Apprenticeships for the school workforce

Q: 11. Further support and information

Visit the employer help page for apprenticeships .

Question 1

1. An introduction to apprenticeships in schools

Accepted Answer

Apprenticeships are a great way for schools to improve the skills of their employees.

You can use apprenticeships to recruit new employees, and you can also use apprenticeships to retrain or upskill existing staff of all ages and levels of experience, in a wide variety of roles.

You can use apprenticeships to provide training that is tailored to the needs and requirements of your school. This can be through workplace learning and formal training.

Apprenticeships can be used as part of your strategic workforce planning, to promote a diverse and inclusive workforce and support recruitment and retention.

Question 2

2. Understanding apprenticeships

Accepted Answer

An apprentice is an employee that works alongside experienced staff to gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to be fully competent in their chosen occupation.

Apprenticeships combine work with practical training and study, both on-the-job and off-the-job.

Apprentices are assessed at the end of their apprenticeship to establish if they are occupationally competent in their role. This is called an end-point assessment.

Apprenticeships cover a number of roles and educational levels, from level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSE passes at grades 9 to 4 or A* to C) up to degree level. You can see the range of apprenticeships available on Find apprenticeship training.

Examples of apprenticeships that could be suitable for a school setting include:

teacher
school business professional
business administrator
teaching assistant
sports coach

Apprenticeships are for everyone, not just for young people and new recruits. All apprentices can benefit from government funding to support their apprenticeship as long as they are:

16 years old and above
employed in a real job
training for at least 12 months
spending at least 20% of their time on off-the-job training (for example, being mentored or coached or completing formal training or qualifications)
paid at least the relevant national minimum wage for apprentices (though most will be paid more)

Apprentices can be full-time or part-time employees. Find out more about employing an apprentice.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (the Institute) provides more information about apprenticeship occupational maps and new apprenticeships in development.

Question 3

3. Apprenticeship funding

Accepted Answer

3.1 Incentives and additional payments

There are incentive payments available for hiring a new apprentice.

Employers can receive £3,000 for new apprentices of any age who have an employment start date of 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021. They must have an apprenticeship start date of 1 April 2021 to 30 November 2021.

You can only apply for new apprentices who joined your organisation from 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021. You cannot apply for an existing employee who joined your organisation before 1 April 2021, even if they started an apprenticeship after this date.

The incentive payment available is in addition to the £1,000 employers receive for hiring an apprentice:

aged 16 to 18 years old
under 25 with an education, health and care plan or who has been in the care of their local authority

3.2 The apprenticeship levy

Employers in the UK with an annual pay bill over £3 million are required to pay the apprenticeship levy.

The levy is charged at a rate of 0.5% of an employer’s annual pay bill.

Find out how the apprenticeship levy applies to schools.

Eligible employers report and pay the levy to HMRC through the PAYE process.

To access your levy funding to spend it on apprenticeship training for your workforce, you will need an apprenticeship service account.

The amount of funding entering your account each month is calculated by:

the levy you declare to HMRC through the PAYE process
multiplied by the proportion of your pay bill paid to your workforce who live in England
plus a 10% government top-up on this amount

You can only use the funds in your apprenticeship service account to pay for the cost of approved apprenticeship training and assessment. You cannot use the funding for wider costs such as salaries. Read the apprenticeship funding rules for full details.

If you have used all the funds in your account, you can get 95% of your apprenticeship training paid for by the government up to the funding band maximum set for each apprenticeship. This is called co-investment as you only need to pay 5%.

3.3 Expiry of apprenticeship levy funds

Levy funds will enter your apprenticeship service account each month, and payment for training is also made on a monthly basis.

If you do not use your levy funds within 24 months of them entering your account, they will expire. This is called expiry of funds.

For example, if funds entered your account in May 2020 and are not used, these funds will expire in May 2022.

Any payments from your apprenticeship service account to a training provider will use the oldest levy funds first, to minimise the amount of expired funds.

