Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning
Formalise your school-based expertise with the qualification UK schools expect. The Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning (Pearson) covers curriculum support, SEN, safeguarding, and professional practice, studied 100% online with UK tutor support and portfolio-based assessment. No exams.
✓Want a career working with children, young people, or adult learners
✓Are aged 18 or over and ready to commit to 8 to 12 hours per week
✓Need flexible, self-paced online study around work or family
✓Want a regulated qualification recognised by UK employers and Ofsted-registered settings
✓Prefer portfolio assessment over traditional written exams
✓Are starting out in your field and want a recognised qualification
Your career after this course
✓You need a face-to-face classroom environment to learn
✓You require traditional written exams for assessment
✓You cannot commit 8 to 12 hours of study per week
✓You expect to qualify in less than the typical course duration
✓You do not have access to the workplace evidence required (where applicable)
About this qualification
What you'll learn
You know the feeling when a pupil finally grasps something they have been struggling with, and you know your role in making that happen. Teaching assistants are the backbone of inclusive education in the UK, and the Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning is the qualification that gives your expertise formal, national recognition. It tells every school you apply to that your skills meet a defined professional standard.
This is an Ofqual-regulated Level 3 qualification awarded by Pearson, one of the UK's largest and most respected awarding organisations. The diploma is designed specifically for teaching assistants and learning support professionals working in primary, secondary, and special educational needs settings. It covers the role and responsibilities of the TA in the classroom, supporting teachers with learning activities, SEN and inclusion, safeguarding and child protection, behaviour management, and working within the school's wider pastoral and curriculum framework.
Study is 100% online and self-paced, with 12 months of full course access. You work through the programme alongside your role in school, supported by a specialist UK tutor who provides feedback on submissions within 2 working days. Assessment is by portfolio, drawing on evidence from your actual school-based practice. This means your day-to-day experience is the foundation of your qualification. There are no external examinations.
The Level 3 Diploma is recognised by maintained schools, academies, and independent schools across England. It qualifies you for teaching assistant roles up to HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant) pathway, with salaries ranging from £20,000 to £28,000 depending on the local authority scale and hours. It also provides a strong foundation for progression to a Foundation Degree or degree in Education, and for those considering primary teacher training through School Direct or PGCE routes.
Pearson qualifications are familiar to every school HR team and headteacher in England, there is no need to explain the qualification or its credibility. Online study suits TAs who work term-time hours, parents who work school hours themselves, and career changers who want to enter education without leaving their current role before they are qualified. Flexible learning means you can study in evenings, weekends, or during school holidays.
The course is available with interest-free monthly payments, spread the cost at 0% and start any day of the year. This qualification suits current teaching assistants who want to formalise their role, support workers moving into schools, and people re-entering education after a career break. If you already have the instincts and the classroom experience, this diploma gives them the professional standing they deserve.
Training Qualifications UKRQF Level 3100% Online9 to 12 months8 unitsSelf-paced
Curriculum
What you'll study
8 units across 1 level of study. Portfolio-assessed — no exams.
What you'll need
Entry requirements
You need to be aged 18 or over to enrol.
A reasonable standard of written English (Functional Skills Level 1 minimum). You may need to demonstrate this in your enrolment task.
A reliable internet connection, computer or tablet, and basic word-processing skills.
There is no minimum study commitment. As a guide, most learners spend around 8 to 12 hours a week, but you can study more or less based on your own pace and how you feel at the time. The course flexes around your life.
Not sure if you qualify?
Our admissions team can talk you through your options.
The qualification is fully portfolio-assessed. There are no written exams. You complete a mix of assignments, case studies, reflective accounts, workplace observations, and a final project demonstrating competence against every assessment criterion.
Each unit is graded as Pass or Refer. Tutor feedback is delivered within 2 working days, every time, with the option to refine and resubmit work. You always have a clear picture of what is due, when, and what good looks like, every brief includes a worked example and a marking rubric.
Assessments are submitted through your online learner dashboard. Final certification follows internal quality assurance and external moderation by TQUK.
01
Portfolio-based
Coursework and a written portfolio. No traditional written exams.
02
Submit online
All assignments submitted through your learner dashboard.
03
Tutor feedback
Detailed feedback in 3 to 5 working days. Refine and resubmit until you reach the grade you want.
04
Graded across units
Pass, Merit or Distinction on each unit. Top grades stack to the highest UCAS point total.
Careers
Where this can take you
Typical roles and salary ranges this qualification opens up.
Teaching Assistant (Primary or Secondary)
Typical salary range
£20,000 to £26,000
Support teachers in primary or secondary classrooms, often with a focus on a key stage or subject.
Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
Typical salary range
£23,000 to £31,000
Lead classes under teacher direction, often as a stepping stone to qualified teacher status.
Learning Support Assistant
Typical salary range
£20,000 to £27,000
Provide one-to-one or small-group support to children with SEND.
SEND Teaching Assistant
Typical salary range
£21,000 to £28,000
Specialise in supporting children with autism, social and emotional needs, or physical disabilities.
Cover Supervisor
Typical salary range
£21,000 to £27,000
Cover lessons in the absence of teachers, often a route into HLTA or QTS via Schools Direct.
Pastoral Support Worker
Typical salary range
£21,000 to £28,000
Support the pastoral team with attendance, wellbeing, and family liaison in schools.
✓Talk to our support team by phone, email or live chat
✓See your progress and next steps on your dashboard
✓Join the learner community forum when you want to chat to others
Funding and finance
✓Pay monthly to spread the cost with no interest
✓Pay in full and save versus monthly
✓No credit checks and no contract. Pause or cancel anytime
✓We can send funding paperwork to your employer if they sponsor you
✓Our enrolment team will talk you through every option
✓14 day money back guarantee on every enrolment
Accreditation and recognition
✓Awarded by a recognised UK awarding body
✓Regulated by Ofqual, the same standard as college courses
✓Accepted by UK universities, employers and professional bodies
✓You get a certificate when you finish
✓Listed on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications
✓Independently quality checked through IQA and EQA
How it works
✓Start any time. There are no set term dates or cohorts
✓Study at your own pace around work and family
✓No exams. You complete coursework, a portfolio and assignments
✓Resubmit your work at no extra cost to reach the grade you want
✓Use the optional study planner if you like a bit of structure
✓How long you study is entirely up to you. Most learners spend a few hours each week, but you can do more or less based on your own pace
What learners say
Trusted by thousands of learners
Real feedback from learners studying with Lift College.
The flexibility was a game changer for me. I studied around my shifts and my tutor was incredibly supportive throughout.
I was nervous about going back to study after 15 years, but the platform is so easy to use and the feedback I got on assignments was genuinely useful.
Got into my first-choice university with a place on a Nursing BSc. The Access to HE Diploma gave me exactly what I needed.
Good value and well structured. I appreciated that I could resubmit work without extra cost — really helped me improve.
Customer service was excellent. Any time I had a question it was answered within hours. Highly recommend.
I needed a qualification that actually meant something to employers. Ofqual regulation was the deciding factor, and it delivered.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Yes. NCFE CACHE Level 2 and Level 3 Early Years qualifications meet the Department for Education's "full and relevant" criteria, which means they count toward your nursery's staff-to-child ratios under the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework.
