ABSTRACT
Given leaders with a long-term vision and people with the talents described in the previous chapter, there are still the issues to consider of the context in which you work. The school is an organic whole and consists of people with lives, feelings and agenda of their own. The purpose of schools is to educate young people but research has shown they work most effectively when everyone within the community is a learner, not just the pupils. This means the role of TAs within the school must be seen as to how they fit into an overall pattern of support staff and teacher development. Also, the location and geography of the school building, its community and history all affect what TAs’ support is necessary for pupils and what support the TAs themselves might need. The national initiatives and even the global agenda might affect how you consider your workforce appointment and deployment.