3.4 How funding works if you do not pay the apprenticeship levy

Schools that do not pay the levy can take on apprentices and only pay 5% towards the cost of training and assessment. The government will pay the rest up to the funding band maximum set for each apprenticeship. This is called co-investment.

From 1 April 2021, to access government funding to spend on apprenticeship training for your workforce, you will need an apprenticeship service account.

You could save on the 5% co-investment costs by receiving a transfer of levy funds from another organisation that pays the apprenticeship levy.

3.5 Reserving funding

If you don’t pay the apprenticeship levy you need to reserve funding in your apprenticeship service account to get 95% funding from the government.

From 1 April 2021, you can:

make up to 10 reservations for the financial year 2021 to 2022
reserve funding for up to 6 months before the apprenticeship is planned to start

The apprenticeship service will continue to monitor the number of reservations used by employers and may pause funding reservations to ensure that the programme remains affordable.

3.6 Transfers of apprenticeship levy funds

Organisations that pay the apprenticeship levy are not always in a position to spend all of their levy funds on their own apprentices. They can use their apprenticeship service account to transfer up to 25% of their annual levy funds to another organisation to pay for their apprenticeship training.

Transferred funds can only be used to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment and must cover the full cost and duration of an apprentice’s training.

Any organisation can receive a transfer of funds, including levy payers. However, a levy-paying employer cannot send and receive transfers at the same time.

If your school does not pay the apprenticeship levy, you may be able to save the 5% co-investment cost by arranging a transfer from a levy-paying employer.

If your school pays the apprenticeship levy and you don’t plan to use all of your levy funds, you could consider supporting another organisation’s apprenticeship programme by transferring funds.

If your school pays the apprenticeship levy and you don’t have sufficient levy funds to pay for all of your apprenticeship training needs, you could arrange to receive a transfer from another organisation who is interested in supporting your apprenticeship programme.

Question 4

4. How the apprenticeship levy applies to schools

Accepted Answer

The way in which the levy applies to schools depends on the type of school and the overall employer.

4.1 Voluntary-aided and foundation schools

For voluntary-aided and foundation schools, the governing body is the employer. If the governing body’s pay bill is more than £3 million then it will need to pay the levy.

4.2 Community and voluntary-controlled schools

For community and voluntary-controlled schools, the local authority is the employer, and so is responsible for payment of the apprenticeship levy for schools under their control. Each local authority with a pay bill of over £3 million will pay the levy.

The local authority will advise its schools on whether they need to take account of the apprenticeship levy in their annual budgets.

Schools should contact their local authority to find out how they can access local authority levy funds.

Read more information about how the Local Government Association (LGA) is supporting councils to work with schools on apprenticeships, including the LGA Apprenticeships in schools toolkit.

4.3 Academies, including free schools and academies in multi-academy trusts

For academies, including free schools and academies in multi-academy trusts (MATs), the trust is generally the employer of all the academies’ staff. If the trust’s pay bill is more than £3 million then it will need to pay the levy.

If a school becomes a voluntary-aided school, foundation school, free school or academy part way through a tax year, the academy governing body or trust will be responsible for the apprenticeship levy from this point.

Further guidance on how the allowance will work in these circumstances can be found in the HMRC Apprenticeship Levy Manual.

4.4 Pooling of PAYEs

Some school employers, particularly local authorities and MATs, may use a pooled PAYE scheme. This is when multiple employers use a single PAYE scheme to report PAYE information to HMRC.

Where this is the case, schools should refer to the HRMC guidance on pooled PAYE schemes and also contact their local authority.

4.5 Accessing apprenticeships if the levy is paid indirectly through a larger employer

If your school is part of a larger employer group that pays the apprenticeship levy, for example a local authority or MAT, you need to agree with them how to access levy funds to spend on apprenticeships.

They have responsibility for making the necessary arrangements to provide schools with access to the relevant funds.

It is in the best interests of both employers and schools that this process is set out clearly, so that apprenticeship funding is managed as effectively as possible.

Question 5

5. How can levy funds be used?

Accepted Answer

Employers are able to use their levy funds to cover the cost of an apprentice’s training and assessment.

