The following article was originally published by Nursery World on 3 October 2025.

As a former teaching assistant (TA), NCFE’s research into this vital and specialist role is always close to my heart.  

Two years on from our first report, we revisited the findings to see what, if anything, had changed, and provide a platform for current TAs to tell us about their experiences across a range of different settings.  

The key findings once again highlight the needs of TAs in today’s landscape. Interestingly, the data we collated can be linked to other professionals within the sector, including early years practitioners who also feel challenged by recent changes impacting their roles.  

One of the main workforce challenges we identified includes recruitment and retention in the sector. Almost three-quarters of TAs have thought about changing career, and a quarter are actively looking for a new role.  

Similarly, the early years sector has a high turnover of staff, particularly amongst lower-qualified practitioners. We know that staff shortages can harm the quality of care and provision, such as relationships between the children, families, and staff, particularly for the more vulnerable children.  

Our recommendation is to help break the cycle of TAs being one of the first roles under threat when budgets are tightened. We need to be clearer on evidencing the value they bring, including a recognition of their expertise in supporting children’s diverse needs.  

The introduction of the experience-based route within early years settings has enabled practitioners to gain status to work within staff:child ratios. This has provided those with lower-level qualifications with an opportunity to progress within the profession.  

However, the opportunity for career progression and professional status as a TA has not yet been fully recognised by the Government or indeed the sector. While the recent approval of the specialist teaching assistant apprenticeship standards has begun to take momentum, further support is needed to increase confidence that they’re valued and respected. 

Another one of our recommendations highlights the need for the government to consider a national campaign to support the awareness of the vital role TAs play in supporting children’s education. However, more accountability is required by schools to be more economical and cost-effective, to avoid increasing the TAs’ workload, which often has a detrimental impact on our children and their families.  

One anonymous respondent in the report told us: “The workload is unmanageable and has a detrimental effect on the children in our care. I am pulled from class to class and never get enough time to fit the interventions in that need to be done. I feel like I am failing the children in our care.” 

Similarly, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report on the early years workforce in England 2025, discovered that higher-qualified early years practitioners at Level 4 and above often have higher levels of anxiety due to the pressures within the role.  

This could place motivations for seeking career progression at risk. One recommendation from the report highlights the need for government and providers to emphasise the positive aspects of the role, such as worthwhileness, fulfilment, and the positive working environment, to support recruitment in the early years.  

A positive similarity that emerged from NCFE’s survey, but one that is no surprise to me, is both TAs and early years practitioners being extremely proud of the role they play in supporting children to thrive. They are motivated by impact and continue to be enthusiastic about the role they play in supporting children, young people, and their families.  

Another respondent said: “Getting to spend time with these incredible human beings and seeing them grow. I am very lucky in the sense that I get to work with all the different age ranges in our school. It is a tough job with very little pay reward, but seeing these children reach their potential is something that money can’t buy.” 

Although the report has highlighted similarities in the challenges TAs and early years practitioners face, it has also recognised the outstanding passion they have in supporting children and their families.  

Through shining a light on their profession that illuminates a deep sense of purpose and positivity, we can help empower the workforce to increase their skills and expertise to grow and develop towards improving retention and recruitment.  

Together we are stronger. At NCFE, we’ll continue to enhance practice for both TAs and the early years workforce through impactful CPD and tailored training opportunities, supporting children and young people to be the best they can be, now and in the future. 

Discover more about the findings from our teaching assistant report, or learn more about our Why Should I Care? campaign here.