Resources – Testimonials

Yewstock School

At Yewstock School we take the professional development of our teaching assistants very seriously. This commitment has been recognised by NAPTA, who awarded us with a certificate highlighting us as a ‘Centre of Good Practice in the Management and Development of Support Staff’. To gain this recognition, my team of 50 teaching assistants and I undertook online self-evaluations regarding our skills within the context of the school. The resulting detailed reports have enabled me to offer a much more targeted and effective three-year CPD programme linked to our school improvement plan and the National Occupational Standards, utilising the excellent developmental materials provided by NAPTA.

By working closely with NAPTA, we have been able to identify and focus specific support to areas that have the highest need. We intend for all teaching assistants to repeat the self-appraisal process, which I am confident will not only provide evidence of the improvements made to the professional development of our team of support staff but the impact these improvements have had on the pupils in our care.

Dawn Green, Principal Teaching Assistant, Yewstock School, Dorset