There is a maximum funding band limit assigned to each different apprenticeship. For example, a 2-year apprenticeship will likely cost less than a 4-year one. All the funding bands are shown alongside each apprenticeship on Find apprenticeship training.

Levy funds must not be used to cover the salary costs of an apprentice. Employers must cover the costs of an apprentice’s wages themselves.

Levy funds cannot be used for:

salaries
statutory licences to practice
travel and subsistence costs
traineeships
work placement programmes

Full details can be found in the apprenticeship funding rules.

Question 6

6. What does off-the-job training mean in a school context?

Accepted Answer

In England, all apprentices must spend at least 20% of their time in off-the-job training. This means time that is spent training and learning during their ordinary working hours that is separate from their work duties.

The minimum requirement for 20% off-the-job training is designed to ensure high quality apprenticeships that develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to become occupationally competent.

English and Maths are integral to all apprenticeships and, where applicable, apprentices will be supported to gain these skills. Any English and maths training and study is in addition to the 20% minimum off-the-job training.

Any off-the-job training must be directly relevant to the apprenticeship. It can include training that is delivered at the apprentice’s normal place of work, such as mentoring, work shadowing or practical training. It can also include attending courses, lectures or workshops off-site or online.

Off-the-job training can be delivered in a flexible way to suit the needs of the apprentice, employer and training provider.

For example, the minimum 20% does not have to be fixed as one day a week, every week. The employer and training provider can work together to plan how to include the 20% minimum requirement over the duration of the apprenticeship. An example could be blocks of training.

The employer and the training provider can work together to deliver different elements of off-the-job training.

Activities which are part of the apprentice’s day-to-day job do not count towards off-the-job training. This means that training providers and employers cannot claim planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time, or line management meetings, as off-the-job training.

Teacher apprenticeship (level 6) (post-graduate route)

The teacher apprenticeship replicates the same high standards for entry and completion as those already required of all initial teacher training (ITT) programmes.

On the teacher apprenticeship, the training provider will decide the overall structure, ensuring there is a good balance between teaching and learning.

The key difference between a teaching apprenticeship and other training routes such as School Direct is that an apprentice must spend at least 20% of their time in off-the-job training. This means time that is spent training and learning during their ordinary working hours, separate from their work duties.

This could include activities such as time spent with a mentor, time spent participating in online learning or self-study.

How the minimum 20% requirement is managed is up to the employer, working alongside the training provider.

Having completed their training, a teacher apprentice will be assessed to see if they demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours contained within the Teachers’ standards, as part of their apprenticeship end-point assessment.

Teaching assistant apprenticeship (level 3)

The teaching assistant apprenticeship reflects the best available evidence and practice around effective use of teaching assistants, supporting groups of pupils and individuals. The training involves understanding how to support a class teacher to enhance pupils’ learning.

School business professional apprenticeships

These apprenticeships are intended to help create a new career structure within school business management. The chartered manager degree apprenticeship (level 6) was approved in 2016 and updated in 2017 to be relevant to those working in education, specifically for school business directors. The school business professional apprenticeship (level 4) for school business managers is also available.

Operations / departmental manager (level 5)

A middle leadership apprenticeship in operations / departmental management that can be adapted for a school context. This is aimed at those who manage teams and projects in line with an operational or departmental strategy, such as middle leaders within schools.

Other apprenticeships suitable for schools

Apprenticeships are available in several other fields that may be relevant to your school.

For example, sports coaching, business and administration, catering and hospitality, facilities management, digital professions, accounting and finance.

These apprenticeships are available at a variety of levels and designed to be flexible so that, to an extent, you can tailor the training to the specific needs of your school.

You can see all the apprenticeships available on Find apprenticeship training.

7.1 Apprenticeships for existing staff

Apprenticeships are a great way of supporting the development of staff in schools and are not just for new recruits.

The apprenticeship should offer existing employees the opportunity to:

acquire substantive new skills
complete training that is different to any previous qualifications

Individuals can complete an apprenticeship even if they hold a higher level qualification.

