Turnford Secondary School
HLTA

My role as a HLTA
As a HLTA, my main focus is providing support to SEN students with behavioural issues. This can be either through teaching small groups or working individually with students.

My role as a HLTA has grown and I now attend meetings and work with a wide range of external agencies, for example Educational Psychologists, Social Workers and interpreters, as well as the wider school community and the students’ parents and guardians.

I’m also involved when new TAs join the school, ensuring that that they understand their role and responsibilities and providing them with support throughout their training and beyond.

The challenges of being a HLTA
Attaining HLTA status isn’t a walk in the park but the support provided through the training is really helpful. The training guided us in the right direction whilst encouraging us to think for ourselves about how we could apply our experiences. I don’t think I would have gained the status without the training and the support of the other TAs there with me.

One of my highlights has been working with a student who’d been absent from school due to poor behaviour and truancy. He returned to the school on a reduced timetable working on a one to one basis with myself and two other TAs. His violent behaviour had meant he was unable to mix with other students but he has now progressed to the point that he is now spending about half of his time at school in classes with other students accompanied by a TA. It may seem like a small progression but he has formed good relationships and together we’ve given him strategies to help deflect anger and I have a real sense of making a difference and giving students with SEN access to the curriculum which they may not have received.

What has HLTA status meant?
HLTA status has changed my role, particularly as the Headteacher and SLT have really encouraged and recognised the work I’ve done. I have more responsibility than I did as a TA and I feel that some of the staff view me more positively. They understand that the standards involved in achieving the status are similar to teaching standards and the process for demonstrating I’ve reached them is rigorous.

On achieving HLTA status I was encouraged by my SENCO to apply for a Foundation Degree in Teaching Skills at Middlesex University. I’m hoping to start this year – from there the options are endless!