JCL Skills Solutions
371 followers
August 27, 2025
As schools across the country return next week, many leaders are facing familiar challenges: rising SEND needs, stretched budgets, and the ongoing difficulty of retaining skilled staff. With pupil numbers shifting and teacher turnover showing no signs of easing (only 60% of teachers expect to still be in the profession in three years, Teacher Tapp & SchoolDash 2025), the pressure is falling more than ever on Teaching Assistants to provide consistency, inclusion, and specialist support.
But here’s the question: Are your Teaching Assistants trained and equipped to meet that demand?
Why This Matters More Than Ever
- SEND demand is rising: Over 1.5 million pupils in England now have SEND (DfE, 2024). Specialist knowledge is essential, yet many TAs enter the role without structured training.
- Retention is critical: Offering clear development pathways keeps great staff in schools. Apprenticeships are proven to boost morale and reduce churn.
- Budgets are under pressure: Schools are paying out thousands on agencies or constant recruitment cycles. Apprenticeships, by contrast, are funded via the Apprenticeship Levy or at only 5% cost to non-levy schools around £300 for a £6,000 programme.
Put simply: this is one of the most affordable and effective ways to build capacity in your school.
This September, JCL Skills Solutions is launching its next Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship cohort starting week commencing 29th September 2025.
This programme equips TAs with advanced expertise in:
- SEND practice – strategies for neurodiversity, trauma-aware approaches, inclusive support
- Behaviour and wellbeing – building calmer, more focused classrooms
- Curriculum delivery – confidence in leading small groups, mentoring peers, and supporting progress
For your school, it means:
- More skilled staff on the ground
- Consistency for learners who need it most
- Long-term investment in your workforce at little or no cost
The start of the school year is the perfect time to set your team up for success. Waiting means missed opportunities, overstretched staff, and preventable disruption to pupils. With our new September cohort, your school can have staff enrolled and learning within weeks embedding new skills in classrooms before Christmas.
At JCL Skills Solutions, we work alongside Headteachers and SENCOs to make apprenticeships simple, funded, and impactful. We handle the detail, you see the results.
Book a call with today to secure your staff’s place in the September cohort and explore how the Level 5 Specialist TA Apprenticeship can assist SEND provision in your school. Because if not now, when?
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Invest in Your TAs Today, Transform Classrooms Tomorrow
As schools return, the pressure on Teaching Assistants has never been greater.
- Over 1.5 million pupils in England have SEND (DfE, 2024)
- Only 60% of teachers expect to still be in the profession in three years (Teacher Tapp & SchoolDash, 2025)
That means your TAs are carrying more responsibility than ever. But are they fully equipped to meet the challenge?
Our latest blog explores the true cost and huge value of upskilling your workforce through the Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship.
📅 With our next cohort starting 29th September, now is the time to act.
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#SENDSupport #TeachingAssistants #ApprenticeshipsInSchools #Level5SpecialistTA #SchoolLeadership #JCLSkillsSolutions
Contact : www.jclskillssolutions.co.uk, getintouch@jclss.co.uk or call 0330 0245 809
INNOVATE | EDUCATE | EMPOWER
