Support children and young people’s health and safety — City & Guilds Limited Occupational Qualification Learning Support Revision

    This element equips learners with the knowledge and skills to ensure the health and safety of children and young people within an educational setting. It c

    Topic Synopsis

    This element equips learners with the knowledge and skills to ensure the health and safety of children and young people within an educational setting. It covers key legislation and policies, practical risk recognition and management, and the ability to support children in assessing and managing risks themselves. Additionally, it prepares learners to respond appropriately to emergency situations, ensuring the welfare of all is maintained.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Support children and young people’s health and safety

    CITY & GUILDS LIMITED
    vocational

    This element equips learners with the knowledge and skills to ensure the health and safety of children and young people within an educational setting. It covers key legislation and policies, practical risk recognition and management, and the ability to support children in assessing and managing risks themselves. Additionally, it prepares learners to respond appropriately to emergency situations, ensuring the welfare of all is maintained.

    1
    Learning Outcomes
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    Assessment Guidance
    3
    Key Skills
    1
    Key Terms
    4
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools

    Topic Overview

    The City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools is a vocational qualification designed for individuals working or volunteering as teaching assistants, learning support assistants, or similar roles in primary, secondary, or special schools. This qualification equips learners with the knowledge and skills to support teachers in delivering the curriculum, promote positive behaviour, and contribute to the inclusion and development of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It covers essential areas such as child development, safeguarding, communication, and professional boundaries, ensuring that support staff can work effectively within the school environment.

    This qualification is part of the wider Supporting Teaching and Learning suite and is recognised by schools across the UK as a benchmark for competent support staff. It aligns with the Professional Standards for Teaching Assistants and provides a foundation for further study, such as the Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools. By completing this certificate, learners demonstrate their ability to work under the direction of a qualified teacher, assist with planning and assessment, and foster a safe, inclusive learning environment. The qualification is assessed through a portfolio of evidence and a written exam, ensuring both practical competence and theoretical understanding.

    For students, mastering this qualification is crucial because it directly impacts their effectiveness in the classroom. It provides a structured understanding of how children learn, how to manage behaviour positively, and how to support diverse needs. This knowledge not only enhances employability but also builds confidence in handling real-world classroom challenges. The qualification is also a stepping stone for career progression, opening doors to roles such as higher-level teaching assistant (HLTA) or specialist support roles in areas like literacy, numeracy, or SEND.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Child development: Understanding the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional stages from birth to adolescence, and how these affect learning and behaviour in school settings.
    • →Safeguarding: Knowing the legal framework (e.g., Keeping Children Safe in Education) and procedures for reporting concerns, including signs of abuse, neglect, and radicalisation.
    • →Inclusive practice: Adapting support to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND, English as an additional language (EAL), or from diverse cultural backgrounds, in line with the Equality Act 2010.
    • →Behaviour management: Applying positive strategies to promote self-regulation and minimise disruption, such as setting clear expectations, using praise, and implementing school behaviour policies.
    • →Professional boundaries: Recognising the limits of the teaching assistant role, including not planning lessons independently, maintaining confidentiality, and working under the direction of the teacher.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • Know the legislative and policy framework for health and safety, Be able to recognise and manage risks to children and young people’s health, safety and security, Be able to support children and young people to assess and manage risk, Be able to respond to emergency situations

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for demonstrating accurate knowledge of key health and safety legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and relevant school policies.
    • Award credit for correctly identifying hazards in a given environment and implementing appropriate control measures in line with a risk assessment.
    • Award credit for effectively supporting a child or young person to conduct a simple risk assessment, encouraging age-appropriate decision-making.
    • Award credit for describing and, where simulated, applying correct emergency procedures (e.g., fire evacuation, first aid) while maintaining calm and following school protocols.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡When answering scenario-based questions, always make explicit reference to relevant school policies and legislation (e.g., 'In line with the school’s Health and Safety Policy...').
    • 💡In practical demonstrations or reflective accounts, detail your communication with children about risks, showing how you empowered them to make safe choices.
    • 💡For emergency response, memorise the key steps of common procedures (e.g., DR ABC for first aid, fire evacuation routes) and explain calmly how you would apply them.
    • 💡Use specific examples from your school placement to illustrate your understanding of key concepts. For instance, when discussing behaviour management, describe a real incident and how you applied positive strategies.
    • 💡In written exams, read questions carefully and identify command words like 'describe', 'explain', or 'evaluate'. For 'explain' questions, give reasons or causes; for 'evaluate', discuss strengths and weaknesses.
    • 💡Link your answers to relevant legislation and policies, such as the Children Act 2004, the SEND Code of Practice, or your school's behaviour policy. This shows depth of knowledge and application.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Confusing general health and safety guidance with statutory legislation, leading to incomplete references in assignments.
    • Failing to involve children and young people in risk assessment processes, instead simply instructing them on what to avoid.
    • Overlooking the need to report minor incidents or accidents immediately, assuming they are not serious enough.
    • Misconception: Teaching assistants can plan and deliver lessons independently. Correction: TAs work under the direction of the teacher; they support learning but do not take responsibility for curriculum planning or assessment unless specifically delegated.
    • Misconception: Safeguarding is only about physical abuse. Correction: Safeguarding covers all forms of harm, including emotional abuse, neglect, online safety, and radicalisation. TAs must be vigilant for signs of any type of abuse.
    • Misconception: Inclusive practice means treating all pupils the same. Correction: Inclusion involves differentiating support to meet individual needs, which may mean providing additional resources or adapted activities for some pupils.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Basic understanding of the UK education system, including key stages and curriculum areas.
    • •Experience working or volunteering in a school setting (recommended but not mandatory).
    • •Completion of Level 1 or equivalent in English and maths (functional skills or GCSEs) is helpful for written assessments.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • Know the legislative and policy framework for health and safety, Be able to recognise and manage risks to children and young people’s health, safety and security, Be able to support children and young people to assess and manage risk, Be able to respond to emergency situations

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