The Outstanding Teaching Assistant Programme is for teaching assistants who are, or who have the potential to be, outstanding in their roles. It is intended to develop the potential for Teaching Assistants to have a wider impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Designed and facilitated by experienced school leaders and teachers the OTAP forms part of the OLEVI Teaching & Learning Syllabus which has gained a national reputation for raising standards in teaching and learning.

Dates

The Summer 2026 cohort of the OLEVI Outstanding Teaching Assistant Programme will take place as follows with a NEW start date of Wednesday, 29th April.

Who is this course for?

Primary and secondary school teaching assistants in post or colleagues considering a role as a teaching assistant.

What are the objectives?

OTAP enables teaching assistants to:

• place a greater emphasis on the purpose and value of the lessons they support
• raise levels of engagement and achievement in learning
• use different methods and styles of support to challenge learners
• innovate and take risks
• have a bigger impact on the planning and assessment for the learners they support
• demonstrate a higher level understanding of teaching and learning
• be able to coach their peers to raise performance

Impact

“The OTAP has raised the profile of the teaching/learning assistant to a position in schools where they are being taken seriously as a profession and valued. It is having a very positive effect on our children’s learning and creating excellent working relationships with other staff members across the school.”

Leah Crawley, Headteacher, Burnt Ash Primary School

Vision

To give the teaching profession the tools and strategies; challenge and inspiration to engage in excellence – raising the quality of teaching practice to ensure every student in every school enjoys outstanding teaching and learning outcomes.

Meet the facilitators:

Emma Beaton, Music Teacher at Sandringham School & ECF Lead for the Alban TSH

With 25 years of experience as a music teacher across all phases from nursery through to Key Stage 5, Emma has worked in a range of schools and settings and was recently awarded a Silver Pearson award for Secondary School Teacher of the Year. Emma is a highly experienced facilitator, working with organisations such as Olevi and Best Practice Network, delivering training for NPQLT, ECF mentors and ECTs. Emma’s expertise spans a range of areas, from music-specific pedagogy to cutting-edge approaches including AI and innovations to support adaptive teaching. Emma is a blended learning enthusiast and advocate for arts education for all. She has recently taken on the role of ECF lead for the Alban Teaching School Hub enabling her to support new colleagues as they enter the profession. She is dedicated to supporting all those who work in education to thrive and build a lasting career.

Tessa Miles, St Albans Girls’ School

History Teacher and Professional Learning Mentor at STAGS

During her career, Tessa has held a number of roles: Head of History, Head of House, Head of Faculty and Induction Tutor for ECTs and Managing Mentor for ITTs. She was awarded AST status in 2008 and has since used her skills and knowledge to support ECTs in Hertfordshire as well as colleagues in her own school to develop their teaching and learning strategies. She is involved in the delivery of NPQLT through the Alban TSH as well as OLEVI programmes and has contributed to the National Institute of Teaching’s CPD portal.

Testimonial

“I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for delivering such a brilliant programme. Although I have been in education for some time now, it was so refreshing to participate in something that was directly relevant to my role as support staff and enabled a large chunk of self reflection and collaboration.

I shall certainly take forward ideas and concepts from the Olevi programme to enhance my own practice.”