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Laura has over 15 years of education experience in secondary schools, as well as outreach work in primary schools and alternative provision settings. Her love of performing arts led to an active role in a performing arts secondary school, working with hubs across the region to promote the benefits of an arts education.

As assistant headteacher for teaching and learning, Laura went on to lead initial teacher training (ITT) for her school and delivered subject-specific training for the local authority, before joining Tes in 2016.

“I discovered Tes Institute when I was looking to change providers for ITT. I was also keen to expand our professional development routes to support current staff members finding routes into teaching. We loved the flexibility of their blended approach. Not having to leave your school for training is a huge benefit of studying with Tes Institute.”

Since January 2024, Laura has managed the Tes Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship, which has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2021. Within the first six months, Laura led the first Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) audit of the programme, which passed as compliant with the funding rules for apprenticeships. And within nine months, the programme had its first full Ofsted inspection, which inspectors graded as “good” with “outstanding” features for Behaviours and Attitudes.  

“That has been the pinnacle of where we have got to on our short journey so far. It is the reassurance that all the things we are doing are right for our learners.”   

Laura remains a governor in a large local secondary school, keeping up with developments in the sector to make sure “we are as on top of our game as we can be in all we do to support the diverse range of schools we work with.”

Teaching ethos

“For me, it’s about understanding the individual as a whole person and being personalised to their needs as a teacher.  

“We are teaching adults to teach children, so we need to be multifaceted in our approach to support their needs as adults while keeping the children at the centre and adapting to their needs.”  

Laura believes it is important to model behaviours and instil a resilient mindset in the teaching workforce of tomorrow.  

“We give our adult learners strategies to reflect on their wellbeing. We want them to know when and how to reach out for support if they need it.”  

Aims of the Tes Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship

The Tes Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship is perfect for someone who is working in a school as a teaching assistant (TA) and aspires to develop as a great TA with a higher level of knowledge and skills in pedagogy, Laura explains. For some, it might be that stepping stone to their next qualification as part of their career journey.  

“The aim of the apprenticeship is for TAs to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours to impact children’s learning and progress to gain a recognised Level 3 qualification. Our learners grow and develop their passion in their role and can continue their careers in schools as highly reflective and collaborative members of staff.”

The apprenticeship route makes use of the government’s apprenticeships levy. It is a unique opportunity to access a funded course, which means schools pay little to no tuition fees.  

“The levy is a fantastic opportunity to facilitate high-quality continuing professional development (CPD). We collaborate with schools in their cycle of ‘grow your own’ recruitment, training and retention of valuable key staff. It has also been an invaluable tool in boosting a school’s workforce in challenging financial times.

“Teaching assistants are crucial in fostering inclusive education. They provide specialised support that enables children with special educational needs and disabilities to access the curriculum and succeed alongside their peers in mainstream classrooms.”

Why learners love the Tes Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship

Studying on the apprenticeship enables learners to earn while they learn – and to develop their career without leaving their school.  

“Our curriculum emphasises personal development, wellbeing and collaborative learning, so that TAs can support pupil progress and thrive in diverse educational environments. It’s grounded in research and expert collaboration, so it prepares apprentices for future roles while promoting a positive, inclusive learning atmosphere.

“I am passionate about finding the right route, for the right person, in the right school at the right time.” 

Laura explains that Tes Institute’s apprenticeship programme fits perfectly with the Chamber of Commerce’s priorities of ‘Boosting Skills: Journey Through Education & Work.’ It also aligns with the government's vision of breaking down barriers to opportunities through the levy funding reform as ‘Skills England’ for high-quality apprenticeship provisions.  

“Our apprenticeship route offers a great opportunity to develop employability skills in the workplace and support young people’s career aspirations in education.”

What support is available for learners on the Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship?

The TA apprenticeship team prioritises mental health and wellbeing on the course. This starts from their initial interview, through to the working relationship learners build with their tutors and delivery team, who guide, support and nurture them over the 18 months.

“This all weaves together to build strong relationships throughout the programme.”

The sense of belonging and being listened to as an apprentice was reflected by the Ofsted team: “Apprentices are determined to succeed and, in cases where they experience personal challenges that disrupt their learning, they persist and get back on track with the help of their mentors and tutors.” 

Laura is particularly proud of the programme’s recent Ofsted “outstanding” grading for its Behaviour and Attitudes judgement, with apprentices demonstrating excellent professional behaviours because staff set high expectations.

“Receiving such amazing feedback for Behaviour and Attitudes was truly humbling. When our learners and employers shared how they felt we have supported them, and why the apprenticeship has been a success for them, it shows that we care, nurture, and support our learners, and that we are inclusive. It was wonderful to hear such great feedback.”

The Tes apprenticeships team think of “the whole person on the educational journey.” This applies from the teaching materials the Tes team create, to the holistic support they provide to every learner.  

“We have a duty of care for our apprentices. We work closely with school leadership teams to share information and ensure the safety of both apprentices and the learners in their care.” 

Every learner has a dedicated in-school mentor as well as an experienced pathway tutor, who will work closely with them throughout the apprenticeship. 

Impact in the classroom

“We love to see our learners growing in confidence. Many of our TA learners work with some of our most vulnerable children.  

“It is fantastic to see our apprentices be the best version of themselves in a role that they love and having such a tremendous impact in these roles.”

Laura says the best part for her is seeing this in action when she spends face-to-face time in schools with learners on the programme.  

“When I was visiting a school in Leicester, I observed an amazing TA who was working with a group of pupils with English as an additional language. It was inspiring to see the choices she made and how she adapted her teaching because of what she knew about those children and what she had learned on her Tes apprenticeship. 

“Schools are coming back to us year after year to train their TAs, and they use the programme as part of their recruitment offer. They see the value in supporting progression in their school and in these key roles to support the children.” 

Laura’s advice for a learner on the Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship

Laura’s first advice for any learner considering a Tes apprenticeship is to get in touch to speak with the team.  

“If you’re employed as a TA and you want to understand how children learn...If you want to gain the strategies and knowledge of how to support your pupils in the best way you can...Then our Level 3 course is for you.”

She has a key piece of advice for both those in a school and the school itself: 

“We want employers and those employed in a school to understand that the apprenticeships levy is there for them to use. If your school has a payroll of over three million pounds, then you can access the levy for certain programmes. It’s a valuable pot of funds to support our schools and their staff.”  

The future of the Tes Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship

“We’re constantly moving forward to make our apprenticeships the best they can be – that is the educator in me. Our learning never stops.”  

Laura explains that the Tes Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship programme has come full circle now, with many learners’ successful end-point assessments coming through.  

“We are seeing excellent outcomes to our apprentices' hard work and dedication to their programme. I am excited to grow the programme so even more fantastic people and schools can benefit from high-quality funded training to support our children and grow our workforce in schools.” 

Loved hearing from Laura? Find out more about our Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship and meet the rest of our inspiring programme leaders in our Spotlight series collection.