Professional Qualification for Teaching Assistant
Teaching assistants (TAs) play a vital role in supporting teachers and children in the classroom. However, their professional development is often challenging due to the difficulty of releasing them from class. The CPQTA programme balances in-person sessions, live webinars and self-directed online learning.
About
The Charter Professional Qualification for Teaching Assistant (CPQTAs)
The programme design maximises opportunities to connect with colleagues while minimising disruption to normal classroom practice. It draws on content in the Early Career Framework and the EEF’s SEND in Mainstream Guidance Report and is structured across four units:
- Behaviour for Learning, including professional behaviours (induction policies, code of conduct)
- How Pupils Learn
- Effective Classroom Practice
- Adaptive Teaching for Pupils with Additional Needs
Programme Structure
Each unit comprises:
- A face-to-face workshop delivered in a Trust school, and including a learning walk.
- Two self-directed online modules.
- A meeting with an in-school mentor to discuss next steps and plan future actions.
- A short, manageable gap task between each module
