If you're considering a career as a teacher's aide or education assistant in a kindergarten, pre-primary, primary or secondary school — including for students with special needs — the Certificate IV in School Based Education Support is the qualification you need.
You'll learn how to support qualified teachers in the classroom, providing supervision and one-to-one student support in English, reading and maths.
You'll gain skills and knowledge for communicating with teachers and parents; assisting students with special needs; understanding the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; supervising students outside the classroom; and much more.
This course remains FEE FREE in 2024! No course fees apply!
Choose a WA TAFE college that delivers this course
To find out more about doing this course at a WA TAFE college, select one of the TAFEs listed below to read their course descriptions. You'll also be able to see at which TAFE campus/es the course is delivered.
If you would like further information such as when the course is available and how to enrol, and details of course fees, or if you have questions about how the course is delivered, please follow the Find out more link to go to the TAFE's website where you will find full course details and contact information so that you can speak to the TAFE directly.
Work with children and teachers to enhance learning in school environments.
You will have the opportunity to undertake a wide variety of tasks in the classroom and school setting to contextualise this knowledge and improve your practical skills.
This qualification is nationally recognised, providing you with future job opportunities to gain employment in the education sector. A key focus of this course is on supporting students with special needs, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In addition you will develop an awareness of diversity in the education sector and wider community and understand the need to promote cultural safety.
You will gain the knowledge and skills in the following areas:
- Contributing to and implementing behaviour management plans
- Understanding and applying legal and ethical requirements
- Contributing to and implementing documented education plans for students with additional needs
- Identifying and responding to children and young people at risk
- Working effectively with students with a diverse range of additional needs, and
- Participating in workplace health and safety.
Engage your passion for working with children and supporting their individual needs
The Certificate IV in School Based Education Support will provide you with the practical skills and knowledge to support students with a range of abilities and needs, including those with diagnosed disability. You will also learn how to support teaching staff in schools in kindergarten, pre-primary, primary, secondary and education support schools, centres or units.
You have the opportunity to complete this course through full-time study on campus over 6 months (or you may choose to complete it part-time over 12 months). There is also an online option delivered over 12 months, which is a little different to on-campus study as you do not have face to face contact with your lecturers. If on-campus study is not your preference, then online study is a great option. You will be supported by your online lecturers and completing your course via an online platform which contains all your study material and assessments. You will be provided a login and password to access this material once you have been enrolled at North Metropolitan TAFE.
No matter how you choose to study, as part of this qualification you will need to undertake a supervised work placement where you will be able to apply the skills and knowledge you have learned in a classroom setting. Students are required to obtain a Working with Children Check and a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (Education Department WA) before attending work placement.
The online delivery will be done via Collaborate sessions (on Blackboard), which are live classes run online with a lecturer taking you through the training.
We also offer an Aboriginal Islander Education Officer (AIEO) program. Find out more about our AIEO program.
Please note This course is extremely popular. Due to the large number of applications we receive, places fill up quickly and there is a chance you may not be accepted into the course in your preferred semester. We encourage you to apply for the next available semester.
Locations
You will learn how to support qualified teachers in the classroom, providing supervision and one-to-one student support in English, reading and maths.
At this level, workers may be involved in facilitation of learning for a range of instructional groupings, including for those students in need of additional support. In these roles, the education support worker sources and analyses information from diverse sources, may work with limited direct supervision and could provide guidance to other workers.
Education assistants and Special needs education assistants work in all schools throughout the Kimberley and Pilbara.
As part of this qualification, participants are required to undertake a supervised work placement in order to apply the skills and knowledge learned.
Locations
Do you have a passion for working with children and supporting students with additional needs and disabilities? This course will provide you with a customised program in learning support to prepare you for roles such as an education assistant working in a school. You will learn to provide support to a classroom teacher and facilitate learning for students from kindergarten to Year 12.
This qualification reflects the role of workers who assist teachers and support student learning in a range of classroom settings under the guidance of a teacher or other educational professional. At this level, workers may be involved in facilitation of learning for a range of instructional groupings, including for those students in need of additional support. In these roles, the education support worker sources and analyses information from diverse sources, may work with limited direct supervision and could provide guidance to other workers.
Locations
Choose a private training provider that delivers this course
This course is available from registered training organisations (accredited private training providers) that are also funded through Jobs and Skills WA. Select from the list below, and follow the link to the provider's website for further information about the course and how to enrol.
The Australian Higher Education Academy is one of the oldest Registered Training Providers in WA and offers the Certificate IV in School Based Education Support in face to face classes for those wishing to become employed in the industry. The course focuses on children with special needs. Classes are in purpose designed facilities with small classes.
Call 9321 0168 to discuss the options available.
Delivery location
Fremantle Education Centre will be offering the Nationally Accredited CHC40221 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support commencing in March 2024. For further information please contact our centre.
Delivery location
This qualification reflects the role of workers who assist teachers and support student learning in a range of classroom settings under the guidance of a teacher or other educational professional. At this level, workers may be involved in the facilitation of learning for a range of instructional groupings, including for those students in need of additional support. In these roles, the education support worker sources and analyses information from diverse sources, may work with limited direct supervision and could provide guidance to other workers. Education support workers work mainly with students in classroom settings in primary or secondary schools, as defined by State/Territory legislation. To achieve this qualification, the individual must have completed a total of at least 100 hours of work in a classroom environment catering to primary or secondary school students, within at least one school in Australia as detailed in the Assessment Requirements of units of competency. The total number of hours may be applied collectively across all units of competency that include the requirement for workplace hours.
Delivery locations
The School Based Education Support program provides a kickstart to a rewarding career and builds the skills needed to work as a learning support officer or teachers aide in a range of classroom settings. Support students with varying and additional needs so they get the most out of study, while you make a difference in the lives of people.
Delivery location
The information presented on the course lists within this website is provided to the Department of Training and Workforce Development by the WA TAFE colleges and private training providers, and is offered as a guide only. It is updated regularly, however some changes to details may occur in between updates. You should always contact the TAFE or private training provider directly to confirm details and/or ask questions.