A review of evidence-based teaching-assistant-led interventions

Many schools are interested in how they can support pupils’ learning effectively. Teaching assistants (TAs) make up a large proportion of school staff in all UK nations, but research on their effectiveness on academic outcomes has been mixed.

In this research, we reviewed the current evidence on interventions that can be delivered by TAs and are available to schools in the UK. Our goal was to improve the impact that TAs have on pupils’ academic outcomes by helping schools choose evidence-based interventions suitable for their pupils’ learning needs and context.

We estimated the overall impact that each of these interventions had on pupils’ academic outcomes and reviewed the quality of the evidence from randomised controlled trials. This helped us analyse their impact on different types of knowledge and skills. It also helped us identify the interventions most likely to be effective for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Previous research on the impact of TAs in the UK found that a high level of support from TAs can have a negative impact on pupils’ reading, maths and science outcomes. One promising way to increase the impact of TAs is for them to deliver structured, evidence-based interventions.

Findings

Our study found that:

• Of the 21 interventions we explored, eight showed a reliable and positive impact on pupil outcomes. These are the most effective, evidence-informed interventions for TAs that are widely available in the UK and which are summarised in the research.
• Only two interventions were effective for pupils with SEND, so there is a need for more research into how TAs can effectively support pupils with additional needs.
• When choosing an intervention, schools should consider those backed by robust evidence that match their pupils’ needs, and then sufficiently plan and prepare to implement the intervention.

Read the research

Read a summary of our findings for educators.

Read the findings in full.

Thank you to UBS for their support in funding this research.

Cite this paper

Banks, B., Routledge, C., Curran, J., & Sims, S. (2025) Evidence-based deployment of teaching assistants: a systematic review of interventions in the UK. Ambition Institute.