Teaching Assistant Professional Development and Specialist Skills Research Project

This mixed methods research initiative examines professional development and specialist skills training for teaching assistants. The project incorporates multiple research components: a Department for Education (DfE)-administered survey, qualitative research including interviews with school and Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) leaders, and focus groups with teaching assistants and teachers. Additionally, an international literature review will compare how teaching assistant equivalent roles are deployed and trained across multiple countries. Researchers and organizations with expertise in educational research methodology, survey design, qualitative interviewing, focus group facilitation, and international education policy are encouraged to engage with this opportunity.