My apprenticeship journey as a TA in a special school
After recently completing her Level 3 Teaching Assistant apprenticeship with a Distinction, we sat down with Ruby Arnold who is a TA at Greenside School, a specialist provision in Stevenage. She shares how the apprenticeship helped open up full-time employment in her dream role as a TA.Â
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Congratulations on gaining a Distinction! How does it feel to have finished your apprenticeship?
Ruby: Thank you! It was such a massive confidence boost. To be honest, I was terrified the day before my final marks came in - I wasn’t even sure I’d pass. Getting a Distinction was amazing. Now, I’ve been offered a full-time role, which is exactly where I want to be.
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What made you choose an apprenticeship over the traditional university route?
Ruby: I always knew I wanted to work with children. I did CPLD (Child Development) and Health and Social Care in Sixth Form, but I didn’t want to sit in a lecture room or live in debt. I wanted hands-on experience. An apprenticeship gives you the best of both worlds; you have a tutor and resources, but you’re in the classroom every day applying what you learn.
You work at Greenside, which is a school for learners with severe learning difficulties and autism. What drew you to working in a special school?
Ruby: I have a sister who attends the school, so was already inspired by how good the support was that they were offering. Working with SEND pupils is such a lovely, rewarding job and an empowering experience because you feel good helping someone progress in their own unique way. Our learners don't follow a standard GCSE path; it’s all about developing life skills and improving communication, so you really are setting someone up for life.
That's lovely - your sister must be proud of you!
Ruby: I hope so, yeah! I think at first she might have been a bit embarrassed, but quickly she started saying to everyone, "That's my sister, this is my sister, everybody." It was really lovely.
What does your day-to-day role look like?
Ruby: We have six curriculum pathways that I work with the learner and class teacher to personalise to their interests and needs. At the moment, there are five children across a range of ages in my class, so it means I can get to know them all really well. We try to incorporate as much sensory-based learning as possible and I spend a lot of my time helping with English and maths.
A lot of the children I work with are nonverbal, so I also help with communication aids. We use talking mats, Makaton, BSL and sign-supported English.
How did the training and resources help you in the classroom?
Ruby: The apprenticeship offered so many resources and sessions that really helped me and I took all of that information and put it into my job. It opened up the "bigger picture". We had fantastic sessions on ADHD, autism, and dyslexia, and understanding behaviour and barriers to communication.
One of the simplest but most effective things I learned was to say a learner’s name first before giving an instruction so they know you are talking to them. It sounds small, but it makes the day go so much more smoothly - you can see it in the learners as well - they are just much more relaxed.
Can you share any examples of how you’ve put your knowledge into practice?
Ruby: I worked with a learner who struggled with transitions. Doing a bit of research and using what I learned in my sessions, we introduced social stories and lots of praise to slowly familiarise her with new environments. Now, she walks to where she needs to be calmly and confidently. It’s pretty amazing.
You also introduced communication books between school and home - can you tell me a bit about how that worked?
Ruby: I got the idea from one of our sessions on parental involvement and asked if I could introduce it in my school and they thought it was a great idea. We use these books to stay consistent with strategies. For example, if we are trialling a communication device in school for lunch choices, the parents can use the same approach at home. Seeing that consistent approach helping to improve a child's behaviour is fantastic.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in SEND?
Ruby: Volunteer first! I volunteered at both mainstream and SEN schools before applying. It helped me realise that I loved the community feeling and the rewarding nature of a SEN setting. If you’re nervous about new people like I was, volunteering lets you build those relationships before you dive into the job.
What has the support been like from your school and ESF?
Ruby: Excellent - my ESF tutor was lovely and really knowledgeable. The school and especially my mentor have been so supportive and that’s made a huge difference. People are really looking out for me here at Greenside and they’ve offered me lots of other training outside of the apprenticeship.
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Feeling inspired? If you are interested in landing your first job as a TA apprentice, or if you are already in the role and keen to upskill, take a look at the apprenticeship programmes on offer.