TA Sparks
TA Sparks provides teaching assistants with practical, evidence-informed professional development that strengthens their impact in the classroom. Each 10-minute session focuses on effective classroom support, developing independence, adaptive practice and working alongside teachers to maximise pupil progress. Every Spark ends with a reflection task, encouraging TAs to apply their learning immediately and grow in confidence, knowledge and professional expertise.
Each topic comes with a FREE Week 1 download. All slides are best viewed on a desktop computer.
To gain full access please sign up and access all content through our members page (slides best viewed on desktop devices).
Understanding the Role
Explore what makes Teaching Assistant support truly effective, from understanding the evidence and professional role to avoiding over-support and promoting independence. This series helps TAs develop the knowledge, confidence and reflective practice needed to make a meaningful difference to pupils’ learning.
EEF Guidance on Effective Use of TAs
Explore the evidence-informed principles behind effective Teaching Assistant deployment, from ensuring access to high-quality teaching to scaffolding independence, delivering structured interventions and strengthening preparation. This series helps teachers, TAs and leaders translate EEF guidance into practical, purposeful everyday practice.
High-Quality Interactions & Scaffolding Learning
Explore how purposeful interactions, questioning and carefully chosen scaffolds can help pupils think, participate and succeed with increasing independence. This series provides practical strategies for TAs to support learning effectively while knowing when to step in, when to prompt and when to step back.
Supporting Learning Before, During, and After the Lesson
Explore how Teaching Assistants can provide purposeful support at every stage of the learning process, from preparing pupils before a lesson to supporting understanding during teaching and consolidating learning afterwards. This series provides practical strategies that keep pupils connected to high-quality teaching while addressing barriers, misconceptions and individual needs.
Working as Part of a High-Impact Teaching Team
Explore how strong communication, shared responsibility and effective collaboration between teachers and TAs can strengthen support for every pupil. This series provides practical strategies for planning together, sharing useful observations and building professional partnerships that make classroom support more purposeful, consistent and impactful.
