Nationally Recognized Qualifications

BTEC, Diploma, Certificates, Level 2 and Level 3

Of the teaching assistant courses available to you, most are suitable for giving you the pre-requisite skills for becoming a teaching or classroom assistant. There is no one single nationally recognized qualification for becoming a teaching assistant. There are however national occupational standards that people in the role must meet. All teaching assistant course providers are aware that you must meet this criteria and tailor their content accordingly.

Options for study include teaching assistant certificates and diplomas. These are usually offered by Online Teaching Assistant Courses England providers in a distance learning capacity. This is an excellent option for those who have other responsibilities and want to self pace their studies. If you choose to take a teaching assistant certificate or diploma from an online provider, be aware that practical time in the classroom will not be included in the course work. It will be necessary for you to schedule this important experience in a school based setting into your own time.

NVQs are another great study option and are vocational qualifications that are available at levels 1, 2 and 3. These are practical qualifications and will require you to gain relevant work experience either in a voluntary or paid capacity. As a work based study course, you will be unable to complete an NVQ teaching assistant course without time in the classroom, so expect practical time to be scheduled into your study calendar.

Similar is a BTEC which like the NVQ is another vocational option. Though work based experience is not necessarily required, it is likely that it ought to accompany the coursework. BTEC teaching assistant courses are available through various governing bodies and can be taken in a distance learning capacity. Some providers will require pre requisite qualifications and ask that you are educated to at least GCSE standard D-G.