National Teaching Assistants' Day: Now We Have Great Experts

On the last Friday of September, schools across the UK will be celebrating National Teaching Assistants' Day. This special day provides a heart-warming opportunity to shine a light on the unsung heroes of our classrooms. This year, National Teaching Assistants' Day falls on Friday, 26th September 2025. It provides schools, pupils, and parents with an opportunity to honour those everyday champions who support learning, nurture confidence, and make education inclusive for all.

What Is National Teaching Assistants' Day?

National Teaching Assistants' Day is an awareness and celebratory day dedicated to recognising teaching assistants (TAs) for their vital contributions in schools across the UK. Established in 2012, it was founded by Teaching Personnel who wished to recognise the tireless efforts and positive impact of TAs in the classroom. The National Teaching Assistants' Day website encourages schools to get involved in 3 ways:

1. Recognition

2. Nomination

3. Celebration

Schools are actively encouraged to nominate exceptional TAs for the Teaching Assistant of the Year award. Likewise, they want schools to share appreciation messages and use designated hashtags like #NationalTADay on their socials. Additionally, you can post a 'Thank You' message to a TA on the website: National Teaching Assistants' Day.

Every year, the event carries a theme. This year’s is “Read Together, Grow Together – TAs Making Every Page Count.” This is certainly a sentiment Head Teachers agree with, because 96% of them believe TAs add value to their school.

How TAs Have Progressed: Qualifications Then vs. Now

One of the reasons National Teaching Assistants' Day began was the lack of recognition surrounding the importance of a TA's role. Perhaps this is because the role of a teaching assistant has undergone significant changes over the last few decades. Let’s take a journey through time and see how professional the role has become.

1960s - 1990s: Simple Support

Teaching Assistants are not a new concept. They started appearing in our schools in the 1960s. However, they were referred to more as 'Aides' or 'Helpers' back then. Used to help under-resourced teachers, the 'Helpers' provided administrative support and assistance, keeping the classroom resources clean and organised, cleaning paint brushes, for example.

By the 1990s, the role had changed significantly. A shortage of teaching staff often led to TAs taking on more and more support work. The additional support in the classroom came in the guise of many titles, including Special Support Assistant, Special Needs Support Assistant, Learning Support Assistant, and Classroom Assistant. The roles appealed particularly to mums who could work while their children were at school. It also meant they shared the same school holidays as their children, helping to keep childcare costs to a minimum. However, many had no qualifications to complement the evolution of their job roles.

1990s - 2010s: Informal Foundations

The term Teaching Assistant became more widely used in the 2000s. One of the contributors to this was the Education Act of 2002, which aimed to employ more TAs to help with the teaching crisis. However, many TAs remained unqualified for the roles they found themselves in. In fact, data shows that in 2002, around 39% of TAs in primary schools and 34% in secondary schools had no qualifications at all. (See in full: Wikipedia)

Entry often relied on motivation, goodwill, and years of experience rather than formal credentials. Many TAs developed their skills 'on the job'. Indeed, our very own CEO at Swarm Training, Jennifer Perry, started out in exactly the same way, and look where she is now! However, given the increasing responsibilities many TAs were given, particularly working with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), it became clear that change was needed.

With the National Workforce Agreement in 2003, Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) were formally recognised with new responsibilities. These included covering lessons, supporting planning, and enabling teacher PPA (planning, preparation, and assessment) time.

2010s - Present Day: Emerging Structure

One of the recommendations taken from the 2010 DISS project was 'More needs to be done to prepare, particularly classroom-based, support staff for their role in schools, especially for the now common, pedagogical, instructional role with pupils.' Consequently, the role of TAs evolved even further, with better training and support.

Today: Professionalism and Career Pathways

There is now a standard entry requirement for TAs. Most schools expect at least five GCSEs (grades A–C or 9–4), including English and Maths, plus an enhanced DBS check.

Teaching assistants are now widely regarded as skilled professionals with dedicated training paths and progression routes. The role, once informal, now commands respect and structure. Common additional qualifications include:

● Level 2 Award/Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools.

● Level 3 Diplomas for specialist or extended support roles.

● Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) certification, enabling class cover and deeper involvement.

● Specialist Training: Many TAs now train specifically in Special Educational Needs (SEN), using evidence-based approaches to support learners with diverse needs.

● Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Level 3: (See below for details).

Why Today’s TAs Are Great Experts in the Field

Thanks to formal training, certification pathways, and evolving school needs, today’s TAs are highly skilled. They manage behaviour, support learning, deliver one-to-one tutoring, help in planning, run extracurricular clubs, and sometimes stand in for teachers, all with professionalism and care. Some TAs even use their experience as a pathway into a full teaching career. This lends a whole new meaning to National Teaching Assistants' Day; it’s not just a celebration of effort but of expertise.

Introducing: Your Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship

In an education landscape where standards and expectations are rising, providing structured training is vital. That’s why we’re proud to announce that we are now offering a Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship tailored specifically for your school. That's what we are celebrating this National Teaching Assistants' Day!

This apprenticeship delivers comprehensive, scaffolded training, combining on-the-job learning with formal accreditation. Schools benefit from a programme that builds practical experience alongside robust knowledge in child development, pedagogy, safeguarding, SEND support, lesson preparation, and professionalism.

Through this apprenticeship:

● Schools gain committed, well-trained professionals ready to excel from day one.

● Apprentice TAs earn while learning, progressing through structured modules and gaining certifications recognised across the education sector.

This aligns perfectly with the professionalisation trend in TA roles, making the apprenticeship both timely and invaluable. In addition to that, apprenticeships are predominantly funded by the Government. With educational budgets so tight, employing a Teaching Assistant Apprentice could be a fantastic, economical decision too.

How Schools Can Embrace National Teaching Assistants' Day

There are so many warm, engaging ways to celebrate National Teaching Assistants' Day and tie it into your apprenticeship offering:

● Host a TA Tea-Party: A staffroom gathering complete with cake, appreciation cards, and applause.

● Student Tributes: Have pupils write thank-you notes or record short messages.

● TA of the Year: Nominate apprentices or existing TAs.

● Social Media Shout-outs: Use hashtags like #NationalTeachingAssistantsDay, #NationalTADay, and #ReadTogetherGrowTogether to share stories and raise awareness.

● Consider employing a Teaching Assistant Apprentice: What better day to start exploring your options than National Teaching Assistants' Day?

Final Thoughts

This National Teaching Assistants' Day, let’s celebrate how far the role has come, from an informal classroom helper to a qualified, committed expert. Let’s acknowledge every TA who brings patience, skill, dedication, and heart to education. Finally, let's celebrate the launch of our new Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship, who knows, next year you could be nominating your apprentice for the TA of the Year award!

So, if you're looking to invest in TAs or build a career pathway that guarantees both support and professional growth, consider our Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship. It’s a way to empower your staff, support your pupils, and elevate the entire school community.

Because when we give teaching assistants the recognition, training, and appreciation they deserve, everyone wins.

Contact Us Here for more information about our apprenticeship program.