You've spent years in classrooms: supporting children with learning difficulties, managing behaviour, delivering one-to-one interventions, differentiating content for mixed-ability groups, and documenting progress. You've worked under pressure and seen real results when a struggling reader finally gets it.
Teaching assistants have some of the most transferable skills for remote work, because the core of what TAs do—explain concepts clearly, adapt to different learning styles, be patient, follow structured plans—works just as well online.
The difference: instead of one classroom, you'll work with individual students, groups, or create content. Often you'll earn more, have more flexibility, and keep the bits you loved about teaching while ditching the bits that burned you out.
Here's how to transition into remote education work.
The Skills Teaching Assistants Have (And Remote Employers Want)
Teaching & Explanation
- Breaking down complex concepts simply
- Adapting explanations for different understanding levels
- Identifying misconceptions and correcting them
- Using multiple methods to explain one idea
- Pacing and scaffolding
One-to-One Support
- Building rapport with learners
- Identifying individual needs
- Motivating struggling students
- Patience with repetition
- Confidence-building
SEN & Accessibility Skills (if SEND-trained)
- Knowledge of specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD)
- Adapting resources for accessibility
- Working with specialist equipment
- Understanding trauma-informed practice
- Individualised education planning
Communication & Documentation
- Clear written communication
- Detailed progress notes
- Evidence gathering
- Parent communication
- Professional tone
All directly valuable in remote education.
Remote Jobs for Teaching Assistants
1. Online Tutor (Self-Employed / Freelance)
What they do: Teach individual students or small groups via video call. Cover specific subjects, exam prep, or catch-up tutoring. You set your own hours and rates.
Why you're suited: You've done one-to-one support. The move to online is natural: Zoom instead of face-to-face, digital whiteboard instead of physical notebook.
Earnings: £15-35/hour depending on subject, qualification, and platform. Maths and sciences pay more. A-level tuition pays more than primary.
Platforms (UK):
- Tutorful (tutorful.com) - UK-focused, takes 30% commission, £12-40/hour typical
- MyTutor (mytutor.co.uk) - Premium marketplace, selective, £20-50/hour
- Superprof UK (superprof.co.uk) - Broader platform, self-set rates, £15-60/hour
- Bark.com (bark.com) - Quote-based, you set rates, leads come to you
Getting started: Most require proof of qualification (GCSE minimum, degree preferred) and a trial lesson.
Reality check: Freelance tutoring is more flexible but less stable. Your income depends on client bookings. Summer holidays are quiet.
To earn £2,000/month: You'd need ~10 regular weekly students at £20/hour, or 6-8 at £30+/hour. Very doable, but requires building a client base.
2. Specialist SEN Online Tutor
What they do: Provide tailored tutoring for children with specific learning needs: dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism spectrum. Often one-to-one via video.
Why you're suited: If you've worked with SEND pupils, this is your lane. You understand how their brains work. Most mainstream tutors don't.
Earnings: £20-50/hour depending on specialism and location
Platforms:
- Tuitionkit (tuitionkit.com) - SEN-focused, UK-based
- SEN Tutors Network (sentuition.co.uk) - Specialist network
- Tutorful - You can specify SEN specialisms and charge premium rates
Requirement: Often expect SEND-specific certification or experience. Your TA background counts strongly here.
Real talk: SEN tutoring is in high demand. Parents of SEND children pay premium rates because the right tutor changes everything. This is a good niche.
3. E-Learning Content Developer / Course Builder
What they do: Create online training courses for educational platforms, corporate training, or publishing companies. Write lesson scripts, design activities, build quizzes.
Why you're suited: You know how children learn. You know what works and what falls flat. That expertise translates directly to course design.
Salary: £25-40k/year employed, or £20-50/hour freelance depending on complexity
Skills to learn:
- Articulate Storyline (industry standard e-learning tool)
- Basic instructional design principles
- Moodle or other LMS platforms
- Video basics
Companies hiring:
- E-learning agencies (e.g., Clarity Pathway, G-Learning)
- Publishing companies with digital arms (Pearson, Oxford University Press)
- Training companies
- Universities (digital learning teams)
- Corporate training departments
Getting started: Do a free Articulate Storyline tutorial course (Udemy, £10-20). Build 2-3 sample courses. Apply for junior positions.
