Learning Support

Overview
If you’re currently working in learning support – such as in a teaching assistant role – and you’re ready to take the next step in your career, our Foundation degree (FdA) in Learning Support will put you on the right track.

As a learning support professional, you play an invaluable role in enabling children to realise what they’re capable of. Your experience is excellent groundwork from which to develop greater educational support expertise, or even to move towards becoming a teacher.

We know you’re busy in the classroom, so we’ve made it simple to complete your studies alongside your job by studying at one of our partner colleges. Whichever you choose, you’ll be a student of the University of Portsmouth, so you’ll have access to all of our facilities and support.

When you graduate, you'll have new skills and insight to bring to your learning support role. You could also use your foundation degree to access further study that leads to Qualified Teacher Status.

This course isn't currently open to international students outside the EU.

• Develop your teaching assistant skills by exploring how best to support learners across key subject areas such as literacy and numeracy

• Discover how to support children with a range of needs, including those with special educational needs and disability (SEND) and social, emotional and mental health difficulties

• Learn in supportive study groups, alongside other teaching assistants from different educational backgrounds, and find out how to take the knowledge and skills you learn in our classroom back to yours

• Be taught by expert staff with extensive experience, using dynamic and relevant teaching methods to help you get the most out of your studies

• Study alongside your job at one of our partner colleges: South Hampshire College Group - Eastleigh Campus (full time only) or Isle of Wight College (full time only)

Careers and opportunities
This Learning Support Foundation degree (FdA) will enrich your classroom experience with the education theory, best practice approaches and professional recognition you need to best support children in an assisting role, or to progress on a new career path towards becoming a teacher.

What can you do with a Learning Support FdA?
After the course, you'll have a university-level qualification that's recognised in the primary school sector.

You'll stand out as a learning support professional with the skills to work in:

• primary learning support

• higher level teaching assistance (HLTA)

• learning mentorship

• family support

• behaviour management

Alternatively, you could go on to do a Bachelor's degree such as our BA (Hons) Education Studies (Top-Up).

Once you have a full Bachelors degree, you could then progress on to courses that enable you to earn Qualified Teacher Status, such as a PGCE Primary or a School Centred Initial Teacher Training Programme (SCITT).

Course Modules

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit the link to the course page.

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/fda-learning-support#modules