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Teaching apprenticeships such as the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA) combine employment with structured training, creating clear pathways into teaching.  

If your school is looking to strengthen recruitment, improve retention or to grow your own workforce, apprenticeships are an increasingly attractive solution.  

These programmes enable you to employ trainees while they work toward nationally recognised qualifications such as qualified teacher status (QTS). They integrate practical classroom experience with theoretical training. 

How are teaching apprenticeships funded? 

Apprenticeship training and assessment costs are funded through . This applies regardless of whether your school pays the levy: 

• Levy payers draw from their levy balance 

• Non-levy schools can receive government co-investment or levy transfers from larger organisations 

This funding covers the cost of training and End Point Assessment, not the apprentice salary. An apprentice’s salary is paid by your school; all contracts must be on minimum wage for this role and cover the duration of the practical period plus assessment. 

In practice, this means that schools paying the levy can access 100% funding for training and End Point Assessment, while schools that do not pay the levy will contribute 5% of training costs (the remaining 95% is government funded). 

From August 2026, any apprentice aged 24 or below is deemed a young apprentice â€“ so they will receive full funding for their apprenticeship training. 

PGTA funding 

From the year 2026/27, PGTA programmes will be awarded grant funding equivalent to initial teacher training bursaries, which you can use alongside apprenticeship funding. 

These grants include: 

• £29,000 for chemistry, computing, maths and physics 

• £20,000 for design and technology and languages 

• £5,000 for biology and geography 

These are designed to support your school with salary costs and must be passed on from providers to the employing school. The available grant funding is likely to change year-on-year, so check the  for the latest information.

How long is a PGTA?

ÌÇÐÄVlog Institute's PGTA is a 10-month programme of study to gain QTS, plus the assessment period which is currently 3 months. PGTA applicants can also opt to study to be awarded a PGCE, for an additional fee.  

How can your school offer an apprenticeship? 

All apprentices who apply must be employed or ready to commence employment when the programme starts. To access levy funding, they must be employed in your school for the duration of the apprenticeship. 

You can use the apprenticeship route for existing staff to support retention or as a recruitment tool to offer progression and valuable CPD for your workforce.

If you want to offer a PGTA at your school, ÌÇÐÄVlog Institute can support you with more information on becoming a member of a partnership in your area or working with us as a national provider. The apprentice needs to apply through the DfE or with one of our partnership schools. 

A postgraduate teaching apprentice needs to spend a minimum of 4 weeks in a second school. This needs to be factored into their time on the programme and with a timetabling adjustment in your school, so you can release them for this time. 

What requirements does your school need to meet?

Schools need to meet several statutory and quality assurance responsibilities to take on an apprentice. Your school must: 

• Provide a mentor to support the apprentice through required meetings and give classroom guidance (full training for this mentor will be given by the apprenticeship training provider) 

• Guarantee protected training time out of the classroom, ensuring apprentices can meet mandatory training hours during paid working time 

• Ensure apprentices have access to appropriate classes, curriculum areas, and opportunities to meet the standards required to complete their apprenticeship 

• Work with the training provider, attend progress review meetings and maintain training documentation and evidence of training hours outside of the classroom 

• Collaborate with the training provider to ensure the apprentice is ready for their End Point Assessment 

• Employ the apprentice for the duration of their apprenticeship, including assessment, at the appropriate wage for their role 

What criteria do apprentices need to meet to access training in your school? 

PGTA trainees must have: 

• An undergraduate degree 

• Grade 4/C or above GCSEs in English and maths – plus science for primary 

• Eligibility to work in England under apprenticeship rules

The value of apprenticeships in education

Teaching apprenticeships provide a powerful mechanism for schools to cultivate new teaching talent and strengthen staffing pipelines while benefiting from substantial government funding. 

With training costs covered by the apprenticeship levy, grant funding for key subjects and flexible role structures, these routes are more accessible than ever.

ÌÇÐÄVlog Institute has qualified more than 3,100 teachers and supported over 3,000 schools in countries across the world. With more than 100 years of expertise, we understand the challenges you’re facing and can help you address them with confidence. 

Get in touch with our team to explore how ÌÇÐÄVlog Institute can help you offer apprenticeships at your school or trust, so you can develop the talent that enables your students to thrive. 

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