Specialist Teaching Assistant (SEND) Apprenticeship
To find out more about our Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship, please register to attend one of our information events.
Develop your knowledge and skills in providing specialist support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in your school. Fully-funded by the apprenticeship levy, this 18-month Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant (SEND) Apprenticeship is available at no cost to you. The apprenticeship is ideal for individuals already working in education as a teaching assistant, learning support assistant or learning mentor in an academy or voluntary aided school (currently not local authority schools).
You’ll develop your understanding of all four areas of SEND: cognition and learning; social, emotional and mental health; communication and interaction; and sensory and/or physical. Furthermore, you’ll gain specialist knowledge, critical understanding and the ability to plan, implement, evaluate and adapt activities to advance learning and deepen your understanding of policies and procedures relevant to your role.
Features of the L5 Specialist Teaching Assistant (SEND) Apprenticeship
- Specialist Teaching Assistant qualification
- No cost to you: all fees paid by your school’s apprenticeship levy
- Cohort starts every September
- 18 month course followed by an End Point Assessment day
- Continue to be employed by your school
- Face-to-face training days with in-school tasks
- The support of a dedicated Tommy Flowers SCITT tutor
- A mentor in your school to guide you
- The opportunity to enhance your qualification with a 1 year Level 6 undergraduate top-up degree at a UK university, opening career paths to teacher training
Download our brochure for candidates
Download 'Information for Schools' document
Benefits of the apprenticeship
Benefits for you: This is a prime opportunity to build specialist SEND knowledge to support the pupils you work with. Following the apprenticeship, you can complete a 1-year top-up degree (at a UK university) to gain a full undergraduate degree which opens up opportunities to train as a teacher.
Benefits for your school: This apprenticeship improves the quality of SEND provision, enhances existing staff members’ skills sets, increases staff retention and supports professional development.
What will I learn?
Our Specialist Teaching Assistant (SEND) Apprenticeship is delivered over 18 months and blends monthly, face-to-face training days, in-school tasks, mentor meetings, tutor progress visits and reviews.
Modules
You will study five core themes:
- Regulation and Guidance
- Advancing Learning
- Planning, Teaching and Assessment
- Professionalism
- Communication
Interwoven throughout the core modules will be 17 SEND training workshops on themes such as:
- All four areas of need: cognition and learning; communication and interaction; social, emotional and mental health; sensory or physical needs
- Child and adolescent development
- The impact of trauma and attachment
- Leading interventions
- Supporting children with Autism
- Adapting learning and assessment with SEND
- Assistive technology and adaptations
Course Structure
Over 18 months, you will complete 418 hours of ‘Off the Job Training’ (approximately 6.5 hours per week), which is dedicated time during your normal working hours when you will apply new skills and knowledge related to the apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship is built up of sixteen 4-week blocks. Week 1 of each block will include a day’s face-to-face training led by experts, to introduce you to the fundamental concepts around supporting the learning of children with SEND.
In weeks 2 – 4 of each block you will deepen your learning through a series of in-school tasks that include reading, directed tasks, shadowing colleagues and implementing learning through your day-to-date work with pupils. This can be in a 1:1, group or whole class setting, depending upon your job role.
Funding the Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship
Price for this apprenticeship: £12,000 £0
The fees for the apprenticeship are £12,000 but there is no cost to you or your school as the fees are covered by the Growth and Skills Fund (the apprenticeship levy) that most schools pay into.
Apprentices on the L5 Specialist Teaching Assistant (SEND) Apprenticeship are employed by their employing school as a Teaching Assistant (or similar job title such as a Learning Support Assistant or Learning Mentor).
Funding options for schools
Levy paying employers can access their fund contributions through their Apprenticeship Service Account. If you are in a multi-academy trust, Headteachers should speak to their central team about the available levy funds. If you are a local authority school and do not control access to your own Apprenticeship Service Account, Headteachers should speak to the local authority about accessing the funds for this apprenticeship.
Non-levy paying employers can still receive 95% of the funding for this apprenticeship and contribute just 5% towards the cost
Entry requirements
All applicants for the Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship must meet the following entry requirements prior to starting the apprenticeship.
