Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeships
Please note that the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship Programme is only available to those already employed in a school. You will need your employer’s agreement to apply for this route.
Primary Teaching Apprenticeship (5-11) | Secondary Teaching Apprenticeship
Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship programmes are a nationally-recognised, work-based route into teaching. It is an alternative to a traditional full-time university course, offering a postgraduate-level qualification, no tuition fees, and the opportunity to earn while you learn.
- Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeships are available for prospective primary (5-11) and secondary school teachers in England.
- Our Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship is a twelve-month programme that runs annually from July to September and leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) whilst remaining in paid employment in school.
- Participants are employed by a school while they learn on the job.
- Teacher apprenticeship opportunities have in the large majority been for already employed school based employees that are interested in undertaking a higher or degree apprenticeship within their current employer. If you’re currently working as an unqualified teacher or teaching assistant, it offers new opportunities for career progression, plus higher earning capacity, recognition, and status please get in touch.
- Learners receive a combination of classroom teaching and off-the-job training as you to work towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
WHAT IS INVOLVED?
Similar to School Direct (salaried) programmes, Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeships are a new, nationally-recognised, work-based route into teaching.
The weekly centre-based training will be based in Wigan (with the option for some delivery on the Wirral for Merseyside/Cheshire placements), and during the apprenticeship programme, the apprentice must successfully complete the ITT programme, leading to the recommendation for QTS. This will typically be at the end of the third term.
In addition to working towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) on successful completion of the course, apprentices will also complete an end point assessment (EPA) after the summer to consolidate learning from initial teacher training.
An assessor from an end-point assessment organisation (an accredited ITT provider who has been separate from the training process) conducts the assessment. The assessment has two components: a lesson observation and a professional discussion.
Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship is a programme that runs for up to 14 months and leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) whilst remaining in paid employment in school. Apprentices can specialise in Primary or a specific subject at Secondary level. Our blended learning approach combines in-school experience, centre-based training and online tuition.
During the apprenticeship programme, the apprentice must successfully complete the ITT programme, leading to the recommendation for QTS. This will typically be at the end of the third term.
Additional considerations for schools
- The apprentice must be released for ‘off the job’ training each Friday and enabled to complete a second training placement within another school environment.
- A suitably qualified mentor must be available to attend a series of mentor training and support the apprentice’s progress. From 2024 the mentor should hold the NPQLTD.
- The apprentice will go on to complete an end-point assessment in the forth term and should remain employed by the employing school until completion,.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, WELLBEING AND WORKLOAD SUPPORT
Wellbeing and workload support is at the heart of all our teacher training programmes.
To see what Wellbeing and Workload we support all our trainees visit our SCITT Workload and Wellbeing initiative page
To see our Equality and Diversity support click here
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
You'll need to hold a degree awarded by a UK higher education provider, or a recognised equivalent qualification.
You’ll need to have achieved a standard minimum equivalent to grade C/4, or above, in the GCSE examinations in English and mathematics.
If you intend to train to teach pupils aged three to 11 (early years and primary), you must also have achieved a minimum standard equivalent to a grade C/4, or above, in a GCSE science subject examination.
Those applicants meeting the required standard by taking an equivalence test or by offering other evidence of attainment that intend to undertake the Post Graduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA) will additionally need functional skills qualifications or equivalent qualifications at level 2 in mathematics and English to meet the apprenticeship gateway entry criteria.
2023-24 GRANT FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS (for schools)
For 2023-24 the DfE has made some Grant Funding available to schools for priority secondary subjects; this will normally be used to support the apprentice’s salary.
Below illustrates funding available for 2023/24.
Postgraduate teaching apprenticeships 2023-24 Grants (source)
For the postgraduate teaching apprenticeship training route, we give grants to School Direct lead schools to contribute to the training and trainee salary costs. This grant contributes to the apprentice’s salary and is in addition to funding available from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, which is for training and assessment costs only.
The same grant amount is available regardless of the location of the lead school. Grants are paid on a per trainee basis.
For 2023 to 2024 the DfE and Kingsbridge EIP SCITT are offering schools grants of:
- £18,000 for chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics trainees
- £16,000 for geography and languages (including ancient languages)
- £11,000 for biology and design and technology
- £6,000 for English
Further guidance about postgraduate teaching apprenticeship funding is available in the postgraduate teaching apprenticeship funding manual.
SCHOOL FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS
Salary Costs
The apprentice’s salary (+ on-costs) is the only cost which the school should incur. The apprentice is employed on the unqualified teachers’ pay scale (currently £19,340 at UT1 as of Sept 2022).
The training costs of the Teaching Apprenticeship will be funded directly from the apprenticeship levy account.
Training Costs
With Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship programmes, the apprentice won’t need to pay any tuition fees. The training cost of £9,000 per learner is funded through the employer’s levy / digital apprenticeship service (DAS) in accordance with our funding agreement with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and apprenticeship offer. School should clarify the Levy contact before contacting Kingsbridge EIP SCITT.
HEALTH CHECK
Before being accepted onto the course, all apprentice teachers must satisfy the DfE requirements with regards to fitness to teach. You will be required to complete a confidential medical questionnaire if you are offered a place on our training course*.
*This requirement is inline with the Department for Education's health and physical capacity to teach checks.
SAFEGUARDING CHECK
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) provides employers and other authorised organisations with details of an individual’s convictions, cautions, police reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer. You will not be permitted to begin your training without being in possession of an enhanced DBS with barred list check.
We will arrange for Tuition-fee students to apply for this check when you have been offered a place on one of our courses*.
Trainees are encouraged to take out the update service which costs £13 a year.
*This requirement is inline with the Department for Education's Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance.
For trainees who have spent time overseas an Overseas Police Check (where applicable) may also form the basis of your conditional offer to train to teach.
More information can be obtained here
We will also check your identity against the DBS approved list of documents, most commonly:
- Passport
- Photo driving licence (UK)
- Utility bill or bank statement (dated in the last 3 months)
Right to Work in the UK Checks
- Valid or Expired UK/EU passport or
- Non-EU passport with visa and Biometric Residence Permit or
- EU National ID card or
- Full UK birth certificate and NI number or
- Certificate of Naturalisation and NI number
Barred List Check
- Checked as part the Enhanced DBS Check and then re-checked annually
Prohibition from Teaching Orders Check
- Checked against the DfE database
Childcare Disqualification (and Disqualification by Association) Check
- A signed declaration as part of the application process
Entry References (2 required) Check
- Most recent employer (from head, deputy or head of department)
- One other professional reference
- University tutor and references from school placements (work-based and volunteering)
- Non-school references and character references are accepted where you have not previously worked in schools.
PRICING
With Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship programmes, the apprentice won’t need to pay any tuition fees.
The training costs of the Teaching Apprenticeship are funded directly from the employers apprenticeship levy account.
The Apprenticeship Levy at the employing school can also be used to up skill appointed or unqualified staff.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications are made via DfE Apply
*Please note that the entry criteria has statutory force under The Education (School Teachers’ Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003.
If your school would like more information please click here
