TA standards

In June 2016, the National Association for Headteachers (NAHT), UNISON, the National Education Trust, and Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants published professional standards for teaching assistants (TAs).

The standards are non-statutory and non-mandatory.

They are set out under four themes:

• Personal and professional conduct
• Knowledge and understanding
• Teaching and learning
• Working with others

Professional standards for teaching assistants (pdf) - June 2016
Advice for headteachers, teachers, teaching assistants, governing boards and employers.

The document provides the standards themselves as well as supporting guidance detailing how the professional standards for teaching assistants should and should not be used.

The standards should help teaching assistants and their colleagues in schools define and understand their role and are enhanced when underpinned by a professional approach from school leaders to employing and deploying teaching assistants to ensure that educational outcomes are raised.