Support staff work in many important and often multiple roles in a school. In this section you can learn about the type of roles support staff typically fulfil, and where to find more information about training and development opportunities.Learning support
Learning support staff work with teachers in the classroom, helping pupils progress with their learning. They include teaching assistants and higher level teaching assistants.Pupil support
Pupil support staff are responsible for the welfare of pupils during break, lunchtime and outside school hours.Administrative staff
Administrative staff provide essential back-up services for the whole school.
Specialist and technical staff
Specialist and technical staff are on hand in schools to provide valuable know-how and resources that support teaching and learning - this category includes ICT technicians and managers, librarians and music specialists.Site staff
Site staff play an important role in schools ensuring that the environment is clean, safe and tidy and that meals are available at lunchtime.
Career development framework
There are numerous development opportunities and qualifications for support staff. You can use the career development framework to identify training opportunities suitable for your role and level.
Training and qualifications
Support work in schools
Support work in schools (SWiS) qualifications are designed to provide support staff with training relevant to their role in school. They are flexible and so can apply to the many varied roles that full- and part-time support staff may fulfil. Discover how to get a qualification and how it can help you in your role.
National occupational standards
The national occupational standards for supporting teaching and learning in schools describe what you need to do, know and understand in your role. Completing sufficient units leads to an NVQ award. Find out more about the standards. Find out more about the standards.
Current issues for support staff
E-safety in schools
We have helped Childnet International in the development of Know IT All for Teachers, a resouce to help raise awareness of e-safety issues. The tool will be of interest to many support staff and particularly anyone working in a technical support role in a school. Find out more about the resource.
