This new edition provides school leaders with a clear, evidence-informed plan to transform teaching assistant (TAs) deployment, practice and preparation. Drawing on real-world insights from successful schools, it shows how to unlock TAs' full potential and maximize their impact on inclusive teaching and learning.
This new edition provides school leaders with a clear, evidence-informed plan to transform the deployment, practice and preparation of teaching assistants (TAs). Drawing on real-world insights from schools that have successfully embedded the authors’ programme, it shows how to unlock TAs' full potential and maximize their impact on inclusive teaching and learning.
Structured around a proven framework and fully updated with the latest research and policy developments, the book outlines a tried and tested approach for improving how TAs are deployed, trained and prepared. It provides school leaders with essential principles, practical tools and actionable strategies that make a genuine difference to TA effectiveness.
TAs are the mortar in the brickwork of our schools—holding everything together in ways that are often unseen and underappreciated. When used alongside 'The Teaching Assistant's Guide to Effective Interaction', this comprehensive guide enables schools to recognize and maximize their TA workforce.
Essential reading for all primary school leaders responsible for training, managing and deploying TAs, it provides an unrivalled blueprint for helping TAs thrive in their roles.
Introduction
1. The Case for Change: Why Primary school leaders need to rethink the role
and contribution of TAs
2. Setting your Vision
3. Implementation journeys: The most important chapter of this book
4. Reviewing the current practice
5. Supplementing, not replacing, the teacher: Deploying TAs differently
6. TAs interactions with pupils: Scaffolding for independence
7. The preparedness of TAs: Improving their readiness for the role
8. Maximising the impact of structured interventions delivered by TAs
9. Conclusions
Appendix
Rob Webster is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Greenwich, London. He researches and writes about special educational needs and inclusion and developed the Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants programme.
Paula Bosanquet is a Lecturer in Special and Inclusive Education and Psychology at UCL Institute of Education, London. A former teacher, she has worked extensively as a trainer and researcher with teaching assistants and schools. Along with Rob Webster, she has also authored The Teaching Assistant's Guide to Effective Interaction 2nd edition, Routledge 2026.
Sally Franklin was a Senior Teaching Fellow at UCL Institute of Education, London, and now works as a SEND consultant, supporting schools in the UK and internationally.
Matthew Parker was a Senior Teaching Fellow at UCL Institute of Education, London. He is a former school leader and now works extensively as a school improvement partner for special schools and alternative provisions.
