Graduate Teaching Assistant - Thinking of teaching? New

Launch Your Teaching Career in a Secondary School

Location: Newport
Pay: £93-£120 per day
Hours: Monday to Friday, school hours
Start Date: November 2026
Contract: Full-time or Part time, term-time only

Are you a graduate considering a career in secondary education but want classroom experience before committing to teacher training?

Teaching Personnel is offering an exciting opportunity for aspiring teachers to gain valuable school-based experience as a Teaching Assistant, before progressing onto our Cover Supervisor Training Programme and leading lessons within your specialist subject area.

This role has been designed specifically for graduates who want to build confidence, develop classroom management skills and gain first-hand experience of life in a secondary school before deciding whether to pursue a PGCE, School Direct, PGCE PCET, or other teacher training routes.

You'll begin your journey as a Teaching Assistant, supporting students and teachers across a secondary school while learning how successful classrooms operate.

As your confidence and experience develop, you'll have the opportunity to complete our Cover Supervisor Training Programme, equipping you with the skills to independently manage classes and deliver pre-planned lessons.

This gradual approach allows you to experience both support and leadership responsibilities within the classroom, helping you make an informed decision about your future in education.

As a Teaching Assistant, you will:

• Support students during lessons across Key Stages 3 and 4
• Work alongside teachers to facilitate learning and engagement
• Provide one-to-one and small-group support where required
• Help students overcome barriers to learning
• Support pupils with additional learning needs and varying abilities
• Assist with classroom organisation and lesson preparation
• Develop positive relationships with students and staff
• Gain insight into effective teaching and behaviour management strategies

Following successful experience as a Teaching Assistant, you will have the opportunity to undertake Teaching Personnel's Cover Supervisor Training Programme.

As a Cover Supervisor, you will:

• Deliver pre-planned lessons in the absence of teaching staff
• Lead classes across your chosen subject specialism where possible
• Manage classroom behaviour and maintain engagement
• Support students' learning and progress
• Build the confidence and skills needed for a future teaching career
• Experience the realities of standing at the front of a classroom before committing to teacher training

This is an ideal stepping stone for graduates who want to determine whether teaching is the right career path for them.

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• History
• Geography
• Religious Education
• Modern Foreign Languages
• Physical Education
• Drama
• Music
• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Business Studies

Graduates from all disciplines are encouraged to apply.

✅ First-hand experience in a secondary school setting

✅ Classroom management and behaviour management skills

✅ Experience supporting students of differing abilities

✅ Knowledge of the UK secondary curriculum

✅ Confidence leading groups of young people

✅ Cover Supervisor training and classroom leadership opportunities

✅ Valuable evidence for future PGCE or School Direct applications

✅ Professional references from experienced education professionals

✅ A realistic understanding of the teaching profession before committing to teacher training

We are seeking graduates who are: