ontrack: prospect - Course Details

Course Description

This course is for employees or volunteers working as a Teaching Assistant in schools, needing to achieve a recognised teaching assistant qualification. You will gain an awareness of general child development and learning; understand the organisational requirements of the school, government legislation and the role of the support assistant. This will include maintaining a safe, secure and stimulating environment for school children.
This award is competence based and learners must successfully complete the awarding body requirements in order to achieve a full Level 2 qualification.
You will be allocated an e-Portfolio to store some of your ‘evidence’, proof of what you can do as a support assistant in the classroom.
The evidence may come in a variety of assessment methods including:
• Observation
• Assignments
• Professional discussion
• Personal accounts
• Statements
• Witness testimonies
• Knowledge questions
Direct Observations will take place at school, in the classroom during your working hours, observed by your appointed Assessor.
You will also need to complete Assignments which contribute to your underpinning knowledge and fill in some of the evidence ‘gaps’.
You will be assessed throughout the course for each unit by your tutor/assessor.
For quality assurance your portfolio will be sampled by an appointed Internal Verifier during the course and a final verification at the end.
If all of your evidence meets the required City and Guilds outcomes and criteria, Medway Adult Education will then apply for your accredited certificate of achievement.
You will attend a session of approximately 4.5 hours once per week, term-time only for at approx. 16 weeks.

What will I learn on this course?

By the end of the course you should be able to demonstrate competence and knowledge in a classroom setting, supporting children from the age of 3 to 19 by completing a total of nine mandatory units and appropriate optional units to complete the full qualification credit value.

The new QCF - NVQ Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools Level 2 is made up of Mandatory Units (those that you must complete) and groups of Optional Units (those that you choose appropriate to your work role).

The QCF – Qualification Credit Framework will enable learners to use acquired units from a variety of qualifications to make up full awards in other qualifications, therefore each new qualification now has a credit awarded to each unit. To complete a full award you must include units that total 30.

You may improve your ICT skills by the end of the course. Your assessor will review and assess your evidence online. You will be given full support to use the e-portfolio

Is this course suitable for me?

Is there anything else I need to know about the course?

• You must be working in a school for at least 6 hours per week in either a paid or voluntary capacity for the full duration of the course - attendance at the work placement will be monitored
• You must provide Medway Adult Education with evidence of a current DBS check for your work or voluntary placement
• The actual finish date may vary from that given
• This course is accredited and you will be expected to complete all assessments.
• You will need access to a computer with word processing software such as MS Word installed. If you do not have a computer with this at home there are computers available in the local library.
• Every attempt should be made by all learners to meet all deadlines set by the appointed Tutor/Assessor so that all work and observations are completed before the course end date.
You will be required to attend a pre-course meeting to discuss eligibility and assessment before you can enrol on this course. This will be to establish your experience in a classroom setting as a teaching assistant and your current level of English and Maths. Your English will be assessed before being accepted on to the training.
This assessment will establish your current profile in these areas, you will need to hold or be working towards a Level 1 or 2 English and at least a Level 1 maths award (or equivalents), as not only will you be expected to support pupils in these areas, but you will also need to produce personal and reflective writing for your NVQ award. The maths assessment will be undertaken when on programme, (date to be advised by your Tutor)
You should be able to:
• Follow written and verbal instructions
• Plan, draft and proof read your own work
• Write in full sentences and paragraphs using full punctuation
You will need to plan your observations, with the advice and guidance of your tutor/assessor, which will take place at work, and you will need to allow an average 6-8 hours per week study to achieve completion of your portfolio.

Will there be additional costs?

You will need to bring with you on the first session
• 2 A4 ring binder for your notes
• A large pad of A4 Paper
• A memory stick
• Your DBS (to show the Tutor for her records)

During the course there may be an additional cost for the recommended text book (approximately £18-25) – learners will be advised of this by the course tutor/assessor and should not buy anything in
advance of starting the course.

For learners not completing within the set guided learning hours and expected completion date, for whatever reason, further costs may be incurred

What could I go on to do after this course?

You may wish to progress onto

• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools
• Or undertake one of the following NVQs.

• Level 2 Certificate in Children and Young People’s Workforce (Early Learning and Childcare)

Or undertake one of the following courses

• First Aid – Emergency – Pediatric or Appointed Person
• Computing course

For progression to further or higher education for Teachers or a Foundation in Early Years please visit the following websites for information

If you wish to explore your learning, work or career options, you can speak to a fully trained careers advisor on 0800 100 900. https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk

If you need further advice please telephone 01634 338400.

What is the attendance policy?

How are IT/Digital skills used and enhanced on this course?

Health & Safety

For e-learning courses - etiquette and safe learning