Book Description

This report details the findings of two surveys designed to investigate the deployment and impact of support staff who have achieved higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) status in England and to assess the impact or effect they are having in schools, along with interview data collected from nine case-study schools. The study sought to: (1) identify the range of ways that support staff with HLTA status are being employed and deployed in schools; (2) establish the extent to which support staff roles have developed and changed since achieving HLTA status; (3) identify good practice in the deployment of support staff with HLTA status and how this is facilitated; as well as to highlight any barriers that may exist for effective deployment; (4) explore the perceptions and experiences of those with HLTA status in relation to their work; including job satisfaction and morale, experience of performance reviews, aspirations for future training and development, and career progression; and (5) explore and assess the impact of support staff who have achieved HLTA status in schools--in particular how their work supports the learning, engagement, motivation and involvement of pupils; in addition how they support the teachers they work with and the whole school. Research findings reveal a largely positive picture. The HLTA role has clearly grown and developed since it was introduced in 2003. In line with its original purpose, HLTA status is offering recognition and valuable development opportunities to support staff as well as providing assistance to pupils, teachers and schools. It is clear that the HLTA role has the potential to change the way in which education is delivered and to make a positive difference to school life. Appended to this report are: (A) HLTA Sample; (B) Senior Leader Sample; (C) HLTA and Senior Leader Responses: All Schools; (D) Regression Analysis; (E) HLTA Survey; and (F) Senior Leader Survey. (Contains 57 tables and 1 figure.).