Professional Practice for Teaching Assistants

Advance your career in education with our foundation degree. You would have the opportunity to gain practical experience while you study online and enhance your professional development.

Our Foundation Degree in Professional Practice for Teaching Assistants is a two-year, full-time online course designed for individuals working—or volunteering —in schools in a paraprofessional support role. Whether you're currently employed as a teaching assistant, classroom assistant or learning support assistant, or have secured a school willing to host you in an unpaid role, this course is designed to offer a flexible and practical route to further study and professional growth.

Delivered fully online, the course combines one fixed day per week of university-led learning (including live sessions and independent study) with a minimum of two and a half days per week of hands-on school-based practice. There are no campus-based requirements, making it ideal for those who wish to continue working while studying.

Develop your skills and confidence throughout the course—from observing experienced practitioners in the first year to independently leading learning activities in your second year. Choose a specialisation in your final year to align your experience with your career goals in education.

This course is suitable for:

• existing school support staff (such as teaching assistants, learning support staff, classroom assistants, HLTAs, one-to-one support staff)

• individuals in pupil-facing roles across all phases of education (nurseries, primary, secondary, special schools and alternative provision).

This course balances practical experience with structured academic learning. Year one focuses on professional behaviours, classroom support strategies and understanding how pupils learn. In year two, you would have the opportunity to take more responsibility for supporting, planning and delivering learning to individuals, small groups and whole classes.

In your final academic module, you can choose one of three specialist focus areas and undertake your own research:

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

• social and emotional wellbeing

• curriculum.

For the most up to date course and module information, please visit our website.

This course offers start dates in January, April and September every year and we take applications throughout the year. Please apply and we will contact you to confirm your preferred entry point. We do not accept applications through clearing.

Course Modules

Year One Modules:

• An introduction to professional behaviours
• An introduction to SEND and behaviour
• An introduction to subject knowledge: core subjects
• An introduction to teaching and learning

Year Two (Final Year) Modules:

• SEND
• Social and emotional wellbeing
• Curriculum
• Specialist route final project

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.