10,000th higher level teaching assistant appointed

Former model and fitness instructor Andrea Lowe has become the 10,000th person to gain higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) status in England.

“Gaining HLTA status has given me even more pride in my work and greater confidence in my ability to support the teachers and pupils I work with,” said Andrea who works at Northwold Primary School in Clapton. “I can now use my skills to help plan and take certain parts of a lesson, under the direction and supervision of a teacher. This is not something I could have done as a teaching assistant.”

HLTAs are usually teaching assistants who have developed their skills against a set of national professional standards set by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) and have undergone assessment to attain HLTA status. They provide support to teachers and pupils by bringing specialist knowledge and skills to the classroom.

Teaching assistants or other members of schools staff requiring further information about becoming an HLTA should visit www.tda.gov.uk/support/hlta