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L5Apprenticeship7852 approved providers
The Level 5 Specialist teaching assistant, and the 2 providers delivering it.
Specialist teaching assistants support provision related to special educational needs and disability (SEND), the social and emotional well-being, of learners, or within another area of specialist curriculum provision such as forest schools, EAL, subject-based interventions or music education.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices develop specialist knowledge and practical skills to support learning across one of three pathways: SEND, social and emotional well-being, or a specific curriculum area such as music, PE, drama, or English as an additional language. The programme covers national and local policy, theoretical frameworks relevant to the chosen specialism, early identification and assessment approaches, and strategies for adapting provision to meet individual learner needs. Apprentices also learn how to contribute to colleague development and work with families and external agencies to support learner progress.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Working directly with learners across a range of age groups, the apprentice plans and delivers targeted interventions, adapts activities based on assessment data, and records progress in line with school or setting policy. They liaise with class teachers, SENCOs, pastoral leads, and, where relevant, outside agencies. Depending on the specialism, this might involve running small group SEND support sessions, facilitating social and emotional well-being programmes, or delivering curriculum-based activities such as instrumental tuition or forest school sessions.
Career outlook
Completion leads to roles such as higher level teaching assistant, SEND teaching assistant, learning mentor, or subject-specific roles in music, PE, or drama education. Many graduates move into lead support roles within their specialism, take on responsibility for training and supervising other support staff, or progress towards qualified teacher status. Employers include primary and secondary schools, special schools, alternative provision settings, further education colleges, and specialist organisations such as music hubs. Roles exist across maintained, academy, and independent sectors.
2 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Chichester College
Employer: 3.0
Chichester College is a further education college in West Sussex offering a wide range of technical,...
Salford City College
Employer: 4.0
Apprenticeships at Salford City College form part of the Salford City College Group and provide appr...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as Higher Level Teaching Assistant, SEND Teaching Assistant, Social and Emotional Well-being Teaching Assistant, Learning Mentor, Academic Mentor, or Subject Teaching Assistant in a specialist curriculum area such as music, PE, or drama. The specialism chosen during the programme shapes which of these titles fits best, with SEND and social and emotional well-being pathways being among the most in-demand across schools.
Progression paths
Over three to five years, many graduates move into SEND Coordinator (SENCo) roles, Pastoral Lead, or Curriculum Lead positions within their specialist area. Those who complete further teacher training can qualify as classroom teachers. The deep-specialist track leads to roles such as Specialist Intervention Lead, Inclusion Manager, or advisory positions supporting multiple schools within a trust or local authority. Leadership tracks tend to open up in larger secondary schools, multi-academy trusts, and specialist provision settings.
Where these roles sit
Primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, and alternative provision settings are the main employers. Further education colleges, sixth forms, and specialist institutions such as music hubs also hire for these roles. Most positions sit within the state-funded sector, including local authority maintained schools and academy trusts, though independent schools and specialist residential provisions recruit for similar specialist support roles.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place in a real education setting throughout the apprenticeship, with the apprentice applying their specialism, whether SEND, social and emotional well-being, or a specific curriculum area, directly in their day-to-day role. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice and their employer or training provider confirm readiness through a gateway check, which typically requires evidence that the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been met. Final assessment then confirms whether the apprentice can perform at the level expected of the occupation. Assessment models for many standards at this level are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Building a body of workplace evidence consistently throughout the programme is far more practical than trying to reconstruct it near the end. This means keeping records of interventions planned, adapted, and delivered, noting the outcomes for learners and reflecting on practice over time. Close, regular communication between the apprentice, their line manager, and their training provider helps ensure that evidence gathered on the job aligns with what the final assessment requires. Learners should treat assessment readiness as an ongoing conversation rather than a single point of preparation.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with achievement rates above 65% on their FATP profile, ideally higher given the 24-month duration and the academic rigour of a Level 5 qualification. Because apprentices choose one of three specialist pathways (SEND, social and emotional well-being, or curriculum specialism), a strong provider will have tutors with direct, recent experience in the relevant area, not just generalist education backgrounds. Employer satisfaction scores matter here: the work is school-based and relationship-dependent, so providers who stay closely involved with host settings throughout delivery tend to produce better outcomes. Check that learner reviews mention useful, applied feedback rather than generic module content.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers who can't explain how they support each specialist pathway separately, or who group all apprentices into identical delivery regardless of specialism. A high apprentice volume with a declining or borderline achievement rate warrants direct questions, given the academic demand of Level 5 work. Providers who are vague about how they support SEND or social and emotional well-being knowledge alongside practical school placements should concern you. If a provider cannot point to tutors with credible backgrounds in the specialism the apprentice is pursuing, that gap will show up in the quality of mentoring.
Questions to ask before you commit
- How do you structure delivery differently for each of the three specialist pathways, and which do you have the most experience delivering?
- What qualifications and school-based experience do the tutors or assessors for our chosen specialism actually hold?
- How do you support apprentices to apply SEND assessment tools or social and emotional well-being frameworks in their specific setting, rather than in theory alone?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the last two cohorts?
- How do you stay in contact with the employer throughout the 24 months, and what happens if the apprentice's school context changes?
- Can you share examples of the kinds of roles apprentices have moved into after completing this qualification?
- How do you handle the academic elements at Level 5 for apprentices who haven't studied at this level before?
Common questions
What are the entry requirements for the Specialist Teaching Assistant apprenticeship?
There are no nationally set entry requirements, so individual providers and employers set their own. Candidates typically already work in an education setting and hold relevant prior qualifications or experience, including a level 3 teaching assistant qualification in some cases. Apprentices must be in genuine employment for the duration, with enough breadth of role to cover the standard. Check directly with training providers about any specific conditions they apply.
How long does the apprenticeship take and how is learning structured?
The typical duration is 24 months, though the actual length depends on the apprentice's prior experience and how the employer and provider structure the programme. Learning happens alongside the job, combining on-the-job experience with off-the-job training. The apprenticeship levy reform under Skills England may affect specific requirements, so check the current specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page on gov.uk for up-to-date details.
How is the apprenticeship assessed?
Before the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, which confirms they have met the knowledge, skills, and behaviours set out in the standard and are ready to be assessed. Assessment models for many standards are currently being reviewed as part of Skills England reforms, so the precise methods may change. Check the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the most accurate picture of what end-point assessment involves.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £12,000. Levy-paying employers draw on their digital apprenticeship service account to cover training costs. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy co-invest with government, typically contributing 5% of the training cost. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing, with government funding the full cost. All funding is paid directly to the training provider, not to the apprentice.
What does a Specialist Teaching Assistant actually do day to day?
Day-to-day work depends on the chosen specialism, which is either SEND, social and emotional well-being, or a specific curriculum area such as music education, EAL, or forest schools. Apprentices plan and deliver targeted activities, adapt resources based on learner need, contribute to assessment, liaise with families and external agencies, and support colleagues in their specialist area. They also reflect on their own practice and help develop the skills of others in the team.
What can a Specialist Teaching Assistant do after completing this apprenticeship?
Completing this level 5 apprenticeship opens routes into more senior support roles, such as higher level teaching assistant or specialist learning mentor. Some graduates move towards qualified teacher status through further study, including a degree or postgraduate teacher training route. Others take on coordination or advisory responsibilities within their specialism, for example as a SEND coordinator or a curriculum lead. The qualification is recognised across primary, secondary, special schools, further education, and alternative provision settings.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 785.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.