Bryan Slater

Director of Education

Distribution

All schools

This document needs your action as detailed below:

ACTION

Title

Qualification for Teaching Assistants –

NVQ Level 3

Summary of contents

Information about the NVQ 3 for teaching assistants and invitation to return an ‘Expression of Interest’ form

Associated documents

INSET Opportunities: Training Opportunities for Teaching Assistants

Date

21st May 2004

Summary of action required

Pass information to teaching assistants and discuss with them whether it is appropriate to return the ‘Expression of Interest’ form.

To be completed by

‘Expression of Interest’ form to be returned to the Professional Development Centre, Norwich by

18th June 2004

LEA Contact

Roger Eagle/Ralph Cross

(

01603 433276

E-mail address

roger.eagle@norfolk.gov.uk, ralph.cross@norfolk.gov.uk

Norfolk Self Review reference

3. How well are pupils taught?

5. How well does the school care for its pupils?

7. How well is the school led and managed?

8. How well does the school use its resources?

Document reference

MI 112/04

QUALIFICATION FOR TEACHING ASSISTANTS

NVQ LEVEL 3

The Advisory Services is pleased to be working with NCC Corporate Training and Development (CTD) NVQ Centre to provide opportunities for experienced school classroom assistants to gain this new qualification.

The NVQ is mapped against the new National Occupational Standards for Teaching Assistants working with children and young people at Foundation Stage to Key Stage 4.

Funding is limited however, and this year we expect to offer 80 places. Our aim is to allocate places equitably to teaching assistants working in all key stages and in all types of schools throughout the county. The cost of the training and assessment will be met by the LEA, but schools will need to fund any supply cover needed. The Advisory Services will run eight workshops (1.30 p.m. - 4.00 p.m.) and two full day sessions over the autumn, spring and summer terms to support your work towards the NVQ. The CTD assessor will visit each candidate about once a month to observe performance and assess portfolio work. We expect candidates to complete the qualification within the year so that a further cohort can start the following year. Please note that candidates will be required to have the support of a mentor in their school; this could be a member of the teaching staff or a senior teaching assistant. This is on an informal basis and will be tailored to meet the individual needs of the candidate.

A CTD information sheet is attached which gives you an outline of the Units involved in the NVQ, together with an ‘Expression of Interest’ form. There are four mandatory units and you will also need to choose six further units from the ‘optional’ list. Completed forms should be returned by Friday 18^th June 2004 to Carol Burgess at the Professional Development Centre. Successful applicants will be sent further details by the end of the summer term.

N.B. Foundation Stage Curriculum

Classroom assistants working within the Foundation Stage are advised to apply for the Early Years Care and Education NVQ - additional information sheets are attached for appropriate schools. Teaching assistants following this route will access the NVQ through Open Learning materials and will not need to attend all of the workshops. Again, completed forms should be returned by Friday 18^th June 2004 to Carol Burgess at the Professional Development Centre, Woodside Road, Norwich NR7 9QL.

LEVEL 3 NVQ FOR TEACHING ASSISTANTS

KS1, KS2, KS1/2 AND KS3/4 GROUPS

GROUP TUTORIAL PROGRAMME 2003/04

Wednesday 14 September 2004 - Full day: 9.30 to 3.30

AM: Introduction to the NVQ. PM: Unit 3.2 Relationships with pupils (M)

Wednesday 13 October 2004 – Half day: 1.30 to 4.30

Unit 3.3 Supporting Pupils’ Learning (M)

Wednesday 17 November 2004 - Half day: 1.30 to 4.30

Unit 3.8 Planning and Evaluation (A)

Wednesday 12 January 2005 – Half day: 1.30 to 4.30

Unit 3.18 Literacy Skills (C)

Wednesday 23 February 2005 – Half day: 1.30 to 4.30

Unit 3.9 and 3.15: Social and Emotional Development and Support (B)

(except for WNPDC which will be an a.m. session – 9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.)

Wednesday 16 March 2005 – Half day: 1.30 to 4.30

Unit 3.1 Management of Pupil Behaviour (M)

Wednesday 27 April 2005 – Half day: 1.30 to 4.30

Unit 3.19 Numeracy Skills (C)

Wednesday 18 May 2005 – Full day: 9.30 to 3.30

Unit 3.17 ICT Unit 3.6 and 3.7 Observing and reporting pupil performance (A)

Wednesday 15 June 2005 – Half day: 1.30 to 4.30

Unit 3.12 and 3.13 Supporting Multilingual Pupils and Pupils with Communication/Interaction Difficulties (B)

Wednesday 6 July 2005 – Half day: 1.30 to 4.30

Unit 3.22 and 3.23 Relationships with professionals and parents (D)