Home learning, career insights and inspiration.

Teaching assistants have never been more in demand across the United Kingdom. With record numbers of pupils on EHCPs, ongoing recruitment pressures, and a continued focus on closing learning gaps, schools are leaning on TAs more than ever. Teaching assistants provide the one-to-one support that classroom teachers can't deliver alone, alongside small group instruction, lesson preparation, classroom organisation, and SEND support. There has never been a better time to start working as a teaching assistant, but where do you start? Below is a detailed guide to everything teaching assistant in 2026, from qualifications and pay scales to specialisation opportunities, to help you get started on the right foot.

UCAS points can feel like a foreign language when you're weighing up university offers — but the system is more logical than it looks. This guide breaks down exactly how the tariff works in 2026, with full points tables for A Levels, BTECs, T Levels, Scottish Highers, and the Access to HE Diploma. We'll also cover the new apprenticeship tariff points introduced this cycle, plus lesser-known ways to boost your total through music grades, volunteering, and the EPQ. Whether you're heading into results day, returning to education as a mature student, or planning ahead for next year's applications, you'll find the exact figures you need to work out where you stand — and which courses are realistically within reach.

So, you’ve achieved your teaching assistant qualification and are ready to take on the classroom. Congratulations! Now just to nail the interview… Today, we’ll work through the nine questions that schools love to ask TAs during their interviews and how to answer them effectively. Even if these specific questions don’t come up during your interview,...