Makaton training for teaching assistants turns basic sign and symbol awareness into a working communication tool you can use in class from day one, and choosing the wrong course wastes both your money and your CPD hours.
- Makaton Foundation Workshops run 6 hours and cost roughly £70-£120 in 2026 – buy this first.
- Level 1 and Level 2 regional workshops add vocabulary depth and count as CPD evidence for your SEN teaching assistant role.
- Skip cheap unaccredited online ‘Makaton certificates’ – only The Makaton Charity and its licensed tutors can certify genuine training.
- School-led INSET sessions are the low-cost route but rarely carry a certificate you can log for CPD.
Why this matters
Makaton combines signs, symbols and speech to support children and adults who struggle with verbal communication, and it's used across thousands of UK primary schools and SEND settings. If you're working toward or already in a SEN teaching assistant role, having a recognised Makaton certificate on file changes what a school can assign you – from one-to-one support with a non-verbal pupil to leading small-group communication sessions.
Training quality varies enormously. A six-hour Foundation Workshop delivered by a licensed Makaton Tutor teaches roughly 40-50 core signs and the grammar behind them. A £15 online video course with no Makaton Charity affiliation teaches signs with no quality control at all – and schools increasingly ask to see who accredited the certificate before they count it.
Who this is for
This guide is for teaching assistants and TAs-in-training who work, or want to work, in SEND provision, EYFS settings, or mainstream classrooms with non-verbal or pre-verbal pupils. If you're building toward a Level 2 or Level 3 teaching assistant qualification and want Makaton to sit alongside it as a practical skill, this is your route map.
What to look for in Makaton training for teaching assistants
Accreditation from The Makaton Charity
Makaton is a registered trademark, and only training delivered or licensed by The Makaton Charity carries a certificate that schools and local authorities recognise. Ask any provider directly whether their tutor is Makaton Charity-accredited before you pay – if they can't confirm it, walk away.
The right starting level
Foundation Workshops are the entry point and assume no prior knowledge. Level 1 and Level 2 workshops build vocabulary breadth and sentence structure, and most schools expect a TA supporting a Makaton user daily to progress to at least Level 1 within a year.
Delivery format that fits your working week
In-person workshops run in a single day (usually 6 hours) and involve live sign practice, which most trainers agree produces stronger retention than video-only formats. If your school day leaves no room for a Saturday course, an online awareness module still has value as a first step, but it shouldn't replace the in-person workshop long term.
CPD evidence you can actually log
A proper Makaton certificate states the workshop level, hours completed and the licensed tutor's name. That's the paperwork you need for your CPD file and for any Level 2 or Level 3 teaching assistant portfolio evidence.
Relevance to your actual caseload
A Foundation Workshop aimed at parents covers different ground to one aimed at education staff. Check the course description names "education" or "school staff" as the intended audience – generic family workshops move at a slower pace.
Cost against what the certificate unlocks
Expect to pay roughly £70-£150 for a Foundation Workshop and more for Level 1/2 combined training in 2026. Weigh that against what it opens up: schools often prioritise Makaton-trained staff for SEN TA vacancies and higher-level teaching assistant progression, covered in the qualifications needed to become a SEN teaching assistant.
Top picks: Makaton training routes worth considering
The Makaton Charity Foundation Workshop – the entry point. Runs 6 hours, typically in a single day, and teaches around 40-50 signs plus the core grammar principles. Delivered only by licensed Makaton Tutors, so the certificate carries weight with any school. Buy if you have zero prior exposure to Makaton.
Regional Level 1 and Level 2 workshops – the sector standard. These build on the Foundation stage with roughly 100-350 additional signs across the two levels and usually run as two separate day-long sessions. Most SEN TA job postings that mention Makaton as "desirable" are really asking for Level 1 as a minimum. Buy once you're confirmed in a SEND-facing role.
School-led INSET Makaton sessions – the low-cost option. Some schools bring in a licensed tutor to train staff on-site, splitting the cost across the team. It's cheaper per head but the certificate you get depends entirely on whether the school books a genuinely accredited tutor. Consider it if your school offers it, but confirm accreditation first.
