At ATT Institute, we believe in developing a comprehensive professional development offer that supports every colleague across our Trust. This includes not only those who lead and deliver education, but also those who enable education by performing vital roles that help to remove students’ barriers to learning.
This week, we’re happy to be celebrating our Enabling Education Colleagues by sharing their voices and experiences within our Trust. Each day, we’ll be posing a different question to our amazing EEC colleagues and sharing their thoughts with you here. Our EEC week will end on National Teaching Assistants’ Day on Friday 27 September, with a celebration of our incredible TAs!
Tuesday:
What do you enjoy about your enabling education role?
“I enjoy how enabling education can open up new opportunities which empowers students to reach their full potential. Supporting both students and their families helps build a brighter future for everyone involved.”
Opal Degville, Deputy SENDCO, Westbourne Academy
“I really enjoy supporting teaching and learning by: engaging students in formal reading interventions and fun reading initiatives/events, ensuring students have access to resources that support academic progress (books/technology etc), encouraging students to gain additional knowledge, independently, through curiosity and discovery, in a calm, inclusive, supportive library environment.”
Anne Plimmer, Librarian, Pool Hayes Academy
Wednesday:
What has been the most valuable professional development you have received?
“I’m thankful for the Trust for supporting me to become a Trauma Aware Elsa.”
Jenna Jones, Pastoral Assistant, Beck Row Primary Academy
“I’ve worked in a few schools over the past twenty years and this is the first time that I’ve been included in anything like this. Usually, as a librarian, you are kind of an anomaly in the school and they don’t really know what to do with you.”
Teresa Fisher, HLTA Librarian, Hathaway Academy – In response to the new EEC Trust Induction
Thursday:
How does being part of a Trust Community benefit you in your role?
“I enjoy being part of the Trust Community as it gives me more ideas to suggest to our SEND team within our school. It also gives me more confidence to know that I can ask questions about, for example, different interventions that run in other secondary schools and how they work to benefit students.”
Jackie Rawson, Reading Skills Leader and TES TA of the Year 2024, The Nicholas Hammond Academy
“Being part of a Trust community benefits me in several ways, I get to gain access to a network of colleagues and mentors, providing emotional and professional support. Working within a trusted community encourages collaboration, learning new teaching strategies, and problem-solving approaches. The shared knowledge and feedback within the community foster personal and career development for myself and colleagues. Being part of a trusting environment boosts confidence and motivation, improving performance and job satisfaction. Overall, this creates a positive, collaborative space that helps TAs grow and succeed in their roles.”
Rehana Kausar, Teaching Assistant, Caldmore Academy
Friday:
National Teaching Assistants’ Day
Teaching Assistants are classroom champions, enabling education for learners across our academies. That’s why we’d like to wish a heartfelt thank you all our amazing TAs on this National Teaching Assistants’ Day. This includes the incredible Jackie Rawson at The Nicholas Hamond Academy, who won this year’s TES TA of the Year award!
Check Out Our BRAND NEW
EEC Essentials Programme
EEC Essentials is our brand-new offer for Enabling Education Colleagues- those who perform the vital role of removing barriers to learning, therefore enabling education for our students. EECs include roles such as Teaching Assistants, Pastoral Leads, Attendance Officers and Librarians.
This course aims to provide EECs with a strong knowledge base of the barriers to learning that students experience, and allows them to see their contribution to the organisational mission.
