Why Teaching Assistants Are More Important Than Ever

Most of us can probably remember a teaching assistant who made school feel a little easier. The person who helped us with our reading or quietly helped us understand a question that didn’t make sense.

Alongside teachers, teaching assistants play a hugely important role in helping classrooms feel calm, supported and consistent throughout the school day.

And right now, their role feels more important than ever.

Schools are balancing increasing pressures around staffing, larger class sizes, additional learning needs and the growing emotional support many children require within the classroom.

In many ways, teaching assistants are the glue that holds classrooms together, supporting both pupils and teachers while helping classrooms run more smoothly each day.

TAs support more than academic progress

They help children build confidence, manage emotions, develop independence and feel safe in the classroom.

​They often notice the more subtle changes, too. A child who seems withdrawn. Someone struggling to join in. A pupil who simply needs encouragement before they’re ready to participate.

Sometimes, it’s those small moments that make the biggest difference to how a child experiences school life.

Teaching assistants also provide incredibly valuable support to teachers and wider school teams by helping classrooms run smoothly and supporting daily routines. Working with smaller groups and helping pupils stay engaged, they bring calm, consistency and adaptability into busy school environments.

Many teaching assistants also support pupils with SEND or additional learning needs, helping children access learning in ways that work for them, while building important relationships and trust within the classroom.

The Growing Need for Classroom Support

Schools across the country continue to face increasing pressures around staffing, pupil needs and classroom support.

We regularly speak with schools across Devon who are looking for reliable teaching assistants to support their pupils and wider school teams.

Many schools are looking not only for experience, but for people who are patient, adaptable, calm and genuinely enjoy working with children.

As classroom demands continue to grow, strong teaching assistants are becoming more valuable than ever.

A Role That Makes a Difference

For people considering a role within education, working as a teaching assistant can be incredibly rewarding.

No two days are ever quite the same, and many people enjoy the variety, relationships and sense of purpose the role offers.

For some, it also becomes the first step into a longer-term career within education.
We regularly work with people from a wide range of backgrounds who are looking for flexible work, a career change, or more classroom experience.

Thinking About Supply Work?

For many people, supply work offers the flexibility to work around family life, other commitments, or a better work-life balance while still doing meaningful work within schools.

Others enjoy the variety of working across different settings, building experience, meeting new people and supporting a range of pupils and school communities.

At ESP, we work with teaching assistants across Devon at many different stages of their career, including experienced TAs, people returning to education after a break, and those looking to build confidence and experience within schools.

We also continue to support ongoing CPD and development opportunities for our supply staff, helping people continue learning and growing throughout their careers.

For those interested in taking their first steps into working within schools, there are also local training opportunities available through Learn Devon.

Whether you already have classroom experience or are considering a new direction within education, we’d love to hear from you.