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Last updated: April 2026
Teaching Assistants (TA) and Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA) hold a vital role within the classroom, from primary school through to high school.
They are tasked with supporting a class teacher with class preparations, whilst also supporting pupils, some of whom may have learning difficulties.
Although the overall teacher workforce in England remains broadly stable, schools continue to face shortages in key subjects such as physics, maths, computing and modern languages, while pupil numbers and SEND demand keep rising. As a result, the number of teaching assistants in state-funded schools has grown to around 288,800 FTE, with the vocation now firmly considered a professional job role.
Those who wish to be a TA need to be patient and have a passion for working with children of all ages, with different levels of education, understanding and intellect. The aim of a TA is to help aid a teacher in making sure all students realise their full potential and succeed in class and in future.
TAs may be required to work with different learning needs or provide support with generic classroom tasks.
Higher Level Teaching Assistants will hold additional responsibilities, such as teaching a small fraction of the classroom in small groups, or taking an entire class whilst a school teacher is absent or completing their Early Career Teacher (ECT) induction time off timetable. Since September 2021, the term Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) has been replaced by Early Career Teacher (ECT), and the induction period has been extended to two years, with a 10% timetable reduction in year one and a 5% reduction in year two.
A TA may be employed privately and contract to different schools (agency work), or may be directly employed by their local authority. Both options have different benefits and disadvantages. Agency workers will generally be paid more per hour, however their hours are often not guaranteed. Employed TAs will generally have set hours, with slightly lower pay.
Teaching Assistant Responsibilities
Responsibilities of a TA and HLTA will differ from school to school, due to different needs of schools. The main responsibilities are:
- Leading small groups of pupils, or the entire class
- Understanding the requirements of a classroom teacher
- Attending staff meetings to discuss class development
- Assist with duties, such as lesson creation and delivery
- Reporting on student progress
- Ensuring that pupils remain engaged and do not distract other pupils or the teacher
- Helping to manage challenging behaviour
- Providing support for exam invigilation and covering absences of TAs and teacher
- Covering duties, such as lunch and break time watch.
What Would The Working Hours Be?
Teaching Assistants and Higher Level Teaching Assistants will generally be expected to work during term times, with their leave coinciding with the same school holidays teachers receive. Those working for agencies or private education establishments may find that term times and leave requirements differ.
Most TAs working hours will fall between 8:30am and 3:30pm or 4:00pm, Monday to Friday, with full-time roles typically ranging from 32.5 to 37 hours per week. Some roles require earlier working hours and later finishes, particularly in special schools or where wraparound care is offered.
Some schools will offer additional wages to cover extracurricular activities after school and during the school holidays.
TAs should not expect to take time off during term times, unless in extenuating circumstances, such as a wedding or bereavement.
Below are the general term times followed by most schools (inclusive of holidays).
| Term | Holiday |
| September – December | The first academic school term starts in September and ends generally two weeks before Christmas. There is a half term holiday, which spans one week towards the end of October during this autumn term. |
| January – March/April | The spring term starts early January and spans until Easter. Due to Easter falling on different weekends each year, the two week Easter break can span from late March to early April. The term includes a half term break during the month of February. |
| April – July | One of the busiest terms is the summer term! Although quite short, spanning from Easter until mid-to-late July, students will be sitting their GCSEs and A Levels. One half term break is included in late May, followed by the extended six week summer holiday from mid/late July through to early September. |
What Would The Salary Be?
The pay of a TA depends on many factors such as:
- Location (London and other city pay is generally higher due to weighting)
- Type of employment (agency or local authority)
- Experience in the role
- Level (HLTA will be paid more than a TA)
- Whether the contract is term-time only (TTO) or all-year
Most teaching assistants are employed on term-time-only contracts, meaning they are paid for the 38–39 weeks the school is open plus a pro-rata holiday entitlement. This pay is usually spread evenly across 12 monthly instalments, so you receive a regular monthly salary even though you are not contractually working all year. This makes the role particularly helpful for parents who have children, as they will generally be off during the extended term times which other parents struggle to balance due to childcare costs.
For guidance purposes only, based on currently advertised roles and 2026 NJC pay scales, the average salaries are:
| Position | Salary (FTE) |
| Level 2 Teaching Assistant | £23,000-£25,000 per annum (term-time-only actual: approx. £19,500-£21,500) |
| Level 3 Teaching Assistant | £25,000-£28,500 per annum (term-time-only actual: approx. £21,500-£24,500) |
| Higher Level Teaching Assistant (Level 4) | £28,500-£34,500 per annum (term-time-only actual: approx. £24,500-£29,500) |
Hourly rates in 2026 typically fall between £12.50 and £16.50, with HLTAs in London and the South East often earning closer to £18 per hour. London weighting can add several thousand pounds to the FTE figure, with average TA salaries in the capital sitting around £24,500.
