Educating young people to achieve the highest possible standards.
This apprenticeship trains individuals to become qualified teachers, developing the knowledge and skills needed to educate pupils to a high standard. Apprentices study curriculum design, subject knowledge, pedagogy, behaviour management, and assessment practice. They learn how to plan and deliver lessons, respond to the needs of different learners, and meet the Teachers' Standards required for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The programme combines academic study at degree level with substantial school-based practice, making it suitable for people who do not already hold a degree.
Apprentices spend the majority of their time in school, planning and teaching lessons across their subject or phase specialism. Week to week, this involves preparing lesson materials, marking and giving feedback on pupil work, attending staff meetings, and supporting pupils with additional needs. They also complete university-based study and assignments alongside their school placement, which means managing academic deadlines while fulfilling a genuine teaching role. Mentoring from experienced colleagues is a standard part of the programme.
Completing this apprenticeship leads to QTS and an undergraduate degree, which are the core requirements for a career in state-funded schools in England. Newly qualified teachers typically start as classroom teachers and can progress to subject lead, head of year, or head of department roles within a few years. With further experience, progression into senior leadership, including deputy headship or headship, is a well-established route. Employers are maintained primary and secondary schools, academies, and free schools across all local authority areas.
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No training providers currently listed for this standard.
Completing this apprenticeship leads directly to Qualified Teacher Status, which is the requirement for teaching in maintained schools and many academies in England. Newly qualified teachers typically take up posts as a classroom teacher in their chosen phase and subject specialism, whether that is a primary class teacher, a secondary English teacher, a secondary science teacher, or a secondary maths teacher. The role carries full responsibility for planning and delivering lessons, assessing pupil progress, and meeting the Teachers' Standards.
Within three to five years, many teachers move into roles such as Head of Year, Subject Leader, or Head of Department. Beyond that, two distinct tracks tend to open up. One leads toward whole-school leadership: Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher roles, sometimes supported by the National Professional Qualifications framework. The other keeps a teacher in the classroom as an Advanced Practitioner, Specialist Leader of Education, or subject-expert mentor responsible for curriculum development and training colleagues.
Qualified teachers work across maintained primary schools, maintained secondary schools, academies, free schools, and independent schools throughout the UK. Special educational needs schools and pupil referral units also recruit directly from this route. Employers range from small rural primaries to large multi-academy trusts with dozens of sites. The vast majority of roles sit in the public sector, though independent and faith schools add a smaller private and voluntary strand to the market.
Learning takes place in a real school setting throughout, meaning the apprentice builds classroom experience from day one rather than in simulated conditions. Before final assessment, a readiness check (the gateway) confirms the apprentice has met all necessary requirements and their employer and training provider agree they are ready to proceed. Final assessment then determines whether the apprentice can teach to the standard required, drawing on the knowledge, skills and behaviours developed over the programme. Assessment for standards at this level is subject to ongoing updates, so check the current specification on the apprenticeship's gov.uk page.
Because teaching is assessed through genuine practice, keeping records of classroom experience throughout the programme matters far more than trying to compile evidence at the end. Apprentices should document lesson planning, pupil progress, and professional development as they go, building a body of evidence that reflects real competence rather than a last-minute summary. Working closely with both the school and the training provider to track progress against the teaching standards will make the gateway process significantly more straightforward when the time comes.
Look for providers with achievement rates above 65% on their FATP profile, though for a 45-month programme at this level, sustained learner support across the full duration matters as much as the headline figure. Strong providers will have formal partnerships with schools across different key stages and pupil demographics, giving apprentices varied placement experience. Employer satisfaction scores above 80% suggest the provider is working closely with school partners rather than treating placements as an afterthought. Check that the provider holds current Ofsted inspection evidence and that tutors hold QTS themselves.
Be cautious of providers with high apprentice volumes but falling achievement rates, which on a long programme often signals inadequate pastoral and academic support. Vague answers about how placements are allocated, or providers who cannot confirm placements across more than one school setting, are a concern. If the provider cannot show that recent completers gained QTS and entered teaching roles, that matters. Equally, providers who outsource significant parts of the programme without clear oversight of teaching quality warrant scrutiny.
Employers and training providers set their own entry requirements, but applicants typically need to meet the same eligibility criteria as any undergraduate programme, including suitable prior qualifications such as A levels or equivalent. Apprentices must be employed in a school or educational setting where they can practise teaching throughout. Providers may also require applicants to pass literacy and numeracy skills tests before starting.
The typical duration is 45 months. Apprentices remain employed in their school or educational setting throughout, teaching and learning simultaneously. A portion of working time is set aside for off-the-job learning, which covers academic study and professional development. The exact percentage is subject to current government reforms, so check the current specification on gov.uk for up-to-date requirements before planning resourcing.
Before the final assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, a point at which the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has demonstrated the required level of competence. Assessment models for many standards are being reviewed under current Skills England reforms, so the precise endpoint assessment approach may change. Check the current standard specification on gov.uk for the latest confirmed assessment arrangements.
The funding band for this standard is £27,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from apprenticeship funding. Levy-paying employers use their digital apprenticeship service account to cover costs. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy contribute 5% of the training cost, with the government paying the remaining 95%. If you employ a 16 to 18-year-old apprentice and have fewer than 50 employees, government funding covers the full cost.
The apprentice works as a teacher in a school or other educational setting from day one, planning and delivering lessons, assessing pupil work, and managing classroom behaviour. They take responsibility for the progress of the pupils in their classes while also completing academic study tied to a degree qualification. Over time they take on a fuller teaching timetable, applying theory directly to classroom practice under the guidance of experienced colleagues and mentors.
Completing this apprenticeship leads to qualified teacher status, which is the professional licence required to teach in state schools in England. From there, teachers can pursue roles with additional responsibility such as subject leadership, pastoral leadership, or special educational needs coordination. With experience, progression into senior leadership or headship is possible, often supported by further professional qualifications such as the National Professional Qualifications offered through the Department for 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: 823.
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.