided invaluable personal contact for struggling pupils. Unfortunately, though, we found no evidence that their support has helped pupils make better progress in English, Maths and Science in any of the seven year groups we surveyed.”
Professor Peter Blatchford, Lead Researcher, IoE study, commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
The numbers of teaching assistants and support staff are at an all time high and yet the results of an Institute of Education study has shown that no real improvement has taken place. The survey showed that only twenty five percent of teachers are trained to manage teaching assistants and only twenty percent of schools have a structure in place to allow time for teachers to liaise with teaching assistants for lesson planning and constructive feedback. There is no question that teaching assistants offer essential support to many pupils, but without the right support from the school, their efforts are often wasted. Are you making the most of your teaching assistants and support staff or are you letting their talents and your school funds go to waste?
Attend the Effective Deployment of Teaching Assistants and Support Staff conference to learn how to measure the impact that TAs are having on pupil progress in your school and create a cost effective strategy that works for everyone.
Click here to see an overview of this event. You can also see details of the day in our conference programme
Comments from last year's delegates:
“A really useful day. Going back with a list of things to do immediately. Thank you!”
Deputy Headteacher, Weald of Kent School for Girls
“Intensive, but also thought provoking. Powerful speakers who were clearly very passionate about CPD. Gave the conference a very professional, yet personal feel”
Assistant Headteacher, Hemel Hempstead School
“A day that helped me re-engage with the strategies and personal importance of CPD, and how to lead it”
Teaching and Learning Development Manager, Sussex Downs College
“Useful, practical and invaluable. A must for CPD Leaders”
Assistant Headteacher, Easthampstead Park School