Online Makaton awareness courses – the flexible option. Useful as a first exposure to vocabulary and concepts if your schedule can't fit a workshop day, but these rarely substitute for the live signing practice that builds muscle memory. Consider as a bridge, not a replacement.
Bespoke intensive tutor-led training – the specialist route. Aimed at settings with a high concentration of Makaton users, this can run over multiple days and cost several hundred pounds. Most generalist TAs don't need this depth. Skip unless your role specifically demands advanced fluency.
What to avoid
- Unaccredited "Makaton certificate" courses sold on generic e-learning marketplaces. If The Makaton Charity isn't named as the accrediting body, the certificate has no standing with schools.
- One-day courses that promise "full fluency." Foundation and Level 1 workshops are deliberately paced; genuine sign fluency across hundreds of concepts takes multiple stages, not one Saturday.
- Courses that treat Makaton as identical to British Sign Language. The two use different sign sets and grammar; a provider that conflates them hasn't done its homework.
Verdict comparison table
| Route | Format | Typical hours | CPD evidence | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation Workshop | In-person, single day | 6 hours | Yes, Makaton Charity certificate | Buy |
| Level 1 / Level 2 workshops | In-person, two sessions | 12+ hours combined | Yes, level-specific certificate | Buy |
| School INSET session | In-person, on-site | 6 hours (varies) | Only if tutor is accredited | Consider |
| Online awareness course | Self-paced video | 2-4 hours | Limited, check provider | Consider |
| Bespoke intensive training | In-person, multi-day | 12-20+ hours | Yes, detailed certificate | Skip for general TAs |
Once you've got the certificate sorted, the bigger picture is how Makaton fits your broader career file. A TA who pairs Makaton training with structured classroom methods tends to progress faster, and that's where practical technique matters as much as the sign vocabulary itself.
FAQ
What is Makaton training for teaching assistants?
Makaton training for teaching assistants teaches signs, symbols and speech used together to support pupils who are non-verbal or pre-verbal. Foundation Workshops run around 6 hours and cover roughly 40-50 core signs, with Level 1 and Level 2 workshops building further vocabulary.
Is Makaton training compulsory for TAs?
No, Makaton training isn’t a legal requirement for teaching assistants, but many SEN teaching assistant roles list it as desirable or essential. Schools with a high number of Makaton users often expect at least Foundation-level training within the first year.
How much does Makaton training cost in 2026?
A Foundation Workshop typically costs £70-£150 in 2026, with combined Level 1 and Level 2 training running higher depending on the region and provider. Prices vary by whether the session is in-person or delivered on-site through a school.
Can you do Makaton training online?
Yes, online Makaton awareness courses exist and work well as an introduction, but they lack the live signing practice that in-person workshops provide. Most schools still prefer staff to complete an in-person Foundation Workshop for the recognised certificate.
Is Makaton the same as British Sign Language?
No, Makaton and British Sign Language use different sign vocabularies and grammar rules. Makaton is designed to support spoken language development, while BSL is a complete standalone language.
How long does Makaton Level 1 take?
Makaton Level 1 workshops typically run as a single day session, roughly 6 hours, following on from the Foundation Workshop. Level 2 adds a further day-long session with expanded vocabulary.
Does Makaton training count as CPD?
Yes, a Makaton certificate from a licensed tutor counts as CPD evidence, provided it states the hours completed and the accrediting body. Log the certificate alongside other teaching assistant CPD records for portfolio evidence.
What qualification do you need to become a SEN teaching assistant?
Most SEN teaching assistant roles ask for a Level 2 or Level 3 teaching assistant qualification, with Makaton or similar communication training listed as an additional advantage. Requirements vary by school and local authority.
One last thing
The detail most TAs miss: Makaton certificates don't expire in a formal sense, but the sign set gets periodically updated by The Makaton Charity, so a certificate from several years back may already be missing newer vocabulary additions – worth checking against the current core vocabulary list before you assume your training is still current in 2026.
Related guides
- Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools explained
- SEN TA pay – how much do SEN teaching assistants earn
- Inclusive classroom strategies for teaching assistants
