Support Work in Schools

Ongoing course start dates throughout the year. Please see the ‘When are the courses running’ for further information.

Understand child development and learn how to support children's well-being. Gain insight into the operation of a school or college. Understand essential safeguarding practices for working with children. Become familiar with diversity, equality, and inclusion considerations in the school environment.

Your tutor will set various tasks to assess your learning. These may include producing leaflets, charts or diagrams, or information boards.

The aim of this qualification is to prepare you for a variety of job roles that can be done in schools and colleges. These could include learning assistant, technical support worker, classroom volunteer, administrative worker, or any other on-site roles.

If you have any accessibility requirements, please let us know. We’re committed to helping you access and enjoy adult education. If there’s something we can do to help you, we will.

The WEA specialises in teaching adults. We want you to enjoy your studies, that’s why our tutors take great care to create a positive learning environment.

Most of our courses are free for most of our learners. Please note that you need to get to the end of the enrolment process to see the discounts.

Which courses can I complete?

Introduction to Working as a Teaching Assistant

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and Colleges

The Introduction to Working as a Teaching Assistant course is an introductory course where you can learn more about the role of working in a classroom. This course is 25 hours duration.

The Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and Colleges course is an accredited course, recognised by both employers and education providers. The course will give you knowledge in understanding schools as organisations, roles and responsibilities, child development milestones, managing behaviour and much more. This course is 90 hours duration.

Who is this course for?

These courses are for adult learners, aged 19+. No previous experience is required. No placements are required. You will need to undertake an initial assessment to ensure this level of study is right for you.

How will I learn?

This is an online course. To access the course, you will need to use a laptop, a tablet, or a Chromebook, and a stable internet connection.

You will attend sessions with your tutor in an online classroom. The course is hosted on Canvas, a virtual learning environment where you can access and submit assignments and join the online classroom.

This is an interactive course. You will learn through group, paired or individual tasks and completion of assignments.

What happens after I apply?

When you apply for the course, please try and upload your ID, proof of residency in the UK, proof of address and proof of income/benefits so we can check your eligibility for funding.

When we receive your application, a member of the team will email you to book in for an Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) phone call. If you haven’t yet uploaded your ID, we will also ask you to do this in the initial email.

After the IAG phone call, the team member will activate a BKSB initial assessment. Don’t worry, this isn’t an exam. It’s for us to make sure you get on the right course for your level.

After completion of the BKSB initial assessment, the IAG phone call and checking your eligibility for funding, a member of the team will let you know which level is most suitable for you when the next available course is.

When are the courses running?

There are courses running during both the daytime and the evening. Most learners choose to study the introductory course, followed by the accredited course.

Places on courses are subject to availability at the time of a completed application. We will be able to advise you on suitable courses with places available during the application process.

Proposed course dates and times (subject to availability):

Introduction to Working as a Teaching Assistant

10th September 2024 – 10th October 2024.

Tuesday & Thursday. 6:30pm – 9pm.

Followed by:

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and Colleges

15th October 2024 – 13th March 2025.

Tuesday & Thursday. 6:30pm – 9pm.

Introduction to Working as a Teaching Assistant

24th September 2024 – 15th October 2024.

Monday & Tuesday. 09:30am – 2:30pm.

Followed by:

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and Colleges

21st October 2024 – 14th January 2025.

Monday & Tuesday. 09:30am – 2:30pm.

Introduction to Working as a Teaching Assistant

27th January 2025 – 10th February 2025.

Monday & Tuesday. 09:30am – 2:30pm.

Followed by:

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and Colleges

24th February 2025 – 29th May 2025.

Monday & Tuesday. 09:30am – 2:30pm.

Introduction to Working as a Teaching Assistant

17th March 2025 – 17th April 2025.

Tuesday & Thursday. 6:30pm – 9pm.

Followed by:

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and Colleges

29th April 2025 – 11th September 2025.

Tuesday & Thursday. 6:30pm – 9pm.

Introduction to Working as a Teaching Assistant

9th June 2025 – 23rd June 2025.

Monday & Tuesday. 09:30am – 2:30pm.

Followed by:

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and Colleges

30th June 2025 – 26th August 2025.

Monday & Tuesday. 09:30am – 2:30pm.