Introduction

Teaching assistants are adults who are paid to work in school classrooms in the UK, usually directly with pupils. There are many names currently in use for these people. For the purposes of this book, they will be referred to as teaching assistants. The DfEE (2000a) Good Practice Guide defines TAs as follows:

The term ‘teaching assistant’ is the Government’s preferred term of reference for all those in paid employment in support of teachers in primary, special and secondary schools. That includes those with a general role and others with specific responsibilities for a child, subject area or age group.