Employment
You must be employed in an academy or voluntary aided school (currently not local authority schools) and have the support of the school to complete this apprenticeship. Your job role will include working with individuals, groups or whole classes of pupils such as Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant, Higher Level Teaching Assistant or Learning Mentor. You must be employed at your school for a minimum of 16 hours per week.
Right to work
You must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the apprenticeship and End Point Assessment window (totalling 21 months).
UK residency
Prior to the start of the apprenticeship (September), you must have lived in the UK for three years.
Level 2 Functional Skills (or GCSEs)
It is expected that entrants to this apprenticeship have or will work towards achieving Level 2 in English and maths, unless this requirement is waived by their employer (see below). GCSEs at grade C/4 or qualifications from overseas where UK ENIC have verified their equivalency are also accepted.
If you do not have evidence of Level 2 qualifications upon entry, then an employer may choose for you to undertake Level 2 Functional Skills for English and maths while on the apprenticeship or waive this requirement (for apprentices aged 19+). For apprentices aged 18 when they start the apprenticeship, Level 2 qualifications are mandatory. Where an employer opts for an apprentice to take Level 2 Functional Skills, these are funded while apprentices study for their apprenticeship.
Applicants must note that if they later choose to top-up their qualification to a L6 degree, a university is likely to require GCSEs or an equivalency test that provides greater depth.
Please contact us if you are unsure if your qualifications are equivalent or to discuss your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I apply for this apprenticeship?
Please click on the ‘Applying’ tab of this page for a breakdown of the application steps. Complete the registration of interest form and our team will be in touch with the next steps.
What if I don’t have Level 2 Functional Skills or a GCSE at grade C/4 in maths or English?
If you do not have evidence of having Level 2 Functional Skills or a GCSE in English and maths at grade C/4 or above, then you can still apply for and start this apprenticeship.
If you are aged 19 or over on the first day of the apprenticeship, then you can either take Level 2 Functional Skills while completing the apprenticeship, or your employer can waive the requirement for you to do this. If you are aged 18 on the first day of the apprenticeship and do not already have equivalent qualifications, then completing the Level 2 Functional Skills is mandatory.
We will also accept a certificate of equivalency from The UK National Information Centre (UK ENIC) for qualifications from overseas or an equivalency test from Equivalency Testing or A Star Equivalency.
Please note that if you later wish to top-up your apprenticeship to a L6 degree or to apply for teacher training, then you will require a GCSE or equivalency test.
What is the apprenticeship levy?
The apprentice levy is now called the Growth and Skills Fund and is controlled by Skills England. Schools, including multi-academy trusts, with a wage bill over £3 million pay a contribution to the Growth and Skills Fund.
This apprenticeship qualifies for funding from the Growth and Skills Fund. For schools that do not pay into the fund, they can still receive 95% of the funding for this apprenticeship and contribute just 5% towards the total cost (co-funding model).
How will I be assessed?
You will have 3-monthly progress reviews in which you’ll celebrate your growth and successes and discuss your next steps in learning. These will be scheduled with your mentor and apprenticeship tutor.
Once you have completed the 18 month apprenticeship, you’ll then undertake the End-Point Assessment (EPA) with an independent assessor involving:
- Observation with questions – the assessor will observe you teaching and interacting with learners (90 minutes) with follow up questions
- Professional discussion (60 minutes)
You are required to pass both components. The results from these assessments are then combined to form your overall apprenticeship grade (distinction, merit, pass, fail).
How can I top-up this apprenticeship to a full undergraduate degree?
Once you have completed your apprenticeship, you will have the choice of a range of UK universities that offer a 1-year top-up Level 6 undergraduate degree. These are usually work-based top-up courses, delivered online, that will allow you to continue your employment and academic work. Once you have an undergraduate degree you will be eligible to return to the Tommy Flowers SCITT for teacher training.
Applying for the Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship
If you wish to register your interest in joining our September 2027 cohort, please complete the form below.
Step 1: To register your interest in the Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant (SEND) Apprenticeship, please complete the form below. You’ll need to enter your personal details.
Step 2: The Tommy Flowers SCITT will review your registration of interest and make contact with you where clarification is required.
Step 3: You’ll then be sent an application form which will confirm your eligibility for the programme and require a signature from your employing school.
