Teaching assistants' role in Ofsted inspections

Inspectors won't judge individual teaching assistants – they're more interested in how effectively you use them. However, your TAs might get asked about safeguarding and behaviour. Find out what Ofsted expects from TAs so you can be prepared.

Last reviewed on 30 November 2023
School types: All · School phases: All
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Contents
  1. Curriculum inspection: TAs aren't the focus 
  2. Inspectors want to know if you use TAs effectively 
  3. What inspectors will most likely ask TAs

This article is based on our conversations with schools that have been inspected under the 2019 Ofsted framework. 

Curriculum inspection: TAs aren't the focus 

It's unlikely inspectors will ask your teaching assistants (TAs) about the curriculum. This is because TAs aren't involved in the curriculum areas that inspectors will be focusing on, such as curriculum planning and sequencing.

Find out how Ofsted inspects your curriculum and see questions that Ofsted might ask teachers about the curriculum. 

Inspectors want to know if you use TAs effectively 

Inspectors won't be judging the performance of individual TAs to understand how you implement the curriculum. Instead they'll look at how subject leaders and teachers use TAs to support pupils' learning and progress. 

What they expect teachers and TAs to be doing in the lesson they're about to observe How the subject leader deploys TAs in their subject in order to provide the best support possible What training/CPD teachers