The Constant Adult: What a 1:1 TA Job Really Asks of You

One-to-one teaching assistant roles have a lovely reputation. They sound focused, calmer than crowd control in a busy classroom, and deeply rewarding. Often they are all three. But a 1:1 role is not simply ordinary TA work with a smaller audience. It is a different job with a different rhythm, a different set of pressures and a few questions that are much easier to ask before you sign than after.

As November 2026 rolls on and schools start lining up staffing for January, plenty of 1:1 vacancies will appear. Some will be brilliant. Some will be vague. The difference usually comes down to how well the role has been thought through. So before you accept, treat the interview like a two-way inspection.

First, work out what kind of 1:1 job it actually is

The phrase one-to-one covers a lot of ground. You might be supporting a pupil with an EHCP for speech and language needs, autism, ADHD, a physical disability, medical needs, sensory impairment or social, emotional and mental health difficulties. You might be delivering a specific programme, helping with personal care, keeping a pupil safe during unstructured time, or all of the above before lunch.

Ask what sits behind the role. Is it funded through an EHCP? What outcomes and provision are named in the plan? Which parts are you expected to deliver, and who owns the targets? Is the class teacher responsible for planning, or is the SENCO? What does progress look like by Easter, and who decides?

This is not pedantry. A 1:1 role without a clear plan can quietly turn into an expensive babysitting post, or a job where you are handed a child and a vague instruction to keep them in the room. Neither is fair on you or the pupil.

The isolation is real, so ask how you will be connected

One of the nicest parts of a 1:1 role is the relationship you build with one pupil. One of the hardest parts is that you can spend most of the day away from the staffroom, the phase meetings and the general chat that keeps school life human. When something is bothering you, there may be no colleague at the next desk to notice.

Ask how 1:1 TAs are included in briefings, training days, appraisal and line management. Who is your named supervisor? How often do you meet? Is there a TA team meeting you can attend, or a weekly check-in with the SENCO? Can you observe other TAs or join whole-school training?

Also ask what happens when you are absent. Who covers the pupil, and what plan do they follow? A school that has thought about cover is usually a school that has thought about the role.

EHCP paperwork, evidence and the hidden hours

EHCPs are living documents, not laminated decorations. Someone has to gather evidence, note progress, prepare for annual reviews and communicate with parents and outside professionals. In many schools, a good chunk of that lands on the 1:1 TA.

Ask what admin is expected, when it happens, and whether time is built into your week. Is there a shared recording system, or are you expected to write notes at home? Are meetings held within directed hours? If you are asked to attend reviews, is that paid time? These details matter more than a friendly promise that the team is very supportive.

This is also where pay band questions belong. Is the role graded at TA2, TA3 or TA4? Does the grade reflect personal care, medical support, behaviour support or programme delivery? Is there a SEN allowance? If you are term-time only, how is the salary calculated across the year? And if you are regularly planning, delivering and assessing, is the school edging towards HLTA duties without the title or the pay?

You do not need to march into the interview like a union rep on a mission. But you do need to know what you are being paid for. A polite question about the pay band and the duties attached to it is entirely reasonable.

Supervision, safety and the awkward practicalities

Some 1:1 roles involve intimate care, manual handling, medication, feeding, hoisting, epilepsy support, diabetes checks or positive behaviour support. Some involve supporting a pupil who may become distressed or try to leave the room. These are not side issues. They are the job.

Ask what training is provided and when. Ask who supervises you and who you report concerns to. Ask about risk assessments, safeguarding procedures and whether you will ever be alone with the pupil behind a closed door. Ask what happens if the pupil is absent: are you redeployed, sent to another class, or expected to catch up on paperwork? Get it in writing if you can.

If the answers are vague, treat that as useful information. A school that cannot explain its own safety arrangements before you start is unlikely to become clearer once you are in post.

Think about the exit route before you need one

A 1:1 role can be a wonderful stepping stone. It can also pin you to one child and one funding stream. Pupils move schools, change provisions, go up a year or have their EHCP reviewed. Funding can shift. So ask the practical question: if this role changes, what happens to me?

Are you employed by the school or through an agency? What is the contract type and notice period? Is there a redeployment policy? Can you keep your training and move into another support role? Will you be included in whole-school CPD? These questions are not morbid. They are the difference between a job and a dead end.

The questions to take with you

Before you accept a 1:1 role, make sure you can answer these:

• What exactly is the pupil's provision, and which parts am I delivering?
• Who line-manages me, and how often do we meet?
• What admin and evidence-gathering is expected, and when?
• What training will I get, and who covers safety and personal care?
• What is the pay band, and does it match the duties?
• What happens if the pupil is absent?
• Who covers me if I am absent?
• What happens if the placement or funding changes?

A good 1:1 role is one of the best jobs in a school. It is intense, human and often deeply satisfying. But it deserves more than a hopeful nod in the interview. Ask the awkward questions now, and you give yourself a much better chance of saying yes for the right reasons.