How to Recruit and Train Professional TAs Under Budget
It is universally understood that today, in educational institutes throughout the UK, Teaching Assistants (TAs) are the backbone of classroom support. From helping Teachers to enhance learning outcomes, to providing vital assistance for pupils with additional needs, their role has never been more important. However, many schools struggle with the question: 'How can we recruit and train professional TAs under budget?'
At Swarm Training, we work with schools across the country that face this exact challenge. The good news? There are effective, affordable, and funded ways to recruit and train professional TAs without stretching your school's resources.
The Importance of Professional Teaching Assistants
According to figures released by the Department for Education at the end of last year, there has been a steady increase in the number of full-time equivalents (FTE) of TAs in England, to 288,812. However, Catherine McKinnell, who was the Minister of State for School Standards, revealed in June 2025 that Teaching Assistant roles were commonly reported as the hardest to fill.
It is undeniable that qualified TAs add considerable value to a school's team. They boost classroom efficiency, provide targeted support for SEND pupils, and help to reduce teachers' workloads. In fact, research by the Education Endowment Foundation found that well-trained TAs can have a positive impact of up to 4-6 months of additional progress for students.
However, to achieve these outcomes, schools need TAs who are properly trained, and that's where many face barriers. Recruitment costs, training expenses, and limited budgets can make it hard to attract and retain the right people. That's why learning how to recruit and train professional TAs whilst staying under budget is not just a cost-saving exercise, it's an investment in your school's long-term success
Are Apprenticeships the Smart Way to Recruit and Train Professional TAs?
The short answer is yes. Many schools do not realise that they can access government funding to cover most, or even all, of the costs of training new or existing TAs. The Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship offered by Swarm Training provides an ideal route for schools that want to recruit and train professional TAs. It's affordable while maintaining high standards.
This is how it works:
Levy-paying schools - These are schools with an annual payroll over £3m. They can use their Apprenticeship Levy funds to cover 100% of the training costs.
Non-Levy Schools - These are schools with an annual payroll below £3m. They pay only 5% of the training cost, with the government covering the remaining 95%. However, if the apprentice is aged 16-21, the government will pay 100%!
Additionally - For schools taking on young apprentices (aged 16-18) or apprentices who have previously been in care, or have an educational, health and care plan (aged 19-24), there are also incentive payments available. Likewise, there is potential support for English and Maths training.
This means your school can recruit and train professional TAs for a fraction of the usual cost, often with zero impact on your financial budget. Learn more about funding via our blog: The Cost of Apprenticeships: A Shrewd Investment for Employers
Challenging Budgets
We know school budgets have never been more under pressure than they are right now. Rising costs, staff shortages and funding constraints mean every pound must count. Many Headteachers tell us they'd love to hire more TAs but simply can't justify the cost of recruitment or training. As we have illustrated, apprenticeships are the solution.
By using the levy or co-funded options, schools can recruit and train professional TAs with either no or minimal impact on their ever-stretched budgets. Of course, you can also be confident that those TAs will meet the highest professional standards, too.
Additionally, with Swarm Training, there are no hidden costs, no unnecessary paperwork and no wasted time. We can support you throughout the full apprenticeship process, from candidate recruitment to completion and additional training needs.
Apprenticeships: Building Loyalty and Long-Term Value
When schools recruit and train professional TAs via an apprenticeship scheme, they are not just filling a vacancy. They are developing committed, loyal team members who grow with the school's values and standards. In a survey by The Institute of Student Employees, 2023, 61% of apprentices remain with the same employer for over five years, compared to just 56% of graduates. (There are variations within different sectors.)
So, why do apprentices remain with their employers for longer? Because they are being trained at the same time as working in real-life environments, aligned to their employers' needs and priorities, by tutors with exceptional industry experience. With Swarm Training's Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship, your TAs will gain practical skills in classroom management, child development, behaviour support and safeguarding, to name but a few. (Learn more about our Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship here.) These are all tailored to your school's environment. Our experienced professional tutors will support them throughout their journey, ensuring consistent quality in their development.
In other words, when you recruit and train professional TAs through an apprenticeship, you're creating the workforce your individual school truly needs. You are building for your school's future with a loyal team.
Recruiting The Right People
As we have touched upon earlier, apprenticeships allow schools to shape their ideal candidate from day one. Instead of hiring a pre-trained TA who may not fit your ethos, you can recruit and train professional TAs who align perfectly with your values.
With our sister company, Swarm Recruitment, we can help you recruit the best candidate, too. We help you find motivated individuals who are eager to start a career in education. Helping you build a team that is genuinely invested in your school's success.
Of course, if you already have a TA in your school who wants to enhance their learning and development we can support them with our apprenticeship. It is a common misconception that apprenticeships are just for school leavers - 'young' people, or those entering the workforce. Apprenticeships are for anybody, of any age, at any career stage who wants to improve their skill set.
Training Designed for Real Classroom Impact
The Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship delivered by Swarm Training blends on-the-job learning with expert-led training modules. These cover everything, from safeguarding and learning theory to supporting children with additional educational needs.
Consequently, this ensures that when you recruit and train professional TAs for your school, they're equipped with practical, immediately applicable skills. They'll know how to support teachers effectively, adapt to different classroom settings, and help raise the attainment for every pupil. Even more, our flexible delivery module means that training fits around your term times and timetable. We minimise disruption and maximise learning outcomes.
Why Schools are Choosing Swarm Training
Our goal at Swarm Training is to make it simple, rewarding, and cost-effective for schools to recruit and train professional TAs. We are proud to partner with schools that want to make a real difference. Our team understands the pressures that education leaders face, from budget constraints to staffing challenges. We have built our Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship programme to solve these problems.
When you recruit and train professional TAs with Swarm, you'll get:
A fully funded or co-funded apprenticeship solution
A dedicated account manager to guide you through every step of the process
Access to quality-assured training aligned with national standards
Continuous mentoring and progress support for every apprentice
Help with the recruitment of suitable candidates for TA Apprenticeships
Support with skills gaps within your existing team, where the apprenticeship may support their development
The Noticeable Impact
The return on investment from having trained, motivated TAs is very clear. A recent study by the Department of Education found that schools with high-quality TA support see improvements not only in pupil outcomes but also in teacher retention. Teachers feel better supported, workload decreases, and pupils benefit from more individual attention.
Schools that recruit and train professional TAs through apprenticeships recognise that those staff members stay longer, are more engaged, and become integral to the school community. It's a win-win situation.
Is The Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship Right for Your Team?
We hope you have found this article informative and engaging. If your school is ready to strengthen its existing support staff or recruit fresh talent, there's never been a better time to act. With apprenticeship funding readily available, you can recruit and train professional TAs now. Create a workforce that's trained to your exact standards.
Swarm Training are here to help you achieve this, every step of the way. Contact one of our team today to discuss how your school can start benefitting from the Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship.
Together we can build the next generation of professional TAs, trained, confident and ready to make a difference.