City's teaching assistants 'worth their weight in gold' at event
Over 50 people attended an event to become teaching assistants in Portsmouth at Paulsgrove Community Centre on Wednesday 15 November.
Adult education providers, schools and academies were in attendance in the hope of inspiring people to support students in primary, secondary and post-16 classrooms.
Held twice a year, each event encourages people to discover the types of teaching assistant roles available alongside training and apprenticeship opportunities. Councillor Suzy Horton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council said:
"Teaching assistants are worth their weight in gold, providing essential support for pupils in schools. Despite the rewards of supporting students, its popularity has declined in recent times.
Councillor Suzy Horton
"Teach Portsmouth's information events reconnect schools and their communities, to encourage more people into the classroom. Families may have children who attend a specific school and want to offer their time to help or an individual may want to positively impact a child's life - there are many reasons why people choose to become teaching assistants. I would encourage anyone interested to attend an event soon."
Employability experts, The National Careers Service and Get Set Portsmouth supported attendees with advice and information on completing a job application.
A series of presentations gave delegates an overview of what to expect from training and working in a school, alongside an apprentice who shared her experience.
Bethanie Davies, a teaching assistant at Mayfield School reflected on her journey from working in a pub to supporting pupils in a classroom.
"For years, I worked in retail stacking shelves and serving pints in pubs. While those jobs were fine, I wanted something with set hours, that provided me with more opportunities to progress. I saw an apprenticeship vacancy for a teaching assistant and snapped it up. I applied, invited to attend an interview and the rest is history.
Bethanie Davies
"I am near the end of my apprenticeship and I can't wait to qualify. I have aspirations to become an inclusion support worker, helping pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities. My job is challenging but it is super rewarding. You won't find this feeling anywhere else."
Support your school as a teaching assistant
If you would like to explore careers in the classroom as a teaching assistant, visit the supporting page on the Teach Portsmouth website. It will list the requirements of the role, links to vacancies and inspirational quotes from support staff.
Callum Murphy