Students are required to attend an interview before being offered a place on the course.
Course descriptionGeneral information
If you are interested in working or volunteering in the classroom, or are already volunteering, this course will give you a good practical introduction to classroom practice and procedures for working as an assistant in Nursery to Secondary School.
If you complete the course successfully you will be awarded the Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE) Certificate in Initial Training for Classroom Assistants Stage 1. This is roughly equivalent to an NVQ2.
Course content
During the course you will cover:
* Developing professional skills and knowledge
* Understanding legal and national requirements
* Providing activities in the classroom
You will be:
* Developing confidence and motivation
* Developing practical classroom skills
* Exploring the role of a classroom assistant
* Increasing the understanding of education practice
* Providing a basis for further study and/or career development
Teaching and assessment
There is no final examination, and your work is assessed during the course. Throughout the course you will be compiling a portfolio of work for verification by the NCFE. Your portfolio will consist of written case studies, homework tasks (which may require you to independently research a topic such as health and safety in schools or write your own case study), class notes, games evaluations, a game designed and made in the lesson and group display work.
It is a requirement of the course that class teachers from placement settings complete a short questionnaire regarding students' 10 hour placement as this is the evidence that a placement has been undertaken successfully. The awarding body requires that you complete a minimum of 10 hours work placement in a school; however, your lecturer may suggest that more is required. (We will offer you advice and direction in your search for placements if you require this but you will need to secure your own placements). You will also be expected to complete some study at home.
Progression