Salary progression: This role pays better than tutoring and has clearer career progression. Demand is strong in UK ed-tech.
4. Remote Education Support Worker (Employed)
What they do: Work for online schools or education companies providing one-to-one student support. Similar to classroom TA work but entirely online. Employed role with benefits.
Why you're suited: This is literally TA work, but remote. Same skills, different medium.
Salary: £20-28k/year + benefits (holidays, pension)
Companies hiring:
- Online schools (e.g., Harrow School Online, Pacey, Crimson Global Academy)
- Home education support services
- Tutoring agencies with employed staff
Hours: Structured like school hours, often part-time or flexible
Getting started: Search "online school" or "remote education support" on LinkedIn and Indeed
5. Curriculum Developer / Instructional Designer
What they do: Design the structure and content of educational programs. Work with subject matter experts to create learning pathways, assessments, and resources.
Why you're suited: You know what actually works in a classroom. You know where students struggle. That practical experience is invaluable—many instructional designers come from academia without real classroom insight.
Salary: £28-45k/year
Companies hiring: Ed-tech startups, training companies, publishing companies, corporate learning departments
Skills to learn:
- Basic instructional design frameworks (ADDIE, SAM)
- Google Suite or Office Suite proficiency
- Understanding of accessibility standards
- Basic project management
How to transition: If you're interested, do an online instructional design course (LinkedIn Learning has good ones, ~20 hours). It's not essential, but it helps positioning.
6. Teaching Parent / Moderator (Forum-Based Remote Work)
What they do: Moderate online learning platforms, answer student questions asynchronously, review submitted work, and provide feedback. Often freelance, flexible hours.
Why you're suited: You're already doing this in classrooms. Now it's via text instead of face-to-face.
Earnings: £12-20/hour
Platforms:
- Chegg (chegg.com - answer student questions, US-focused but accepts UK)
- CourseHero (coursehero.com - similar)
- Various ed-tech startups
Reality: Lower-paid work, but genuinely flexible (work whenever you want). Good for extra income alongside other work.
Special Case: SEND Qualifications as a Differentiator
If you have SEND training (Level 2 or above), HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant), or EYTS (Early Years Teacher Status), you have a significant advantage.
These qualifications mean you can:
- Command higher rates as a tutor (£25-40/hour vs. £15-25/hour)
- Access more specialist platforms
- Get employed roles with better pay
If you don't have these yet, consider whether the investment makes sense:
- HLTA: Online courses available, ~£500-1,000, 6-12 weeks
- Level 2 SEND: Evening/online programs available, ~£400-800
The ROI is strong if you're planning to stay in education.
Realistic Earnings Comparison
Freelance Online Tutoring (self-employed)
- Part-time (10 hours/week): £1,500-2,500/month
- Full-time (30 hours/week): £4,500-7,500/month
- Drawback: Irregular income, quieter in summer, need to build client base
Employed Remote Education Role
- Part-time (20 hours/week): £1,500-2,000/month
- Full-time (37.5 hours/week): £1,700-2,300/month
- Benefit: Stable, benefits, pension, paid holidays
E-Learning / Course Development
- Employed: £2,100-3,300/month
- Freelance: £2,000-4,000/month depending on project complexity
How to Get Started
If you want freelance tutoring (quickest start):
- Choose platform (Tutorful is easiest for UK)
- Set up profile (5-10 minutes)
- Add qualifications/experience
- Record trial lesson or provide references
- Start getting bookings within 1-2 weeks
If you want an employed role:
- Build a CV emphasizing one-to-one support, SEN work if applicable
- Search "remote education support" on LinkedIn
- Apply to 5-10 positions
- Interview within 2-4 weeks
If you want e-learning content work:
- Do a free Articulate Storyline tutorial (Udemy, 2 hours)
- Build 1-2 sample courses
- Apply for junior instructional designer roles
- Give yourself 6-12 weeks to build experience/qualifications
Job Boards & Platforms
- For tutoring: Tutorful, MyTutor, Superprof, Bark.com
- For employed roles: LinkedIn, Indeed, Tes (education-specific), Hirequest
- For content work: LinkedIn, AngelList (startups), We Work Remotely, FlexJobs