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Level 2 Certificate For Teaching Assistants - Feb StartApply Now »
Location: The RoundHouse
Years: 1
Weeks: 25
Hours: 3.00
Start: 28/02/2022
Days / Times: Monday 11:30 to 14:30
Tuition (£): 1250.00*
Full Concession: (0 Tuition/Exam Fee) available dependant on eligibility – A Full Concession is not applicable to a full-cost course
Concessions: 632.50***
Interview: Y
Course Summary
Are you starting your career as a teaching assistant in a school or college or with another 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/4 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:
- Developing confidence in using ICT to enhance your skill set
- Improving your interpersonal skills as a speaker, giving you the opportunity to share practical ideas and try them out in your role
- Making a difference to the educational development of your children and those children with whom you work
- Progressing your career as a teaching assistant
Entry requirements
You must be aged 19 or over and have evidence of:
- 6 - 8 hours per week (minimum) voluntary or employed work in a supporting role in a school setting. This must be classroom-based (from Year 1 upwards). If you haven't secured a placement, or haven't studied for some time or you are nervous of doing so, take a look at our 'Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools' course
- A good standard of written and spoken English
- A DBS, which is required in order for you to work/volunteer at a school: you, along with the school, will be responsible for obtaining this.
Course Content
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:
- Understanding children and young people’s development
- Safeguarding children and young people
- Equality, diversity and inclusion in a learning environment for children and young people
- Understanding schools and colleges as organisations
- Maintaining relationships with children and young people
- Supporting the health and safety of children and young people
- Contributing to teamwork in a learning environment
- Supporting positive behaviour in a learning environment for children and young people
- Understanding children's and young people’s play and leisure
- Promoting an effective learning environment
- Providing displays in a learning environment
How will I be assessed?
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.
Are there any additional costs or specialist equipment required?
No
What can I do after this course?
You could:
- Secure a permanent position as a teaching assistant in a school or college or with another provider
- Progress to a Level 3 Diploma for Teaching Assistants
- Obtain an Advanced Apprenticeship in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools contract with a school or other educational provider
Did you find the course information on this page useful?
* 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.
Catherine Connolly
PGCE was “best thing” for Derby College English teacher Catherine
Former teaching assistant Catherine Connolly says qualifying as a teacher with Derby College has allowed her to work smarter, with more flexibility and on better pay.
A puppeteer and performer, Catherine, 52, said signing up for DCG’s part-time Post 14/19 Level 7 PGCE was the “best thing I have ever done.”
She now works three days a week for DCG, teaching English Functional Skills to adults. Catherine has upskilled from a specialist teaching assistant role at an independent school for alternative provision. She hopes to have a better work life balance, with more time for her puppetry.
After school Catherine took a BA Hons Degree in English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia. She also discovered the world of puppetry and performance, enjoying it so much that she followed it as a career. For many years Catherine went into schools and other venues as a creative practitioner.
Catherine liked working in schools and with the arrival of austerity impacting on her puppetry work, she became a teaching assistant, initially on supply. She realised she needed to upskill as a mature student to progress and after much consideration bit the bullet and signed up for her PGCE. Catherine landed her job having just finished her course.
She said: “It’s a massive change to work with adults, but I’m enjoying it. I’m telling everyone, get your PGCE! I’ve upskilled myself and I’ve got more time now to get involved in puppetry, fingers crossed. It’s an increase in salary, which is important. It’s given me the opportunity to work less and work smarter. I don’t want to be a principal or anything, but I do want to have that flexibility.”
Without the college, I wouldn’t have got where I am.
