Deployment of teaching assistants

In this episode, co-hosts Alex Quigley and Kirsten Mould discuss the EEF’s newly updated guidance on deployment of teaching assistants. They are joined by expert Gary Aubin who discusses the role of TAs in supporting children with SEND, followed by practitioners who reflect on effective TA deployment in their settings: Gary Aubin (EEF SEND Associate, co-author of the Deployment of Teaching Assistants Guidance Report, and the lead of Whole Education’s work supporting MATs in relation to SEND)  @SENDMattersUK @sendmattersuk.bsky.social Gary Aubin LinkedIn   Sam Smithies (Assistant SENDCo, Hathershaw College Oldham) Instagram: @hathershawcollege @THELINK.HATHERSHAW   Claire Akroyd (Head of School, West Vale Academy, Halifax) Facebook: West Vale Academy Instagram: @westvaleacademy1Further resources   EEF, Deployment of Teaching Assistants Guidance Report (Updated March 2025) EEF Teaching & Learning Toolkit strand on Teaching Assistant Interventions DfE, Use of teaching assistants in schools Research report (September 2024) RSN Blog by Claire Akroyd, Intentional deployment of Teaching Assistants; an integral component of inclusion RSN Blog by Sam Smithies, Supporting Independence: A Learning Support Assistant’s Reflection and Growth  

Om Podcasten

Evidence into Action is a podcast from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). This podcast welcomes experts in the field of education – fantastic researchers with important things to say, alongside a wealth of brilliant teachers and school leaders. Our mission is straightforward: to tackle the most important educational topics and offer you plenty of evidence-based ideas to reflect on and, hopefully, be able to put into action.