Research School Network: Deployment of Teaching Assistants Deployment of Teaching Assistants

Teaching Assistants (TAs) are a vital part of the school workforce. TAs play an essential role in supporting pupils to access learning, particularly those with additional needs. However, the evidence is clear: the impact of teaching assistants depends heavily on how they are prepared, trained, and deployed.

The EEF Deployment of Teaching Assistants guidance highlights this in recommendation four: prepare and train staff around effective TA deployment.

The report emphasises that schools must ensure teachers and TAs are clear about their respective roles and receive the professional development required to work effectively together.

While this may sound straightforward, it is often where the greatest leverage lies.

At Manchester Communication Primary Academy, we have taken a deliberate approach to developing our TA workforce through a structured coaching and professional development programme.

Rather than viewing TAs purely as classroom support, we have focused on developing their pedagogical expertise through:

- Instructional coaching aligned with evidence-informed teaching principles
- Professional development on scaffolding and high-quality interactions
- Opportunities to observe and rehearse effective practice.

This has helped strengthen the partnership between teachers and TAs and ensure support is focused on developing pupil independence and access to high-quality teaching. In this blog, I will share what we have implemented to ensure TAs are deployed effectively, in line with the best available evidence.

Role clarity first

One of the most powerful shifts schools can make is ensuring a shared understanding of the TA role across the school. When roles are unclear, TAs can unintentionally drift into practices that are less impactful, such as sitting permanently beside one pupil or prioritising task completion over learning.

Recommendation 4 reminds us that TAs should supplement, not replace the teacher, and that teachers remain responsible for the learning of all pupils. Clear expectations help establish complementary roles where both adults contribute strategically to learning.

Using the TA & pupil interaction scaffolding framework; TAs have built an expertise in building independence through a range of different strategies, such as least help first model and understanding how to prompt and cue through high-quality questions which ensures thinking with pupils. In order to strengthen this, we have also spent time in building expertise in understanding the simple model of memory with our TA team; to ensure they have the skills, knowledge and understanding of cognitive load and ensuring tasks are broken down into small manageable steps and ensure that within every-interaction we are driving-thought with our pupils. (Goodrich, McCrea, Lovell)

Training both sides of the partnership

Effective TA deployment is not just about developing TAs. Teachers also need support to understand how to deploy them well.

Professional development might include:

- Understanding how TAs can scaffold learning effectively
- Planning complementary teacher – TA roles within lessons
- Ensuring TAs understand key learning goals and misconceptions
- Sharing essential ​“need-to-know” information before lessons.

Without this preparation, support can become reactive rather than deliberate. Within our whole-school PD sessions; teachers and TAs come together where they model and rehearse specific instructional strategies; but with clear understanding: what is the role of the teacher? What is the role of the TA? For example, during our focus on strong lesson starts; we spent a considerable amount of time ensuring that teachers and TAs had a clear role to get lessons off to a strong start and lesson time is maximised. By doing so, we create what I like to call: the choreography of the classroom. Teacher and TA knowing exactly what one another is doing. A dance-routine if you like.

Building systems that support collaboration

Recommendation 4 also emphasises the importance of structures that allow teachers and TAs to prepare for their roles day to day

In practice, this can be simple but powerful:

- Short pre-lesson briefings
- Shared planning notes
- Structured communication routines
- Professional development focused on TA practice.

Creating these opportunities signals that TA deployment is a strategic priority, not an operational afterthought. One of the most powerful practices, has been the use of professional learning communities; where TAs work in partnership with teachers to dissect and shape best practice together; through structured discussion and social support opportunities.

A leadership priority

Recommendation 4 reminds us that effective TA deployment does not happen by accident. It requires intentional leadership, clear expectations, and sustained professional development.

When teachers and teaching assistants are well prepared to work together, the impact can be significant: stronger classroom interactions, greater pupil independence, and better access to high-quality teaching for all.

In short, before we think about how TAs support learning, we must ensure the conditions are in place for them to succeed. This is done by clear investment to TAS practice; through ensuring leaders are aligned and championing the positive impact TAs can have on our school.