Amplifying voices, redefining roles: exploring the experiences and aspirations of Teaching Assistants in English mainstream schools

Abstract

Teaching Assistants (TAs) comprise nearly a third of the school workforce in England and play a crucial role in supporting student learning, inclusion, and well-being. Despite their growing responsibilities, TAs often face professional ambiguity, limited recognition, and low pay, with systemic issues that remain largely unaddressed. This thesis seeks to deepen the understanding of the evolving TA role through two qualitative enquiries, each with distinct yet complementary aims. The first study, a systematic literature review, thematically synthesises findings from the past decade to identify persistent challenges and changes in the TA role, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. By analysing patterns across qualitative studies, the review highlights the need for clearer definitions, stronger support systems, and more inclusive policies for TAs. Building on this, the second study adopts a collaborative and social constructionist approach, working directly with TAs to co-construct knowledge about their experiences, challenges, and hopes for their profession. Through focus groups, TAs identified key priorities for change and assessed the impact that embedding these changes would have on them, teachers, and students. Together, these studies aim to centre TA voices, which are often absent in research and policy, to inform ongoing national dialogue, particularly in light of the recent reinstatement of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB). This thesis aims to provide timely, TA-centred insights for school leaders, external professionals, and policymakers committed to a more equitable and sustainable future for TAs in schools.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Fernanda Dias Da Silva: orcid.org/0000-0002-4631-1790

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