We ask how teaching assistants can enhance pupils’ outcomes and support inclusion and how teachers and teaching assistants can communicate and work together effectively.
We discuss school systems and structures that can support their effective deployment. And we discuss the training and development that must be in place for our teaching assistants.
We consider how teaching assistants should and – vitally – should not be deployed, both in the classroom and when leading interventions.
We look at the role of school leaders in establishing the appropriate systems, structures and working practices that ensure consistent and effective deployment.
We also consider the merits of the DfE-funded Teaching Assistant Deployment Review Guide and consider other useful resources, including the Teaching Assistant Standards, the EEF teaching assistant research evidence and the MITA (maximising the impact of teaching of assistants) project.
And amid a cost of living crisis when many other jobs offer better remuneration, we discuss the recruitment and retention of teaching assistants.
The podcast is hosted by Helen Frostick, a National Leader of Education and a retired primary school headteacher. Her guests this time were:
- Sara Alston is an experienced SENCO and safeguarding lead who also works as a SEND, inclusion and safeguarding consultant and trainer. She is the author of Working Effectively With Your Teaching Assistant (Bloomsbury).
- Staci Cooper started her career as a teacher and is now a SENCO at Evelyn Street Primary Academy in Warrington. She is also responsible for line-managing the teaching assistants working across the school, which is part of the Warrington Primary Academy Trust.
- Louise Smith is CEO of Warrington Primary Academy Trust, which currently consists of eight primary schools. She is a practising headteacher at one of the trust’s schools and a National Leader of Education.
You can listen to this episode of the Headteacher Update Podcast above. To hear other Headteacher Update podcasts, or to subscribe for free to new editions, search for 'The Headteacher Update Podcast' in your podcast streaming application of choice. Or visit www.headteacher-update.com/knowledge-bank/podcasts/
For details about The Headteacher Update Podcast, or to suggest future topics, email editor Pete Henshaw at pete.henshaw@markallengroup.com