Great lessons run on quiet coordination. This guide shows Teaching Assistants how to build strong working routines with the class teacher—so support is seamless, pupils stay on task, and impact is easy to evidence.

Why teamwork matters

• Clarity for pupils: one consistent set of routines and language.
• Better use of time: TA support targeted where it moves the dial.
• Evidence of impact: small, shared measures make progress visible.

Agree the roles: who does what, when

• Entry & settle: teacher greets; TA checks equipment/seating and picks up priority pupils.
• Input & modelling: teacher leads; TA scans class, prompts quietly, notes who needs a scaffold.
• Practice: TA runs a named group or 1:1; teacher roams for feedback and challenge.
• Review & tidy: teacher checks success criteria; TA collects exit tickets/notes and resets the room.

The 3‑minute daily huddle (template)

Communication micro‑habits

• Non‑verbal cues: hand signal to switch groups; eye contact for support needed.
• Mini white note: slip a 3‑word prompt to the teacher instead of interrupting.
• Two‑line handover: “A read 120 words @ 95% acc; next = digraph review.”
• Friday five: 5‑minute weekly check‑in on what worked, what to tweak.

Planning & differentiation (how TAs add value)

• Pre‑teach: key vocab or first step for priority pupils.
• Scaffolds: sentence stems, manipulatives, worked examples ready on the table.
• Resource checks: pencils/sharpeners, readers, now/next cards—avoids stoppages.
• Recording: quick progress notes to feed the teacher’s assessment.

SEND & EHCP alignment

• Know the targets: highlight 1–2 EHCP outcomes to aim at in today’s task.
• Reasonable adjustments: visuals, chunking, processing time, movement breaks where planned.
• Lightweight evidence: date + action + result; share with teacher/SENCO.

Behaviour: same song sheet

• Signals & scripts: mirror the teacher’s phrases and steps.
• Choice of two: offer two acceptable routes back on task.
• Praise ratio: narrate success; keep corrections brief and neutral.
• Escalation: follow policy; record facts (CPOMS/school system) and inform the right person.

Trips, duties & cover

• Brief before leaving: ratios, toilets, head counts, roles on transport.
• Playground roles: zones, incidents, first‑aid route; TA radios/hand signals.
• Cover clarity: who leads, who supports, how to get immediate help.

When you disagree (professional handling)

• Private, not public: raise concerns after the lesson, not in front of pupils.
• Frame with impact: “When we tried X, Y happened; can we test Z next time?”
• Seek policy & SENCO: use school guidance to resolve approaches.

Show the impact (simple measures)

• Exit tickets: 3 questions for your group → % correct.
• Reading record: WPM + accuracy; note the tricky pattern.
• On‑task sample: 2 x 2‑minute scans; estimate % engaged before/after your support.

Common pitfalls

• Different scripts from teacher and TA (confuses pupils).
• TA doing the task for pupils rather than scaffolding independence.
• No agreed evidence—hard to show impact at review meetings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should the teacher and TA split roles during the lesson input?

The teacher leads modelling and explanations; the TA scans the room, reinforces routines, and notes who will need scaffolds. Avoid parallel teaching unless agreed.

What if our approaches differ?

Use a quick private debrief (after the lesson) framed around impact: what happened, what worked, what to try next. Escalate to phase lead/SENCO if needed.

Should TAs plan lessons?

Lesson planning is the teacher’s responsibility. TAs contribute resources, scaffolds, and feedback on what helped target pupils.

How do I give feedback about a pupil?

Keep it factual and brief: date, task, strategy used, result. Share with the teacher and log in the agreed system where appropriate.

How can we show impact quickly?

Agree one small measure per focus group (e.g., exit ticket score, WPM + accuracy, on‑task percentage) and review weekly.