2 Teaching assistants in primary education

Since first being introduced into schools in the 1960s as ‘aides’, ‘helpers’ and ‘auxilliaries’, teaching assistants have become central figures in supporting children’s learning in primary schools. In the UK, two factors in particular have been linked to the employment of teaching assistants in schools. First, the move towards inclusive education has resulted in the appointment of assistants who provide close support in mainstream classrooms to children with complex learning and behaviour needs. Second, the devolving of budgets to schools by local authorities and government has enabled headteachers to employ increasing numbers of teaching assistants as a cost-effective way of providing support to hard-pressed classroom teachers.

In England, ‘workforce remodelling’ (the term used to describe government initiatives since 2001 to address work–life issues for teachers) has brought about an even greater focus on the roles of the adults who work in schools, especially teaching assistants. Over this period, the roles carried out by adults other than teachers to support children’s learning and development in primary schools have continued to evolve.