COMING SOON!
The Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) will be published here on Thursday 28th November 2024.
Since October 2021, we have been working alongside an Industry Reference Group of content experts from Public, Catholic and Independent schools across Australia, to develop the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards.
ATAPS is an evidence-based framework that supports the performance and professional growth of teaching assistants.
The framework describes the Professional Knowledge, Professional Practice, and Professional Engagement of teaching assistants working in schools and other education settings.
Within the domains of Professional Knowledge, Professional Practice, and Professional Engagement there are 7 Standards which are aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Each Standard is divided into a set of Competencies and Performance Expectations that describe what teaching assistants know and do, at different stages of their professional growth.
Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards
Know students and how they learn.
Know how to support learning and teaching.
Collaborate with teachers to implement effective learning and teaching support.
Contribute to, and maintain supportive and safe learning environments.
Contribute to assessment and provide feedback on student learning.
Engage in professional learning.
Engage and communicate professionally with colleagues and the school community.
ATAPS School Pilot Program
The ATAPS School Pilot Program finished in June 2024.
The purpose of the ATAPS School Pilot Program was to ensure that the Standards:
· are meaningful and relevant to teaching assistants, in all school settings
· support the performance and professional growth of teaching assistants
· contribute to role clarity
· facilitate teachers and TAs working together more effectively
Schools were selected from Public, Catholic, and Independent Schools to represent a broad range of teaching assistant roles and settings, including pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools, as well as in Schools for Specific Purposes, and other school settings such as Distance Education Centres.
Schools participated in three 90 minute virtual workshops where participants learned to apply the ATAPS framework to their school’s performance and professional growth process. Thank you to the following pilot school leaders and staff for your participation in the ATAPS School Pilot Program:
Australian Capital Territory: Galilee School – Communities at Work
New South Wales: Tallowood School, Monaro High School
Northern Territory: Katherine School of the Air
Queensland: Harristown State High School, St Joseph's Nudgee College, The Sycamore School
Victoria: Montmorency Secondary College, Padua Secondary College
Western Australia: Arbor Grove Primary School; Ocean Reef State High School; St Mark's Anglican Community School
Catholic Education Sandhurst: St Augustine's School – Wodonga; Borinya Wangaratta Community Partnership; Catherine McAuley College – Bendigo; Doxa School – Bendigo; St Francis of Assisi Primary School – Baranduda; St Francis of the Fields School – Bendigo; St Joseph's School – Rochester; St Michael's School – Tallangatta; St Mary's Catholic Primary – Inglewood; St Monica’s School- Wodonga; St Patrick's School – Tongala; Sacred Heart College –Yarrawonga.
Where to next?
We are in the process of collating the data from the pilot program. This was be presented to the Industry Reference Group for ratification in August, and we aspire to publishing the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards towards the end of Term IV 2024.
Workshops for School Leaders
In 2025 we will be offering workshops to school leaders who would like to learn how to implement the standards framework as part of their school's performance and professional growth framework. Register your interest here.
Keeping our education community informed
As well as the updates published on this page, we have facilitated three web events to keep you updated on the standards. The recordings are in our Professional Development library under School Performance and Development. Subscribers to Australian Teacher Aide have on-demand access to all three videos.
Have your Say – Australian Standards for Paraprofessional Educators in Schools is an introduction to the Standards, its purpose, and for whom they are intended. Below is an extract from the video.
Sue De Silva, Education Officer – Learner Diversity, Catholic Education Office, Sandhurst Victoria, shares her insights into how the standards benefit teaching assistants and the work they do, supports their career pathways, and helps them plan for right on time professional learning, coaching and mentoring.
(This video extract was published prior to the change of title to Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards)
Unpacking the Career Stages and Expectations in the Standards for Paraprofessional Educators outlines the expectations for Professional Knowledge, Professional Practice, and Professional Engagement, across four career stages. Below is an extract from the video.
Anna Kinnane, Project Manager at St Joseph’s Nudgee College, is leading and managing the development and implementation of the performance and professional growth project. The College is participating in the School Pilot Program and Anna explains why they are excited to be the part of this trial.
(This video extract was published prior to the change of title to Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards)
Introducing ATAPS – A performance and professional growth framework demonstrates how teaching assistants can use the ATAPS framework to reflect on their practice, identify the skills needed to perform their role, and set professional growth goals. In the preview below, Stella Liliendal, ATA Director and Co-founder and ATAPS project lead, reveals the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) and explains how the framework can support the performance and professional growth of TAs.
Thank you to our Content Expert - Industry Reference Group
We would like to acknowledge the following educators who have generously given their time, and shared their expertise to help ensure that the standards will contribute to the performance and professional growth of all teaching assistants.
Michelle Csapo, Industry Innovation Specialist - TAFE NSW | Brenda Dalheim, Learning Diversity & Enrichment Consultant - Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic schools VIC | Leanne Hillman, Bolster Education NSW | Rachel Hawkins, SLSO - Monaro High School NSW | Dr. Claire Jackson, Inclusive Education Specialist VIC | Jane Keating, Administrator - Padua College, VIC | Anna Kinnane, Project Manager - St Joseph's Nudgee College QLD | Astrid Morgan, Deputy Principal - Arbor Grove PS WA | Susan De Silva, Education Officer - Learner Diversity - Catholic Education Sandhurst VIC | Sharon Stone, Deputy Principal, Tallowwood School, NSW | Jen Twine, Middle Leader of Pedagogy - Mater Dei School, Camden, VIC | Michael Tooler, Principal - Sattler Christian College NT | Jane Wenlock, Coordinator Learning Support - Kolbe Catholic College, VIC | Allison Zournazidis, Special Needs Teacher Assistant, Tallowood School, NSW.
