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Higher Level Teaching Assistant Standards
The National Agreement signed by the DfES, local employers, and school workforce unions has paved a way for radical
reforms within education. Part of this agreement was the proposal to introduce the role of the High Level Teaching Assistant
(HLTA), enabling some Support Staff to undertake a more extended and recognised role, under the regulations and guidance within
Section 133 of the Education Act 2002 (click here to view this document).
Following wide consultation with the above signatories, the
Teacher Training Agency (TTA) has now published a set of new Standards which will establish the necessary skills and expertise
the HLTAs need to fulfill their roles. Within the regulatory framework teachers and headteachers will be expected to make
professional judgments regarding which teaching and learning activities should be undertaken by HLTAs and specifically what
support and guidance they should have.
The GMB emphasises that the role
of the HLTA is one that is complementary to the role of the teacher, not one that is interchangeable.
The
Standards for HLTAs
The
Standards are organised within three inter-related sections:
 Professional Values and Practices
Knowledge & Understanding
Teaching and Learning Activities
The
Standards have now been published (September 2003) and the full document can be viewed here (PDF 68KB)
However, whilst the Standards are generic the assessment and training will enable individuals to build
on their own personal knowledge and experience.
Developments
To date the TTA have issued an invitation to tender to organisations to run the first pilot which is to test the assessment
only route for those who will not need training to meet the Standards. The pilot will commence in mid November, with ten
contracts being awarded throughout the country. The successful bidders will each work with thirty candidates, who will be
announced on 10th October.
A separate tendering exercise to phase in the training will start in early October, to commence in January/February
2004. This will also involve providers offering the HLTA training within the wider Foundation Degree. The GMB, as part of
the workforce agreement group, will play a part in this implementation.
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