Boosting the Teaching Assistant workforce across South Yorkshire

The number of teaching assistants in South Yorkshire is set to increase following the appointment of Realise by South Yorkshire Combined Authority to deliver a range of specialist qualifications. 

The new provision will offer Level 1 Teaching Assistant and Level 2 Teaching Assistant programmes to local residents, alongside a Level 2 Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The qualifications are designed for those looking to work with children and adults with additional needs in nurseries, schools and care settings. 

In addition, learners will be able to access a wide range of Level 2 courses, including Understanding Autism, Awareness in Bullying in Children and Young People, and Children and Young People's Mental Health.

Advanced Level 3 qualifications in SEND and Autism will also be available, supporting progression into more specialised roles. 

Addressing a growing skills gap

The initiative comes at a crucial time, as schools across South Yorkshire and beyond continue to face challenges in recruiting and retaining teaching assistants. 

Research from the Royal Society of Chemistry highlights the scale of the issue, with 61% of respondents reporting a shortage of teaching assistants in their schools. 

Dan Goodall, Director of Adult Skills at Realise, said:

We're delighted to offer these new courses in South Yorkshire.

There is a real shortage of teaching assistants across the country. While this can be partly attributed to budget cuts, it is also a result of a skills shortage and a gap in training.

These qualifications will help schools bring new faces into their classrooms, raising education standards and giving children with additional needs extra support.

This is just one of the ways we are helping to improve lives in the South Yorkshire region.

The first cohort of Level 1 learners recently received their certificates, with Level 3 SEND launching in mid-March and Level 3 Autism in April. 

Training is delivered online, from Realise's Sheffield Hub, the Pat Midgley Community Hub, and in Rotherham in conjunction with Rotherham Council. 

Level 1 Teaching Assistant runs over eight sessions, Level 2 is completed over 14 sessions and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities training is 18 sessions. 

Learners must be a South Yorkshire resident, aged 19 or over, be ordinarily resident in the UK and have the right to live and work in the UK. 

Candidates must also be either unemployed or earning less than £24,570 per year if they are in employment to complete a Level 2 qualification. 

Realise supports more than 18,000 learners every year across apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps, and other training programmes. 

Explore the range of courses available in South Yorkshire.