Additional Learning Needs Teaching Assistants support teachers with their everyday work so they can concentrate on teaching. A key role of the Additional Learning Needs Teaching Assistant is to help raise educational standards in the classroom, by providing support for the pupils, the teacher and the school. Additional Learning Needs Teaching Assistants can greatly improve the quality of teaching by dealing effectively with minor behavioural issues, allowing the class teacher to focus on teaching the whole class.

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Additional Learning Needs Teaching Assistants' knowledge of individual pupils is valuable and they should ensure that this knowledge is passed on to the teacher. This will enable the teacher to organise the work of individuals and groups more precisely to match pupils of different abilities. Additional Learning Needs Teaching Assistants must ensure that their subject knowledge is sufficiently deep to extend pupils` learning and should be able to interact effectively with the teacher, maintaining pupils` interest and making for challenging discussion. In this way, the quality of the overall learning experience is enhanced, allowing pupils to maximise their potential.

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Formal Teaching Assistant qualifications are a benefit but not essential. A good level of Maths and English is fundamental to assist with numeracy and literacy and as is experience of working with young people.

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To work in a school as a Additional Learning Needs Teaching Assistant, you will be required to register with the EWC under the category of ‘School Learning Support Worker’.