3 Where next?

Progressing your career

These links from the TES and National Careers Service discuss the role of teaching assistant, the transferable skills required and give you an insight into the different levels of entry into the profession:

• TES: How to become a teaching assistant [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]
• National Careers Service job profiles: Teaching assistant
• Skills for schools: A variety of resources relating to the various roles within schools.

Volunteering

You may like to consider volunteering to extend and enhance your skills and knowledge. These websites may help you to think about your options:

• Leonard Cheshire Disability
• National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)

Best Practice Network

The Best Practice Network has over 10 years’ experience in delivering courses and training for support staff.

Trade Unions

The resource you have just studied has been produced jointly by The Open University and ATL – the Education Union. To find out more about ATL’s CPD (continuing professional development) programme for education professionals, please visit their website.

More free, informal courses

Supporting children’s development is one of a suite of six courses. You may like to study one of the other five.

The Open University also provides further online introductory courses and skills for study courses, all of which are free and online.

FutureLearn also has a wide range of online courses that you may like to consider.

The Open University

You may like to consider one of The Open University’s Access courses to prepare you for successful study towards a nationally recognised higher education qualification.

The OU offers a range of qualifications that you might want to consider.

Education, childhood and youth qualifications

If you would like to take a more in-depth look at childhood studies then you can find out more at The Open University’s Education, Childhood and Youth qualifications website.

The PEARL website

Part-time Education for Adults Returning to Learn (PEARL) is a useful website for adults looking for part-time study opportunities, including all types of provision from free, non-accredited courses through to higher-level learning.

Other

You may recall that Katie was very happy with her role as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant, but some of you may be interested in building up experience as a teaching assistant before becoming a teacher or embarking on a teaching qualification. We recommend contacting your local PGCE (postgraduate certificate in education) provider to find out their specific requirements with regards to the national curriculum content they require in a degree. You will also be required to have GCSEs in Maths, English and Science or an equivalent qualification before you become a teacher.