Career development for support staff
Support staff work in many important and often multiple roles in schools. As someone involved in making sure that young people receive the best and most relevant education, it is important that each member of staff should:
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take responsibility for their own professional development through the opportunities available to them
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continually reflect upon their own practice, improve their skills and deepen their knowledge and understanding
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adapt their practice to take account of new findings, ideas and technologies
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support their colleagues in achieving and maintaining high professional standards
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be fully committed to sharing their own expertise and insights.
There are many ways to build on your existing skills or develop new ones to help you be more effective in your role, however, it is important to choose training and qualifications that are right for you, your role and the needs of your school.
There are many training and qualification opportunities available. These include:
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basic skills in literacy and numeracy
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induction programmes
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vocational qualifications such as the support work in schools qualifications (SWiS)
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national vocational qualifications (NVQs)
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specialist qualifications
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apprenticeships
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foundation degrees.
More information on all of the above can be found on the TDA's continuing professional development for support staff website.
Ealing offer a range of basic skills, induction, SWiS and NVQs. For training opportunities please see school support staff training in Ealing's central training and development programme.
Please choose from the following options:
Learning support
Staff who work with teachers in the classroom to help pupils with their learning, ie teaching assistants, higher level teaching assistants, nursery nurses and cover supervisors.
Pupil support
Staff who are responsible for the welfare of pupils during break, lunchtime and outside school hours and staff who assist pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and careers advice.
Specialist and technical staff
Provide valuable resources that support teaching and learning. Specialist and technical staff include science, CDT and ICT technicians and managers, librarians and music specialists.
Administrative support staff/ school business managers
Provide essential back-up services for the whole school ranging from day to day office support to financial and school business management.
Site staff
Staff who ensure a clean, safe and tidy school environment and provide meals at lunch time. Site staff include caretakers, cleaners, caterers and site managers.
