Teaching assistants at special educational needs school near Banbury to receive career advice training

Staff at Bloxham Grove Academy were among the first in Oxfordshire to take part in the county council’s career advice training.

Funded by a grant from the Department for Education (DfE), the training has been designed to provide support for young people with additional needs.

It is hoped that pupils at Bloxham Grove will now have more opportunities to enrol in work experience roles, placements and further education.

Cllr Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “It makes so much sense to train some of our existing teaching assistants. They already have classroom experience and can start using their learning in training straightaway to deliver immediate benefits to our young people.

“Our experience shows that one to one career advice isn’t always the most effective way of engaging with SEND children, so our new specialist trainers – teaching assistants themselves – will offer a much better alternative including group interviews involving parents, support staff and the young people themselves.

“We hope these group sessions will remove barriers, giving young people confidence to ask questions, consider options, and inspire them to pursue exciting career and further education opportunities.”

The county council has overseen the Level Six Diploma in career guidance and development training for teaching assistants as a response to the shortage of qualified career advisors with experience working with children and young people with SEND in the county.