The funding available to support candidates in gaining higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) status depends on the type of school or educational establishment in which the candidate works.
You can find brief information on the main types of establishment and the funding available in this section. If you need to clarify the type of school/educational establishment you work in, details can be found at: www.edubase.gov.uk.
Maintained schools
Maintained schools are either classified as community, voluntarily aided, voluntarily controlled, foundation, community special, foundation special, or pupil referral units.
For maintained schools, we fund the HLTA programme through local authorities. Each authority has arrangements in place for candidates to apply for HLTA funding.
Funding is usually available to support:
- training leading to HLTA assessment
- preparation for assessment, and
- assessment.
The level of funding available to individual candidates will be determined by the local authority.
Academies, city technology colleges or non-maintained special schools
In the case of academies, city technology colleges or non-maintained special schools the school or candidate need to fund any training required and preparation for assessment.
We provide funding to cover the candidate’s assessment only.
If you are employed in one of these settings you or your school should contact your regional provider of assessment (RPA). The RPA will facilitate any training needed, the preparation for assessment and the assessment itself.
Other school settings
Other school settings include the independent sector, playing for success centres and nonmaintained nursery school settings. If you are eligible for HLTA status and employed in one of these settings you can either approach your school directly for funding for the HLTA programme, or you can fund yourself.
You or the school can contact your regional provider of assessment (RPA) for further information on training and preparation opportunities available in your region.