For example, a teacher may have a degree qualification in the subject they teach, but could complete an apprenticeship in leadership or management if they are taking on a leadership role.

For example, a member of your clerical staff with a humanities or science degree, could do a level 4 school business professional apprenticeship or a level 3 in payroll administration, if they needed those new skills for their role.

Before an apprenticeship begins, your training provider will conduct an initial assessment of the apprentice’s prior learning to ensure they are eligible and that an apprenticeship is an appropriate programme for them.

Question 8

8. Employing an apprentice

Accepted Answer

If your school decides to employ an apprentice, you will need to:

Choose an apprenticeship to meet the skills needs of a specific role at a suitable level using Find apprenticeship training.
Find a training provider for the apprenticeship you have chosen.
Check your funding options based on whether or not you pay the apprenticeship levy.
Set up an apprenticeship service account.
Advertise your apprenticeship or discuss apprenticeship opportunities with your existing staff. You can advertise vacancies on Find an apprenticeship using the apprenticeship service.
Select an apprentice and make an apprenticeship agreement and commitment statement with them.

Find out more about employing an apprentice.

Question 9

9. Apprenticeship training providers

Accepted Answer

9.1 Selecting an apprenticeship training provider

You’ll need to select an approved training provider to deliver training for your apprentices. You can search for approved apprenticeship training courses and training providers using Find apprenticeship training.

Maintained schools should get in touch with their local authority regarding their process for selecting an apprenticeship training provider.

9.2 Registering as an apprenticeship training provider

Schools may wish to register as a training provider to design and deliver apprenticeship training.

Any organisation providing apprenticeship training must be accepted on to the Register of apprenticeship training providers.

There are 3 types of apprenticeship training providers:

Employer-provider

An employer-provider delivers some, or all, of the off-the-job training element of an apprenticeship to their own staff. This is only available to employers that pay the apprenticeship levy and it is only for providing training to your own staff.

Main provider

A main training provider delivers training to other employers’ staff, as well as their own staff.

Supporting provider

A supporting provider delivers training as a sub-contractor to a main provider.

Find out more about becoming an apprenticeship training provider.

9.3 Developing new apprenticeships

If your school has training and skills needs that are not covered by the existing apprenticeships on offer, you could consider being involved in developing new apprenticeships as part of a trailblazer group.

Find out more information about developing new apprenticeships.

Question 10

10. How the public sector apprenticeship target applies to schools

Accepted Answer

The government is committed to increasing the quality and quantity of apprenticeships in the public sector, both to improve capacity and capability, and to ensure that the public sector benefits from the same positive impact as other employers.

All public sector employers with 250 or more staff, including governing bodies of schools, will need to consider how they can increase the number of apprentices in their workforce as outlined in the public sector apprenticeship target.

The target is for organisations to employ an average of at least 2.3% of their headcount as new apprentice starts for the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.

New apprenticeship starts can include both existing staff that start an apprenticeship and new recruits.

All bodies in scope are required to publish and report to the Department for Education on their progress annually. Whether your organisation is in scope of the target will depend on the type of school and which organisation employs the school’s staff.

Maintained schools, such as foundation and voluntary-aided schools, where the employer of staff is the governing body

The governing body is in scope for the public sector apprenticeship target if it employs 250 or more staff in England (regardless of how many schools it controls). That body will be responsible for reporting on progress towards meeting the target for all schools it maintains.

Maintained schools, where the employer of staff is the local authority

Where a local authority employs 250 or more staff in England, the local authority is in scope for the public sector apprenticeship target and is responsible for reporting on progress towards meeting the target.

These schools are expected to be included within the local authority target and should speak to their local authority about how to contribute towards the target. Local authorities are permitted to set out progress in their schools separately in their annual return.

Schools that are part of an academy trust or multi-academy trust (MAT)

Where an academy trust or MAT employs 250 or more staff in England, the trust is in scope for the public sector apprenticeship target as of April 2018.

Read the statutory guidance on the public sector apprenticeship target for more information.

Question 11

11. Further support and information

Accepted Answer

Visit the employer help page for apprenticeships.

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