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: @westvaleacademy1

Further 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

Democracy Now! 2025-10-08 Wednesday

Democracy Now! Audio

Local News Innovations and Hope Amid Decline

Democracy Now! 2025-10-08 Wednesday

The AI-powered Podcast Player