Due to there being no fully standardised national pay scale for teaching assistants, pay is largely set by local authorities under the National Joint Council (NJC) framework, with academies and free schools free to set their own rates. This can work to the advantage of experienced teaching assistants as they are sought after, with schools willing to pay reasonably high salaries. Work via an agency can increase salaries up to 25%, however hours are generally not guaranteed.
Check the salary terms and conditions to ensure that you are being paid the expected rate, also ensuring that the pay is genuinely pro-rata and spread evenly across the year to avoid any shortfalls.
Realities of Being a TA or HLTA
The rewards outweigh the difficulties of being a TA, you will get to know students and be instrumental in their future. You may have a long term relationship with students, or be moved regularly depending on the school’s requirements.
Some of the common challenges are:
- Overburden of work – if a teacher becomes ill, as a HLTA you may be expected to take on their role and lesson planning for a period of time
- Additional activities – your school may expect you to participate and help with additional extra curricular activities, which may take place after school time
- Dress code – you will be expected to dress as per the school’s clothing policy. You may need additional dress wear for activities, which you may need to self-fund
- Dismissive students – some students will have behavioural difficulties and may not want the additional attention of a TA as they may feel singled out by others.
Route to Becoming a Teaching Assistant
Distance/Home Learning (recommended route)
Online access to TA and HLTA courses now allow busy parents, or those who are unable to access education via a traditional college route, to self fund their studies from the comfort of their own home. Pressure is reduced as students are able to work at a pace that suits them, instead of having to keep up with a classroom.
College
Your employer may allow for you to study on day release, if you are currently employed in a TA position (many will not allow this, as you will often be needed all week in school). Those who are not employed can take on a variety of college courses, which run day and night taking a minimum of 12 months to complete on average.
Apprenticeships
The Teaching Assistant Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship is another increasingly popular route, taking up to two years and combining on-the-job training with study through a training provider. You will usually need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths.
On-The-Job Learning
Some local authorities train their TAs after employing them, this is uncommon in most instances, as it does cause issues with proof of competency as the TA may not have relevant accreditation.
If you are employed or looking to become employed as a TA, it is recommended to speak with your local authority or agency to ascertain their entry requirements.
Course Recommendations:
There are no entry requirements or need to be in employment to undertake the TA Level 2 diploma, this is a stepping stone for those who wish to gain entry to a TA position.
There are no entry requirements to undertake the TA Level 3 diploma, however many will be in employment or volunteering whilst undertaking this course – although it is not essential.
There are no entry requirements to undertake the HLTA Level 4 diploma, however it would be beneficial to be employed or in voluntary work to further understand the requirements of a HLTA.
Becoming Employed as a TA
It is important that your expectations match your level of understanding and education. As an example, do not expect to gain a Level 3 position if it is your first TA related role, you may need to work your way up the employment ladder.
There are many ways to find employment. The Department for Education’s free Teaching Vacancies service is now the recommended starting point, alongside Tes, Indeed, local education recruitment agencies and your local authority’s own jobs portal. SEN-focused TA roles are particularly in demand and worth searching specifically.
Volunteering Your Time
If you are unable to gain employment due to your lack of past work experience, volunteering is the best solution to the problem.
If you wish to volunteer in a school setting, college or any other educational setting, it is best to contact the organisation directly.
Many welcome volunteers, and some may ask you to fund your own DBS check to ensure you are safe to work with children, although a growing number of schools now cover this cost themselves.
Finding a voluntary placement should not be difficult for a competent TA or those who are working towards an accredited certification/qualification.
Finishing Up
There are many key aspects that you need to consider before becoming a TA, or advancing your career and being a HLTA.
Frequently asked questions
This is a question that our team are often asked, there are many reasons but here are the main reasons to choose Association of Learning:
- No hidden charges, the price you see includes everything, from tutoring to certification.
- Our average tutor marking time is 3 working days (most providers are 10+).
- Our customers have rated us ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot.
- Our courses are up to date. Many providers create course content and fail to keep it up to date.
- We are open later than any other home learning provider.
- As many submissions as you need to complete, many providers cap how many times you can submit work.
- All courses are fully endorsed by external awarding organisations.
- 14 day money back guarantee or course switch.
If you need any more reasons to choose Association of Learning, contact our team!
You have 12 months to complete your course, however you can complete at a faster pace without any additional costs. Some of our students have managed to complete in as little as 3 months!
There are two payment options, pay in full for your course or monthly. Our monthly payment option allows you to spread the cost of your course over a number of months.
If you choose to pay using a payment plan, to apply you must be able to answer yes to the following:
- Your billing address is based in the UK
- You have a UK based bank account
- Bill payer must be 18 or above.
No, this course is assignment based, which means you will not have to complete any exams. If your assignment doesn’t pass first time, you can retry as many times as you need within your 12 months support period.
No, this is a distance learning course, which means your assessments will be submitted and marked using our online LMS (Learner Management System).
Unlike other providers, Association of Learning use a fast-track system to get your certificate to you within six weeks (our average is two weeks).
This is a government-regulated qualification, with certification provided by an Ofqual-regulated awarding body.
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