Specialist Teaching Assistant
Level 5
A Specialist Teaching Assistant Assessment Organisation is an approved company responsible for providing apprenticeship assessments in the Education Support sector. As an assessment organisation, we ensure that apprentices meet the standards and competencies outlined in the relevant apprenticeship standards.
What the Role Entails
Specialist Teaching Assistants work alongside colleagues to inspire learners to progress and achieve well. They support all age groups and a range of learners. Specialist Teaching Assistants may focus on three specialist areas: special educational needs and disability (SEND), the social and emotional wellbeing of learners, or specialist curriculum provision such as forest schools, EAL, subject-based interventions, or music education. They may work in primary and secondary schools, special schools, alternative provision, further education institutions such as sixth forms and colleges, and other education settings like music hubs.
Components of the Specialist Teaching Assistant Assessment
Order of assessment methods
The assessment methods can be delivered in any order. The result of one assessment method does not need to be known before starting the next.
Performance in the Assessments determines the overall grade of:
• Fail
• Pass
• Merit
• Distinction
Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence
In the professional discussion, an independent assessor and apprentice have a formal two-way conversation. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
The professional discussion must last for 60 minutes and consist of at least 10 questions. Follow-up questions are allowed where clarification is required.
Observation with Questions
The observation must take 2 hours.
The total time for the observation element is 90 minutes. The time allocated for questioning is 30 minutes. The independent assessor must ask at least 6 questions. Follow-up questions are allowed where clarification is required.
The Observation with questions is graded as Fail, Pass or Distinction.
Simple, Easy-to-use Online Platform
Our platform (epaPRO) is user-friendly and offers a one-stop solution for registering apprentices, engaging with the team, accessing resources, and monitoring progress.
Dedicated
Co-ordinator
Once your apprentice is registered, you'll have a dedicated co-ordinator to assist you with any queries you may have
Free Resits/
Retakes
Steadfast Assessment provides free resits for online assessments in line with the requirements of the relevant assessment plan.
Detailed
Feedback
All our assessments are undertaken remotely unless face to face is specifically required by the relevant assessment plan.