HLTA Status

As the Regional Provider for Assessment in the South West and West Midlands regions of England, Best Practice Network is committed to the promotion and support of HLTA status throughout the regions. With significant experience of working on the HLTA programme since its inception and with the help of almost 100 experience assessors, we are also responsible for the effective organisation and monitoring of HLTA assessments in these regions.

The following webpages will provide you with more information about gaining HLTA Status, case studies, the assessment and results processes and resources that you may need:

Best Practice Network also ensures that all Providers of Preparation meet high standards through rigorous quality assurance procedures, so that candidates can be sure that they are receiving professional and appropriate preparation and training towards their HLTA assessment. Please see below for a list of Providers of Preparation in these two regions:

South West

Best Practice Network
Devon Teaching Assistants Training Partnership
Gloucestershire Local Authority
HLTA Community South West
Network Learning Partnership South West

West Midlands

Best Practice Network
Birmingham HLTA Consortium
Herefordshire Local Authority
Shropshire Local Authority
Staffordshire Local Authority
Stoke on Trent Local Authority
Telford and Wrekin Local Authority
Warwickshire Local Authority
Worcestershire Local Authority

If you are based in an academy or working within the maintained sector please contact your local authority to discuss eligibility and secure funding. You will find a comprehensive list of LAs and their contact details on the TDA website.

Candidates from independent schools, or those wishing to self-fund, should contact the Best Practice Network HLTA team for information about local trainers and providers of preparation.

HLTA Case Study

Nikki Ballard and her headteacher

The introduction of HLTAs has raised the profile of LSAs thought the school and our pupils are benefiting from the extra support we offer.

I have worked as a teaching assistant for seven years but since gaining HLTA status, I have been given a lot more responsibility. My school has welcomed the new support assistant roles and everyone has been given roles that they both wanted and were capable of. I now regularly teach whole classes and have found that the children's learning has been greatly enhanced by the additional support they are now being offered.

In addition, I am now line manager to ten other LSAs and am responsible for ensuring they have access to training, that their work is fairly timetabled and dealing with any problems which may arise. I am well supported and respected by the other staff and have a real sense of self-worth: the school's confidence in my abilities is reflected in my new responsibilities.

I love my job and think the HLTA role is great. I'm unsure whether I want to pursue a career in teaching as at present I feel I have the best of both worlds - I teach and have extra responsibility without a lot of the pressures teachers are under. I am really looking forward to progressing my line management role and hope I can make a difference for other TAs.

Nicola Ballard
Radleys Primary School, Walsall
Approx 230 pupils