Learning Support

Learning support is the professional practice of enabling people with a wide range of educational needs to access learning and fulfil their potential. It encompasses working with children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities, as well as supporting learners who face barriers to engagement and achievement for other reasons. Learning support practitioners work alongside teachers, providing tailored assistance in classrooms and one-to-one settings, and their work is central to inclusive education practice in schools and other educational settings.

The role requires knowledge of child development, educational psychology, and the specific needs associated with conditions such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD, and physical and sensory disabilities.

At the University of Portsmouth, this part-time foundation degree is designed for people who are already working in learning support, such as in a teaching assistant role, and who are ready to take the next step in their career. Studying part-time allows you to continue in your current role while building the academic and professional knowledge that will support your development. You will engage with the theory and research underpinning effective learning support, deepen your understanding of special educational needs and disabilities, and develop a more systematic and reflective approach to the practical work you are already doing.

The programme is grounded in workplace practice, with your professional experience forming an important part of your learning throughout.

Graduates of learning support programmes are well placed to continue in and advance within the education sector. Many go on to work as more senior teaching assistants, higher-level teaching assistants, or special educational needs co-ordinators. The qualification provides a foundation for further study at degree level and for continued professional development in special educational needs and inclusion.

Some graduates go on to train as teachers, pursuing qualified teacher status through conventional or employment-based routes. The skills and knowledge developed by the programme are also relevant to roles in social care, youth work, and other settings where supporting people with additional needs is central to the work.