Teaching Assistant skills

Essential skills

• Supporting learning — Employers check this through questions about helping students understand instructions, practise skills or complete tasks.
• Classroom support — Employers look for examples of assisting a teacher, preparing activities and helping lessons run smoothly.
• Safeguarding and student safety — Employers may ask how you would respond to a concern, follow school procedures and maintain appropriate boundaries.
• Inclusion and accessibility — Employers check how you adapt support to students’ different needs and help everyone take part.
• Behaviour support — Employers look for calm, consistent ways to reinforce expectations and respond to challenging behaviour.
• Literacy and numeracy — Employers may assess your subject knowledge or ask how you would support students with reading, writing and basic maths.

Technical and specialised skills

• Understanding of learning needs — Employers may ask about your experience supporting students with additional learning needs or adapting activities.
• First aid and emergency awareness — Employers check relevant training and your understanding of how to follow emergency procedures.
• Digital learning tools — Employers may ask which classroom technologies you have used and how you use them to support learning.
• Record keeping — Employers look for examples of keeping clear, accurate notes about student progress, attendance or incidents.
• Care and personal support — For roles that involve it, employers check your experience supporting students with personal care while respecting dignity and privacy.
• Knowledge of school policies — Employers may ask how you would follow procedures for safeguarding, confidentiality, health and safety, and behaviour.

Soft skills

• Communication — Employers assess how clearly and respectfully you speak with students, teachers and families.
• Patience — Employers may ask you to describe how you support a student who needs extra time or repeated explanations.
• Empathy — Employers look for signs that you can understand students’ perspectives while keeping appropriate boundaries.
• Teamwork — Employers ask for examples of coordinating with teachers and other staff.
• Adaptability — Employers may ask how you have handled a change in plans or responded to a student’s changing needs.
• Reliability — Employers check your work history, references and readiness to follow routines and responsibilities.

How to show these skills on your resume

• Supported students during small-group activities by explaining instructions, encouraging participation and checking understanding.
• Worked with teachers to prepare classroom materials and adapt tasks to suit different learning needs.
• Followed school procedures for student safety, behaviour and record keeping while maintaining confidentiality.

How to build them

• Get relevant experience: Volunteer, tutor or work with children in a supervised setting to practise supporting learning and routines.
• Learn about safeguarding: Take appropriate training and become familiar with the safeguarding and safety procedures used in your area.
• Strengthen core skills: Practise literacy, numeracy, communication and basic digital skills that are useful in the classroom.
• Ask for feedback: Request guidance from teachers or supervisors, then use it to improve how you support students.
• Reflect on examples: Keep notes on situations where you helped a student, adapted an activity or worked with a team; these can help with applications and interviews.