Are you starting your career as a teaching assistant in a school, college or other provider? Or are you maybe looking for a new career? This course is a fantastic introduction to the world of the teaching assistant. It is the first step on the ladder to developing your employability and personal skills. The course leads to a variety of other programmes that could move you up that ladder of progression.
With DCG you will have access to a wealth of support and additional courses that can complement your career development. If you need to gain a grade C or equivalent in GCSE English and/or Maths, you can work towards that here at College.
You will enjoy free access to our library and our online resources. You will receive training in accessing these. Additional support is on offer for you as needed.
What are the benefits?
This course will give you the confidence to see you can do great things. You will have the opportunity to build transferable skills such as:
You must be aged 19 or over and have evidence of:
Teaching Assistants work in Primary, Special and Secondary education across all age ranges encompassing special educational needs and emotional vulnerabilities.
The primary role of the Teaching Assistant is to support the class teacher to enhance pupils’ learning either in groups or individually, ensuring pupils understand the work set, know their learning objectives and stay on task in order to make progress.
Promoting self-belief, social inclusion and a high self-esteem plays an integral part in pupils’ wellbeing, ensuring they thrive in a positive, nurturing, safe environment. Teaching Assistants play an active role in supporting the learner to access the curriculum. They are good role models, act with honesty and integrity, take part in team meetings, and contribute to planning and class activities.
Promoting Fundamental British Values through spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and positive behaviours is crucial in contributing to improved pupil progress and development.
You will develop knowledge, skills and professional behaviours holistically during this course, and use your work placement to practise what you learn. Your work in classrooms with children, young people or adults is critical in enabling you to develop confidence, understanding and practice. Alongside this, you will work towards your Level 2 qualification, thematically studying the following units:
You will be assessed through a range of individual and group tasks, presentations, written tasks, professional discussions, observation of your practice in your school or college, reflective practice and continuous professional development. Assessment is continuous and is designed to develop your academic and communication skills, and build your confidence.
You will only need to provide stationery, including:
You could:
* Tuition - This figure is the fee to be paid if you are not entitled to any concessions.
*** Co-Tuition - This figure is the fee to be paid if you are entitled to any partial concessions.
Studying for her PGCE at Derby College has been the springboard PE teacher Kerry Armstrong needed to get her first job in teaching. Named an "Outstanding" student by her College lecturers, she is taking up her new full-time role at City of Derby Academy in Sinfin this September.
Kerry, who has a degree in Sports Development and Coaching from Sheffield Hallam University, has been working as a curriculum support assistant at Springwell Community College in Chesterfield.
This part-time role served as the starting point she required to access the two-year part-time PGCE course at the Roundhouse. Kerry, who is 25, could have taken a full-time PGCE course neared to her home in Sheffield, but she's pleased she chose Derby College.
She was assessed as outstanding for her teaching across the professional standards, based on observations by her mentor and tutor on her ability to teach. Kerry, who plays at centre-half for a local football team in her spare time, is looking forward to starting her new teaching job. She said: "I'm a bit nervous about it but excited at the same time."
The facilities at the Roundhouse are really good and so was the standard of teaching. As I'd expected, the PGCE was quite difficult as it is a bit like doing a Masters. Everything was well explained by our lecturers, though, and you knew where to go for help if there was anything that you weren't sure about.