HLTA Courses

Which HLTA course is right for you?

The four single courses are listed above the guide. Bundles are listed in this table only: follow the links for details.

Printed study packs cost a little more on every course.

• Already working or volunteering in a school? The regulated TQUK Level 4 Certificate for Higher Level Teaching Assistants is built around the HLTA role, and part of it is assessed in your own classroom. It is an Ofqual-regulated qualification on the Regulated Qualifications Framework.
• Working in a school or college and want a broader advanced role? The regulated NCFE CACHE Level 4 Certificate for the Advanced Practitioner suits aspiring HLTAs, learning mentors, pastoral support officers and SEN or inclusion support practitioners. It covers enabling learning, mental health and wellbeing, additional needs and disability, working with families and other professionals, and leading a small change project in your setting.
• Not in a school yet, or want the knowledge first? The endorsed HLTA Level 4 covers the role with no placement and no requirement to be employed as a teaching assistant.
• Already at Level 4? The Advanced Level 5 goes further into special educational needs, autism and speech delays, behaviour and curriculum planning.

Regulated or endorsed: what's the difference?

A regulated qualification is checked by Ofqual and listed on the Register of Regulated Qualifications with its own qualification number. Two of our HLTA courses are regulated: the TQUK Level 4 Certificate for Higher Level Teaching Assistants (603/1432/1) and the NCFE CACHE Level 4 Certificate for the Advanced Practitioner in Schools and Colleges (603/2474/0).

An endorsed course has been quality-checked by an external organisation, here the National Institution of Qualifications (NIOQ), and leads to an NIOQ certificate. It is not on the Regulated Qualifications Framework. Endorsed courses suit learners who want the knowledge without a placement, or who aren't yet in a school.

Schools set their own criteria when they appoint HLTAs, so check what your school or the job you're aiming for asks for.

HLTA status: how it works

None of these courses gives you HLTA status on its own. HLTA status is a separate recognition, awarded only through the HLTA National Assessment Partnership (HNAP). You go through a preparation and assessment process that includes a visit to your school, and you are assessed against the 33 HLTA professional standards using evidence from your current job.

To apply for HLTA status you must:

• be employed in a school (volunteers are not eligible)
• work with children aged 3 and over, under the guidance of a qualified teacher
• hold English and maths at Level 2 or equivalent

A course helps you build the knowledge and evidence the standards ask for, and many schools appoint HLTAs based on their own criteria as well.

The regulated TQUK Level 4 Certificate in more detail

• 7 mandatory units: the HLTA role; child development and welfare; special educational needs; promoting positive behaviour; supporting individuals and small groups; working relationships; and curriculum planning, delivery and assessment.
• Placement: at least 50 hours as a teaching assistant in a primary, secondary or special school, with pupils aged 5 and over.
• School mentor: someone at your school, such as the teacher you work with, observes your practice and signs a witness testimony for the three practical units.
• Assessment: written assignments for the knowledge units and a portfolio of classroom evidence for the practical units. No exams. The qualification is pass or fail, not graded.
• Entry: aged 16 or over, working or volunteering in a school, with a mentor. English and maths at Level 2 are recommended.
• The TQUK registration fee is included in the course price.

The NCFE CACHE Level 4 Certificate for the Advanced Practitioner in more detail

• 5 units: enabling individuals to learn; supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing; working with others to support individuals with additional needs and disability; working with families and other professionals; and implementing change in your school or college, through a small-scale research project.
• Setting: a primary or secondary school, or a college, working with Key Stages 1 to 4 (not early years). You need to be in a suitable setting before you enrol, because some units are assessed in your workplace.
• Assessment: assignments, a portfolio and work-based evidence, marked by an assessor. No exams.
• Entry: aged 18 or over.
• Credits: 21, at Level 4. On enrolment you also get two years' access to the NCFE CACHE Alumni network.

The endorsed HLTA courses in more detail

• HLTA Level 4: 5 units covering communication and relationships; curriculum, planning and assessment; child development; professional development; and equality, diversity and inclusion. About 180 hours of study on average. No entry requirements, and you don't need to be employed as a teaching assistant.
• HLTA Advanced Level 5: 10 units that build on Level 4 and go further into the specialist side of the role: the SEND Code of Practice, autism and speech delays, behaviour management, safe spaces, reflective practice and curriculum planning.
• Both are assessed through written assignments. There are no exams and no face-to-face element.

Study, support and payment

• Study online or with a printed study pack, at your own pace. You can start at any time.
• 12 months to complete your course, with every assignment marked and written feedback.
• Our student support team is on hand throughout your course.
• Pay in full, or spread the cost with a monthly plan (0% finance; UK billing address and bank account needed; bill payer 18+).

Where an HLTA course can lead

HLTAs work closely with teachers: planning and delivering learning, supporting individuals and small groups, and leading whole classes under a teacher's direction. After an HLTA course you could apply for HLTA status or HLTA roles, move on to our Advanced Level 5, or go on to a teaching qualification.

Read how two of our learners did it: Michelle's journey from nursery to HLTA and Ria's path to becoming an HLTA online. Getting ready for interviews? See our teaching assistant interview questions and answers.

Frequently asked questions

What is an HLTA?

A Higher Level Teaching Assistant is an experienced teaching assistant who takes on more responsibility: planning and delivering learning, supporting pupils with additional needs, and leading classes under a teacher's direction.

Will an HLTA course give me HLTA status?

No. HLTA status is awarded only through the HLTA National Assessment Partnership, and you must be employed in a school to apply. An HLTA course builds the knowledge and evidence the 33 HLTA standards ask for.

Can I do an HLTA course without working in a school?

Yes, with our endorsed HLTA Level 4 or Advanced Level 5, which need no placement. Both regulated courses need a school setting: the TQUK Level 4 Certificate needs at least 50 hours in a school and a mentor there, and the NCFE CACHE Level 4 Advanced Practitioner needs you to work in a school or college before you enrol.

Is the HLTA Level 4 course regulated?

We offer two regulated Level 4 qualifications: the TQUK Level 4 Certificate for Higher Level Teaching Assistants (603/1432/1) and the NCFE CACHE Level 4 Certificate for the Advanced Practitioner in Schools and Colleges (603/2474/0). Our HLTA Level 4 and Advanced Level 5 courses are endorsed by NIOQ and are not regulated.

Can I study an HLTA course online?

Yes. All our HLTA courses are studied online or with a printed study pack. On the two regulated Certificates, part of the assessment uses evidence from your own school or college.

How long does an HLTA course take?

You have 12 months to complete it. The endorsed Level 4 takes about 180 hours of study on average.

Do I need a Level 3 teaching assistant qualification first?

Not for our courses. The endorsed courses have no entry requirements. The TQUK Certificate asks that you work or volunteer in a school and recommends English and maths at Level 2. The NCFE CACHE Advanced Practitioner asks that you are 18 or over and work in a school or college. If you're new to the role, our NCFE CACHE Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning is a good first step.