Short course Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Attendance

Part-time

HLTA short route – three days preparation for HLTA assessment

At a glance

About this course

This course is specifically designed for teaching assistants and other support staff from a range of settings.It helps you prepare for assessment leading to the award of HLTA status.

You may be working in any phase, from early years through to secondary, in special schools or units. In some cases you may be working in non-standard educational settings.

You need to be able to demonstrate that you support and advance the learning of children or young people when
• working one-to-one with individuals
• working with small groups
• you are taking the whole class without a teacher present

You attend the University for preparation on three separate days over a period of about six weeks. During the course you are provided with guidance and support to complete written tasks, produce supporting documentary evidence and prepare for your assessment. These three areas are covered in depth by our academic staff who are all experienced HLTA assessors.

Throughout the course you are encouraged to reflect on their role and to develop a better understanding of their practice in relation to the professional standards, making this course a sound preparation for career progression.

Higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs) are employed in a variety of education settings including
• schools
• academies
• early years
• educational services

HLTA awareness and briefing sessions for school staff are available throughout the academic year.

Sheffield Hallam University has many years experience providing a range of courses for support staff including HLTA courses. We have worked as a partner in the South Yorkshire Teaching Assistants consortium (SYTAC) for almost ten years and have collaborated with schools, academies and local authorities throughout South Yorkshire, Humberside, Derbyshire and Derby City to provide quality HLTA preparation for assessment.

Although many of our courses are offered on our city campus, we can offer courses throughout the region to accommodate local needs.

Associated careers

Achieving HLTA status can lead to

• HLTA posts in schools

• higher level roles in and out of the classroom that contribute to whole school development, such as specialising in SEN, family learning, ICT, learning mentors

• middle management responsibilities, such as line manager for other support staff

• teaching – by following relevant progression routes or pathways

Professional recognition

To maintain the national integrity and consistency of the HLTA status, the HLTA National Assessment Partnership will apply a national assessment process, subject to moderation and quality assurance, to the status awarded by each Regional Provider of Assessment (RPA). This ensures that each HLTA status is recognised by all RPAs within the partnership.

Course content

HLTA preparation for assessment

• an overview of HLTA assessment • guidance and support when writing assessment tasks • support and advice with the collection and submission of documentary evidence • formative feedback • guidance and preparation for the assessment visit

Assessment

The assessment consists of
• written tasks supported by a portfolio of documentary evidence submitted to the assessor prior to the visit
• school-based visit carried out by an external independent assessor provided by the Regional Provider of Assessment (RPA)

Sheffield Hallam works in partnership with the RPA for the north of England to provide HLTA assessments in South Yorkshire and in collaboration with the RPA for the East Midlands, Northampton University.

Entry requirements

You must have

• a qualification at level 2 or above in English/literacy and mathematics/numeracy as recognised on the National Qualifications Framework to meet standard 11 (acceptable qualifications are shown on the application form). Original certificates are required.

• support from your school - a signed statement from your head teacher verifying standard 31 - advance learning when working with whole classes without the pressence of the assigned teacher

• relevent experience supporting learners (individuals, groups and whole classes)

To demonstrate relevant and recent experience you also need to complete a self review of your current practice. This must be agreed and signed by a member of the teaching staff or the headteacher.

We appreciate the diversity of support staff roles within different settings and this is taken into account when offering places. All applications are reviewed by the project manager.

Fees

Home and EU students

2013/14 academic year

The cost of the three days preparation is Ł370. For information on assessment costs, please ring 0114 225 5352.

How to apply

Please download this application form and complete all sections and the self review.

Contact details

For more information, please contact the Faculty of Development and Society, Sheffield Hallam University, Arundel Building, City Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB. Phone +44 (0)114 225 5352, e-mail Stephen Coates, student support s.a.coates@shu.ac.uk or course leader and senior assessor Maxine Pountney m.pountney@shu.ac.uk.