Expectations of a Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Do you love working with children? Are you interested in providing education to young students? If the answer is yes, then you may choose to pursue a career as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant!

Compared to a standard Teaching Assistant, a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) has more responsibilities, including: leading classes with the supervision of the teacher, assessing and recording the progress of your students, working alongside the teacher to plan lessons, just to name a few! You can expect to work either in the classroom, or in a separate room with smaller groups of children. The working hours for a full-time HLTA are up to 40 hours per week – starting from 8.30am and finishing about to 4pm. However, you might be required to work overtime very often due to extra-class activities such as school outings or staff meetings. The salary can vary for a full-time HLTA ranging between £16,000 and £21,000 per year; while the maximum for a full-time standard Teaching Assistant is £17,000.

To start a career as a HLTA career, you will be required to obtain a range of qualifications, such as our HLTA level 4 diploma, which are outlined by Local Education Authority (LEA) and individual schools. Nevertheless, previous experience in youth work or childcare will be useful when applying to the job – but not obligatory. Such skills will enable you to show to your employer that you have the adequate competences, you could start working without official qualifications. The minimum requirement to become a HLTA is to have GCSE (or equivalent level qualifications) in literacy and numeracy. Regarding more personal qualities, you would need creativity, team spirit, patience, and then ability to cope with challenging behaviours.

Still doubtful? A good way to develop your capabilities in the field is to volunteer in your local school for a few hours a week. You can get an idea of what you are likely to do by looking at jobs advertised locally or by checking your LEA’s vacancies online. Whether you are new to the job or not yet employed, other qualifications are also available. For further information about careers in teaching, please have a look on our website! Our teaching assistant courses online are designed to provide students with the relevant knowledge in the desired field.