Offer a teacher degree apprenticeship
Information for accredited initial teacher training (ITT) providers, lead partners and schools on offering the teacher degree apprenticeship (TDA).
Applies to England
Overview
The teacher degree apprenticeship (TDA) is a new route into the teaching profession. Successful candidates will gain an undergraduate degree and qualified teacher status (QTS) while working as an apprentice in a school.
Apprenticeship courses will be delivered through accredited initial teacher training (ITT) providers and degree-awarding institutions, working with employing schools to deliver high-quality training in relevant subject knowledge and teaching skills.
Subject to provision, the teacher degree apprenticeship will be available for candidates to apply to train as primary or secondary teachers from autumn 2024.
Structure of the teacher degree apprenticeship
Training period
The TDA will take place typically over 45 months and will award successful candidates with an undergraduate degree and QTS.
Candidates can start applying for the teacher degree apprenticeship from autumn 2024, to begin training in autumn 2025.
Course structure
All apprenticeships require off-the-job training, which is defined in the apprenticeship funding rules. How much time a candidate spends on their off-the-job training may vary across training years and between different ITT providers. However, the department recommends that trainees spend an average of 40% of their time over 4 years undertaking off-the-job training to work towards their degree.
The teacher degree apprenticeship standard and are designed to support providers with the development of courses and should be viewed together.
The teacher degree apprenticeship standard provides you with:
- a view on how the teacher degree apprenticeship will be assessed at end point assessment (EPA)
- occupational profiles
- entry requirements
The teacher degree apprenticeship degree specialism provides guidance on:
- how to create and name TDA degree courses
- degree naming conventions
- subject specialisms
Knowledge, skills and behaviours
The teacher degree apprenticeship will use the Teachers’ standards for the knowledge skills and behaviours (KSBs). Recommendations for QTS will be made upon completion of the integrated end-point assessment and degree.
Providers must fulfil the requirement for ongoing, formative assessment of trainees’ progress in relation to the ITT curriculum, which will incorporate the ITT early career framework in full. This will ensure that during the course, assessment will identify aspects of the ITT curriculum where trainees may need additional support and input from the provider and can be used to adapt approaches to delivery or reshape trainee practice. Teacher degree apprenticeship progress reviews will enable providers to monitor progress towards the teachers’ standards and knowledge skills and behaviours.
We will be working with sector colleagues, including Ofsted, to ensure there is shared clarity about ITT assessment for all ITT courses leading to QTS, including the teacher degree apprenticeship.
End-point assessment
The end-point assessment consists of an exam board or moderation board that confirms that the requirements of the apprenticeship standard and QTS have been met.
The end-point assessment for the teacher degree apprenticeship reflects the requirements for awarding QTS.
Roles and responsibilities for the end-point assessment are set out on IfATE’s website.
All providers should be prepared to undergo a readiness check at least 18 months before they plan to deliver the end-point assessment . For information about both readiness and monitoring checks, see the Office for Students guidance.
Salary
The teacher degree apprenticeship is an employment-based teacher training route, leading to QTS, and is therefore covered by existing pay structures.
For the duration of their course, teacher degree apprenticeship trainees must be paid in line with their employing school’s pay policy. For more information read School teachers’ pay and conditions.
Requirements for apprenticeship providers
Eligibility
You can only provide the teacher degree apprenticeship if you are:
- a degree-awarding institution
- an accredited ITT provider
- on the apprenticeship and assessment register (APAR)
You can offer the teacher degree apprenticeship as a partnership between an accredited ITT provider and a degree-awarding institution. In these partnerships, ITT providers offering only the ITT aspect do not need to be degree-awarding.
For guidance on how accredited ITT providers and other organisations form partnerships and clarify roles and responsibilities, view the .
You can email teaching.apprenticeships@education.gov.uk to get a list of ITT providers.
New apprenticeship providers
You can find guidance on how to apply to the apprenticeship provider and assessment register (APAR).
Accredited ITT providers can request access to apply to the APAR through the current Growing Capacity entry route, which exempts accredited ITT providers from certain parts of the application process. To request access, download a ‘request an invitation to apply to the APAR form’ from Apply to the APAR as an apprenticeship training provider and send it to APAR.mailbox@education.gov.uk.
Email helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk for any questions relating to becoming an accredited ITT provider.
Apprenticeship agreement and training plan
Before the apprenticeship starts, you must:
-
obtain evidence that the apprentice has an apprenticeship agreement with the employer
-
have a training plan with the apprentice and the employer
We have produced a to provide a suggested format for accredited ITT providers and other organisations.
More information about the apprenticeship agreement and training plan is available in the apprenticeship funding rules.
Ofsted
All accredited providers will be inspected as per the normal inspection cycle.
For all queries relating to Ofsted inspections, contact ite@ofsted.gov.uk.
Funding and training costs
The teacher degree apprenticeship standard has been costed at £27,000 and this means that an employer can use up to £27,000 of their apprenticeship service account. Funding can be used to support recruitment and course development.
You must agree the total cost of the apprenticeship training and assessment with the employer.
Apprenticeship governance
Several bodies have responsibilities for apprenticeship quality assurance and regulation. Find out more from the Apprenticeship training provider accountability framework.
Recruitment: what schools must do
Choose a provider
You must choose an ITT provider or partner which will deliver the off-the-job training for the teacher degree apprenticeship. Your chosen provider must be on the apprenticeship provider and assessment register.
Advertise courses
Accredited ITT providers will work with employing schools to advertise courses through Find teacher training courses.
Employers or employing schools do not need to be on the apprenticeship provider and assessment register. If they are delivering any part of the apprenticeship (off-the-job) training, they must obtain a place on the apprenticeship provider and assessment register to claim funding for delivering the training aspect.
Candidate information
You can find out more about applying for an apprenticeship at Get Into Teaching.