Level 1 teaching assistants in Wales will be moved to level 2
roles from September 2026.
This move will benefit up to 3,350 current level one teaching
assistants, who will receive a pay rise of up to £1,350.
Teaching assistants play a vital role in supporting teaching and
learning in our schools and settings. Working with local
authorities and unions, the Cabinet Secretary for Education,
has today (March 18) confirmed
that the Welsh Government will fund the salary increase for level
1 teaching assistants to move to level 2, subject to local
consultation*. Future teaching assistant roles will also be
recruited at a minimum of level two.
Alongside increased pay, the move will ensure consistent teaching
assistant role descriptions and will support improved recruitment
and retention.
The announcement comes on the same day the Strategic Education
Workforce Plan for Schools is published. The plan outlines a
shared vision of developing a confident, resilient, and
well‑supported education profession, responding directly to
feedback from practitioners, unions, local authorities, Estyn,
the Education Workforce Council (EWC) and other key partners.
To support the current and future workforce, the plan sets out a
range of actions for Welsh Government and partners to take
forward under five themes, which are -
- Ensuring quality of teaching and learning
- Addressing workload issues
- Responding to new challenges for the school workforce and
ensuring access to support through a specialist and pastoral
workforce
- Ensuring that teaching, supporting teaching an educational
leadership are attractive career pathways
- Ensuring effective use of data and evidence to inform
workforce planning
The well-being of staff is addressed under each theme and is
central within the plan.
Actions outlined within the plan include a commitment to
establish career-long national professional learning pathways for
teachers, leaders and teaching assistants working closely with
Dysgu. The initial teacher education incentives and pathways into
teaching will also be reviewed to support recruitment of future
teachers.
There's also a commitment to understand alternative models for
supporting teachers with time away from the classroom, and to
support the appropriate use of generative artificial intelligence
in learning and to reduce workload.
The plan also recognises new challenges the school workforce is
facing in supporting learners outside of their day-to-day
teaching duties. This includes strengthening multi-agency
collaboration to support the school workforce to respond to wider
societal changes. It also commits to investing and
supporting non-teaching pastoral roles including Family
Engagement Officers and the work of Community Focused Schools
Managers.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, , said: “Today is a
milestone day for education with the plan outlining key
commitments that will benefit the sector in many ways in the
short and long term.
“The plan has been developed in collaboration with the sector and
will support our leaders, teachers, and support staff now and in
the future. Equipping them with the skills they need to
meet the needs of learners, with wellbeing support for the staff
at the heart of the plan.
“I am also pleased to announce the uplift for level 1 teaching
assistants today, this is the first step towards the long-term
goal of pursuing fairer pay and conditions for all teaching
assistants.”
Councillor Lis Burnett, WLGA Spokesperson for Education,
said:
“Teaching assistants are at the heart of our schools, building
trusted relationships with pupils and providing the day-to-day
support that helps children feel confident and ready to learn. We
welcome this funding from Welsh Government to support the move
from level 1 to level 2 roles, recognising the important
contribution they make. It's vital this sits alongside ongoing
work to ensure fair and equitable conditions across the whole
workforce, so staff feel properly valued and supported in the
role they play in children's lives.”
Notes to editors
*Local Authorities will now consult with their staff on the
teaching assistant changes, in line with terms and conditions.
