Author: andrew

The new level five STA award, recently launched, offers teaching assistants a further opportunity for professional development with access to the apprenticeship levy. In order to support this initiative, HNAP, the HLTA National Assessment Partnership (HNAP) has developed an assessment only route to the award of HLTA status.

On completion of the apprenticeship award candidates are invited to contact HNAP and request an assessment for a reduced fee of £350; there will be no requirement to undertake a preparation route or to complete any additional written work. The process will involve a review of the work completed during the apprenticeship, cross referencing this to the HLTA standards, and a discussion with the candidate and a nominated member of the SLT to follow up specific standards as well as the candidate’s ability to advance learning when working with whole classes without the designated teacher present in order to maintain the rigour of the process and the reputation of the status.

Overview

After contacting HNAP candidates will be asked to submit:

• A registration form, confirming, that as part of the apprenticeship programme, they have, within the previous 12 months, experience of advancing learning of individuals and small groups within a teaching and learning context and they have taught whole classes and advanced the learning of the class when a teacher is not present
• Their portfolio of evidence, completed as part of the apprenticeship
• The gateway feedback report provided by their end point assessment organisation

After a review of the submitted evidence, an assessor will contact the candidate to arrange a short professional conversation between themselves and a member of SLT, who is able to talk about the candidate’s role and experience and  confirm they are able to advance learning within a given teaching and learning context as outlined above. This discussion will confirm the candidate’s ability to contribute to the planning, delivery and assessment of learning activities with individuals, groups and whole classes. They will be asked to discuss how the candidate manages these activities to ensure all pupils are able to access the learning and make appropriate progress. As with all HLTA assessments the size and make up of a whole class will be determined by the context in which candidates work, and is defined by what would normally be assigned to a teacher if they were timetabled for that lesson.

Training organisations are aware of the requirements for HLTA and will offer advice to candidates as they undertake the apprenticeship programme to ensure that they are gaining the required experience.

Any training providers wishing to find out more information about the status and it’s requirements please contact Judith Robson (Programme Manager at HLTA Northumbria) judith.robson@northumbria.ac.uk

We are aware that there are increasing number of online adverts that offer ‘HLTA.’ It is our collective view that these distance learning HLTA programmes may be valid as a form of qualification, but some we have seen appear to misrepresent HLTA status, which is a school assessed recognition of an individual’s ability to demonstrate, through their practice, their ability to meet the 33 HLTA standards. There are many aspects that give rise to concern about the promotion of online HLTA courses that do not fully reflect the status, particularly the suggestion that it has no entry requirements, that an individual’s salary might rise to £25k+ and that candidates can do it without being employed in a school.

Any such suggestions are either inaccurate or incomplete and should be read with caution. We encourage individuals and schools to fully consider the benefits of gaining HLTA status with the HLTA national assessment partnership as the route that best ensures the rigour, consistency and credibility of HLTA status.

Strictly Education, HLTA North of England and the University of Northampton have been the HLTA assessment providers since 2004, initially as part of a national contract, but more recently within the HLTA National Assessment Partnership. The Partnership delivers HLTA assessment through a clear programme of application (supported by the school), a preparation course with follow up assignments that is informed by a Code of Practice, and finally a school based assessment visit where evidence is scrutinised and interviews take place with key members of staff.

Preparation and assessment for HLTA status in association with the HLTA National Assessment Partnership (HNAP) is not eligible for funding using the apprentice levy scheme.

Department for Education (DfE) Apprenticeship funding: rules and guidance for employers (July 2018) states: the minimum duration of an apprenticeship is one year unless the framework or standard specification or assessment plan requires it to be longer. For apprenticeship standards, the end-point assessment can only be taken after the minimum duration has been met.
The minimum duration of each apprenticeship is based on the apprentice working 30 hours a week or more, including any off-the-job training they undertake. At least 20% of the apprentice’s paid hours, over the planned duration of the apprenticeship, must be spent on off-the-job training.
Gaining HLTA status with HNAP is a process of preparation for assessment, which includes a school-based assessment related to the skills and knowledge that teaching assistants and support staff working at a higher level are already demonstrating and, as such, does not provide a programme of development and training for the equivalent of a day a week for a year. For levy funding to be applicable for training and development the programme and end point assessment must have followed a ‘trailblazer’ pathway and have approval by the government.