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L6Apprenticeship2033 approved providers
The Level 6 Teacher, and the 3 providers delivering it.
Educating young people to achieve the highest possible standards.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices train to teach pupils aged 3 to 19 across state-funded school settings, including academies and maintained schools. The programme covers subject knowledge, curriculum planning, and classroom management, with a focus on setting high expectations and adapting teaching to meet the needs of pupils with different backgrounds and abilities. Apprentices also develop their understanding of literacy standards, assessment, and how to build productive relationships with pupils, colleagues, and parents.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Most of the working week is spent in the classroom, planning and delivering lessons aligned to the relevant curriculum. Apprentices assess pupil progress through marking and feedback, track attainment data, and adjust their teaching in response. They attend staff meetings, contribute to parents' evenings, and liaise with colleagues on curriculum planning. Trainees also reflect on their own practice, often working with a mentor to identify areas for development and act on lesson observations.
Career outlook
Completion leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is required to teach in maintained schools in England. Most completers move into permanent teaching roles at the school where they trained or in a similar setting. With experience, progression routes include head of department, assistant headteacher, or special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). Schools, multi-academy trusts, and local authority-maintained settings all employ QTS-qualified teachers across primary, secondary, and early years phases.
3 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Best Practice Network
Employer: 3.0
Best Practice Network is one of the UK’s leading providers of training, development and support for ...
Ark
Ark is a UK education charity that operates a network of 39 schools serving around 30,000 students i...
ATC Trust (Achievement through Collaboration Trust)
Achievement through Collaboration (AtC) is a multi-academy trust of five schools across Blackpool, B...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is the legal requirement to teach in maintained schools in England. Newly qualified teachers typically take up roles such as Classroom Teacher, Form Tutor, or Subject Teacher across primary, secondary, or all-through settings. Some move directly into specialist roles aligned to their subject, such as English Teacher, Maths Teacher, or Science Teacher at Key Stage 3 and 4 level.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, many teachers progress to positions such as Head of Year, Subject Lead, or Assistant Head of Department. Beyond that, two distinct tracks open up: a leadership route through Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher posts, or a specialist and professional development route as a Curriculum Lead, SENCO, or Teaching and Learning Coach. Some experienced teachers move into initial teacher training delivery, mentoring early career teachers, or advisory and inspection roles.
Where these roles sit
The majority of roles are in state-funded schools, including maintained schools, academy trusts, and free schools, with academy trust groups being particularly active employers. Independent schools, sixth-form colleges, and special schools also recruit qualified teachers. Roles exist across every local authority area in England, spanning urban and rural settings. The public sector accounts for most employment, though independent and faith schools add a significant private and voluntary sector element.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place in an active teaching role, with the apprentice building knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy, pupil development, and professional conduct throughout the programme. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice must pass a readiness check, often called the gateway, confirming they have met the required standard across the knowledge areas set out in the specification. Final assessment then confirms whether the apprentice can perform the full teacher role to the required level. Assessment arrangements for many standards are currently being updated as part of ongoing reforms, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Evidence of classroom practice accumulates throughout the programme, so keeping records of lessons, pupil progress, planning decisions, and professional development from the start is far more manageable than trying to reconstruct it later. Working closely with both the employer and the training provider ensures any gaps in subject knowledge or teaching practice are identified early, leaving enough time to address them before the gateway. Consistent professional conduct and an honest, self-critical approach to improving teaching are central to demonstrating the standard.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
A strong provider of this standard will have a track record of placing apprentices in qualified teacher status (QTS) outcomes and can show that completers are working in permanent teaching roles. On FATP, look for achievement rates above 65%, but also check employer and apprentice satisfaction scores, since a school's experience of the partnership matters as much as the completion number. Providers should have established relationships with schools across the age ranges covered (3 to 19), access to mentor training for in-school supervisors, and clear processes for assessing subject knowledge alongside classroom practice.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers with high enrolment volumes but declining achievement rates, or those who cannot explain how they support apprentices through the QTS assessment. Vague answers about how they assess subject knowledge (K9 to K12) or differentiation in planning (K5, K7) suggest weak programme design. If a provider cannot describe how their curriculum keeps pace with current Ofsted inspection frameworks or changes to the national curriculum, that is a meaningful gap for a standard that demands up-to-date professional knowledge. Opaque mentor support arrangements at school level are also a warning sign.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What percentage of your completers achieved QTS and moved into a sustained teaching role?
- How do you assess subject knowledge, and what happens if a gap is identified part way through?
- How do you support the employing school to prepare and quality-assure the in-school mentor?
- What is your process if an apprentice's classroom practice is not progressing at the expected rate?
- How does your programme stay current with changes to the national curriculum and Ofsted's inspection framework?
- Which age ranges and school types do you have the most experience with, and does that match our setting?
- How large are your current cohorts, and what direct contact time does each apprentice receive from a programme tutor?
Common questions
What are the entry requirements for the Teacher apprenticeship?
There are no nationally set entry requirements for this apprenticeship, but employers and training providers will set their own. Most will expect apprentices to hold a degree, as subject knowledge is central to the role. Apprentices must already be employed as a teacher in a school or similar setting, working with pupils aged 3 to 19. Providers may also require a minimum level of English and maths prior to starting.
How long does the Teacher apprenticeship take and how does learning fit around work?
The typical duration is 12 months, though the actual length can vary depending on the apprentice's prior experience and the employer's programme. Apprentices remain employed throughout and apply their learning directly in the classroom. A proportion of time is spent on off-the-job training, but the specific minimum is subject to ongoing reform under Skills England. Check the current specification on gov.uk for the latest requirements before committing.
How is the Teacher apprenticeship assessed?
Before reaching the end-point assessment, apprentices must pass through a gateway, at which point the employer, training provider and apprentice confirm that the required knowledge and competence have been demonstrated. Assessment models for many standards are being updated as part of current reforms, so the specific end-point assessment method may change. The gov.uk page for this standard holds the most current assessment plan and details of what the apprentice must demonstrate to achieve the qualification.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £9,000. Larger employers who pay the apprenticeship levy draw training costs from their levy account. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy co-invest with government, typically contributing 5% of the training cost, with the government covering the rest. If you are a non-levy employer taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18, government funding covers the full training cost. Speak to your chosen training provider about which route applies to you.
What does a teacher doing this apprenticeship actually do day to day?
Apprentices work as teachers in their school from the start, planning and delivering lessons, assessing pupil progress and adapting their approach based on what pupils already know. They are responsible for maintaining a safe and orderly classroom, addressing misunderstandings in their subject, and promoting high standards of literacy and conduct. They also build relationships with parents and carers, collaborate with colleagues, and keep their subject knowledge current through professional development activity.
What can a teacher do after completing this apprenticeship?
Completing this apprenticeship leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is the standard professional qualification for teaching in England. From there, teachers typically progress within their school through roles such as head of department, pastoral lead or senior teacher. With further experience and development, progression to middle or senior leadership, including deputy and headteacher roles, is a common route. Some teachers move into specialist advisory or mentoring roles, or pursue further postgraduate study in education.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 203.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.