Teaching Assistant Qualifications
We know how confusing it is to choose a Teaching Assistant course so let’s run through the different options and explain how everything works.
The first thing to consider; is your course an official government qualification? Only government qualifications are recognised by schools so it’s important to get this right. Your course will need to be regulated by the government examinations department OFQUAL and be accredited by an awarding body such as NCFE CACHE. If a course is not regulated by the OFQUAL it won’t be recognised. You can check the OFQUAL website and verify qualifications here.
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Which course do I choose?
To work as a government Teaching Assistant you will need to choose a government regulated RQF course like ours. There are two types of RQF course you can choose, depending if you’re working in a school or not working in a school.
If you don’t yet work in a school then you can enrol on an Award course as the Award courses doen’t have any work-placement assessments and are assessed entirely by essay style assignments.
If you’re working or volunteering in a school (with children between the ages of 5-16 years of age) you can choose the Certificate or Diploma course. Both these courses have assessments in the classroom as part of their syllabus.
RQF Qualifications
Schools and colleges only recognise government RQF qualifications which means you need to make sure your course is fully government regulated by OFQUAL (OFQUAL is the government examinations department). All of our courses are RQF & OFQUAL regulated and provide you with exactly the same qualifcation you get from a local college.
Courses with no school-placement required
- Level 2 Award In Support Work In Schools and Colleges
- Level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning
Courses with a school-placement required
- Level 2 Certificate In Support Teaching and Learning
- Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning
- Level 3 Diploma In Supporting Teaching and Learning
Teaching Assistant Award vs. Certificate
Teaching Assistant Award courses are designed for people that don’t currently work in a school or college, and Certificate courses are for those who are already volunteering or working in a school.
Need help choosing the right qualification for you?
Call us on 0345 652 0098
Get qualified online
All of our courses are delivered online or paper based, you can enrol today and start working towards your Teaching Assistant qualification straightaway. If you prefer paper-based study over online learning, you get the option to receive the printed version of the course.
Expert tutor support
Throughout your course and as you work towards your Teaching Assistant qualification you’ll have one of our expert tutors on hand to support you. All of our tutors have a wealth of experience in helping students achieve their goals and they’ll provide you with constructive feedback on your progress and help you prepare for your assignments.
0% finance available for all qualifications
Excellent service from Chris and de montfort college, I’ve been continuously offered support and help throughout..very pleased!
Siaul20877
Found my tutor exceptional in terms of friendliness, professionalism and willingness to offer help and assistance.Staff should be praised, thank you
Sumaria
I just started working in my dream job and couldn’t have got here without all the help I got so just want to say thanks to all. Take care, you know who you are 🙂 Naz x
Naz Patel
So far their courses have proved to be good quality and in particular, the support I have got is easy to use. The reason I chose this course was for the telephone support which I couldn’t find anywhere else.
Miss K Lee
Frequently asked questions
Which Teaching Assistant qualifications are recognised by schools?
Schools and colleges only recognise RQF qualifications from the government examinations department OFQUAL, so it’s important that you enrol on a course that provides you with one. The RQF framework has replaced the old NVQ qualifications as the official government qualifications for teaching assistants.
Do I need to be working in a school to get qualified?
No, if you aren’t yet working in a school, you can enrol on one of our Award courses, which will still give you a recognised government qualification at the end. If you are working in a school or college, you can enrol on our Certificate or Diploma courses, which include practical assignments you complete in the workplace.
What is an RQF qualification?
RQF qualifications came into force in 2018 as a simpler way to manage qualifications regulated by Ofqual. Qualifications are scored using a credit system with harder and longer qualifications receiving more credits.
What qualifications are available?
At De Montfort we currently have five different teaching assistant qualifications to choose from:
- Level 2 Award In Support Work In Schools and Colleges
- Level 2 Certificate In Support Teaching and Learning
- Level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning
- Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning
- Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning
Are there any entry requirements for the courses?
The only universal entry requirement for our courses is that you are over 16 years of age. You don’t need to be working in a school or college to enrol. Regardless of your previous education or experience, you can enrol on any of our courses and study for your teaching assistant qualification.
What qualifications do you need to be a teaching assistant?
To become a qualified teaching assistant you need to complete an OFQUAL regulated course that’s on the RQF framework. All of De Montfort’s courses are on the RQF framework, OFQUAL regulated and fully accredited by NCFE CACHE.
How do I become a teaching assistant with no experience?
The best place to start is by enrolling on either our Level 2 or Level 3 our Award course which provides the foundation knowledge needed to work in a school. You don’t need to be volunteering or working in a school to enrol on our Award courses so they are the perfect place to start!
How long does it take to become a teacher’s assistant?
Our courses take between 6-12 months to complete, although they can be finished sooner if you study hard.