Batley Multi Academy Trust invest in ‘invaluable’ higher learning teaching assistants

Twenty-two trainee higher learning teaching assistants are now looking to be awarded their HLTA qualifications in July, after the Trust took part in the successful course between January and Thursday, May 4.

HLTAs do all the things that teaching assistants do, but they have an increased level of responsibility. For example, they teach classes on their own, cover planned absences and allow teachers time to plan and mark.

Many HLTAs also have a role to play outside the classroom too, therefore they provide an ‘invaluable’ role to schools.

The HLTA course was facilitated by the Yorkshire Rose Teaching Partnership and delivered by Leeds Trinity University and was open to staff across all of the BBEST Community Hub CIC schools across Batley and Birstall - 21 in total.

The university has been providing HLTA courses for many years and is one of the most established and highly regarded providers in the region.

The Yorkshire Rose Teaching Partnership is Batley Multi Academy Trust’s arm for teacher training and wider staff development and offers amazing support to both new and current staff across the Trust family of schools.

Emma Rodrigues, director of the Trust said: “As a Trust, training and development is something we’re really passionate about and being able to broaden this offer to our wider local BBEST community has been fantastic, as we strive to advocate and support continued learning for people of all ages.”

64 per cent of the trainees are over 30, and over half are working mothers, which is representative of the community and demonstrates how the Trust endeavours to support women, in their local community, with the careers pathways open to them.

One trainee, Yasmin Patel; currently works at Upper Batley High School (part of Batley Multi Academy Trust) as an educational teaching assistant, supporting young people to thrive academically both in and out of lesson time.

Yasmin was a student at Batley Girls’ High School (another school within Batley Multi Academy Trust) for seven years, and went on to work there for the following seven where she undertook a variety of roles from exam invigilator and administration assistant to an educational teaching assistant.

She said: “The course has strengthened and developed my skills in how I support learners and my involvement in planning lessons. It has also given me an opportunity to plan and deliver lessons in Science, teach small groups and have a positive impact on their learning.

“Emma’s passion for the training and development of associate staff and support with continued learning for people of all ages is fantastic.”

The course consists of supported and self-directed study; with the tutor providing guidance and advice via a series of six webinars, which were held at Batley Girls’ High School, where the majority of the trainees attended each session together, providing invaluable peer support to one another.

Yasmin added: “The course is clearly laid out as well as being engaging and feedback is informative and given in a timely manner.

“I highly recommend this style of learning as it has fit in very well for me with working full time and being a Mum! It has been an extremely rewarding experience.”