Meet our Teaching Assistant Level 3 Programme Lead: Q&A with Abigail Hawkins
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Meet our Teaching Assistant Level 3 Programme Lead: Q&A with Abigail Hawkins
What is your background?
My name is Abigail Hawkins and I am the programme lead for United Learning's Teaching Assistant apprenticeship programme – which I wrote and collaboratively designed. I was previously a SENCo for over 25 years.
What sort of settings are apprentices in?
Apprentices come from a whole variety of settings and phases including independent, mainstream, Early Years, Primary, and Secondary.
How does the learning take place?
The programme is mostly online with two face-to-face days. It involves independent reading, webinars, group discussions, videos, podcasts, and 1:1 discussions.
Apprentices take their learnings and put them into practice within their role. They might complete an observation relating to a topic to see someone else showing good practice or talk to a colleague to find out further details. For example, for safeguarding, an apprentice would talk to a safeguarding lead to find out more about what they do and the policy and practice that sits within their role.
Do the apprentices get to know one another?
Absolutely. Regular online webinars, group discussions and breakout rooms all provide opportunities to get to know each other and constantly learn from one another. They even have their own WhatsApp group!
What is the experience of the apprentice?
Prior to the course, they have a wonderful gut instinct to do things but don’t always know why they’re doing it. I think the apprenticeship opens their eyes. It teaches them why they’re doing something and what to do when things aren’t quite going to plan.
For example, in our relationships module we look at behaviour policies, reasonable adjustments and the Equalities Act 2010. An apprentice from our very first cohort realised her school wasn’t implementing these effectively, bravely challenged her headteacher and ultimately helped to research and rewrite their behaviour policy.
What happens during 1:1s?
Apprentices use 1:1s to share a piece of knowledge they’ve learned, tell me about a really successful experience they’ve had and how they’ve applied their new knowledge and skills, and to chat through any obstacles or challenges they’re facing. We unpick ideas together, and I often refer them to something we’ve taught or send them relevant resources from later on in the programme.
Where do apprentices go upon completion?
Apprentices often move on to other schools or another role within their current school. All the content we deliver meets the standards so upon completion, it doesn’t matter if they were an EAL assistant – they can then apply for a job working with SEN students (or vice versa) as they’ve learned the transferable skills.
Have there been any success stories?
The apprenticeship is a lovely stepping-stone into teaching and some apprentices develop the confidence to apply to train to teach. Other Teaching Assistants have gone on to become speech and language therapists or literacy support specialists. Quite a few apprentices find that the programme helps them to find their niche and their own role which they can demonstrate a real expertise in.
How do you support apprentices on the programme?
Whenever and however – we’re very flexible. Although the programme is structured with a clear outline and calendar, apprentices can contact us at any time. We have a team email, 1:1 sessions and they have regular review meetings with their mentor so there are plenty of people available to support.
External voices come in and support too. Frazer is United Learning’s Safeguarding Lead and he delivers our safeguarding module and acts as a sounding board for anyone who needs it.
I personally support apprentices in a variety of ways. We have learners with various needs – some are dyslexic, and others have mental health conditions. We can tailor the earning to suit their needs. It isn’t all about writing essays – an apprenticeship is about what you can do and not necessarily about what you can write.
What advice would you give prospective applicants?
The programme is all about developing your current knowledge. You might know what you do already, but do you know why you are doing it? An apprenticeship digs deeper, beyond that superficial layer of understanding.
What advice would you give prospective employers?
Employers get a lot from an apprenticeship programme. We know it can be difficult to give an apprentice 6.5 hours of off-the-job time, but it’s worth it for gaining a qualified member of staff who has received up-to-date training.
When I was a SENCo, my apprentice would feed back to me and bring new ideas and opened my eyes to look at new things or look at things differently. So I think everybody wins when it comes to apprenticeships.