Teacher Apprenticeships - Ask Sian

Dear Sian

BPN’s Agony Aunt and Director of ITT helps schools with their recruitment challenges.

I can’t recruit teachers..

..neither can I!

Hi, I’m Sian Marsh, ITT Director and agony aunt, and I’m here to tell you how Teacher Apprenticeships can solve all your recruitment problems!

I can’t afford to train to be a teacher!

How can I progress as a TA?

Dear Sian

A MAT CEO agonises over teacher recruitment. Dear Sian comes to his aid!

I’m unable to recruit new teachers!

This is surprising as surely teaching is an attractive career during an economic downturn!

The Department for Education last year missed its target for ITT recruitment to primary and fell short on secondary.

TES, May 2023

Furthermore, DfE employer grants are available to help cover apprentice salaries and training fees come by way of the apprenticeship levy.

With Teacher Apprenticeships, trainee teachers do not pay fees and get paid on the unqualified teacher pay scale.

Fandabidozi! I’ll let your team know the vacancies we’re trying to fill. I may even have some TAs that we could upskill.

Dear Sian

A young graduate yearns to be a teacher but worries about the costs. Dear Sian has a solution!

I really want to be a teacher and I have a degree and all the GCSEs! However, I can’t afford the fees and I don’t want to be saddled with more debt!

Average student loan debt at April 2022 is assumed to be £50,000 for teachers House of Commons Library, March 2022

There are even grants available to help schools cover the salaries of trainee teachers!

With Teacher Apprenticeships, there are no fees and trainees earn a salary on the Unqualified Teacher Pay Scale.

Holy Ravioli! Finally I can follow my dream of becoming a teacher!

Dear Sian

A headteacher worries about filling teacher vacancies. Dear Sian has the answer!

I have so many teaching positions I need to fill, but we aren’t even getting any applications! I’m really concerned we will be understaffed next year!

Staff shortages mean pupils and students in England are not getting the quality, care and stability in education they need Ofsted Report, 2023

Employing apprentice teachers will widen the pool of potential staff you could hire to include these 12,500 wannabe teachers!

There were 12,500 applicants for salaried ITT last year who couldn’t find a school to employ them.

Yazoo! I’ll get in touch with your ITT team right away!

Dear Sian

A Teaching Assistant loves working in her school but feels there is no progression route. Dear Sian thinks she can help!

After graduating university, I became a Teaching Assistant. I love my job and now really want to be a teacher. However, I can’t afford to take a year out to train!

Almost a third of classroom support staff are considering alternative work TES, May 2023

Trainees remain employed by their school so they can earn while they learn!

Teacher Apprenticeships provide a pathway to QTS for graduate Teaching Assistants and other support staff.

Sick! I can continue working in the school that I love and train to be a teacher!

Applications for Teacher Apprenticeships Autumn 2024 are now open! We are accepting applications for primary and secondary.

Remember, the programmes are funded through the Apprenticeship Levy and there are grants available to support with trainee teacher salaries.

Hi, I’m Chris and I’m the Head of Partnerships at Best Practice Network. My role is to work with schools and trusts to help them utilise Teacher Apprenticeships to support recruitment. You can email me at partnerships@bestpracticenet.co.uk

I’m Eliot and I’m an ITT Programme Coordinator. I can advise candidates about their options and I can advise schools on how to access apprenticeship funding. Contact me at teach@bestpracticenet.co.uk

FIND OUT MORE 0117 920 92000 teach@bestpracticenet.co.uk bestpracticenet.co.uk/ITT-Apprenticeship

PS. We have used this Agony Aunt format as a fun and hopefully engaging way of getting the message out about Teacher Apprenticeships. However, the need to talk to people and share our problems is no laughing matter.

Education Support offer free and confidential support to school staff. You can talk to one of their councillors on 08000 562 561 or visit www.educationsupport.org.uk for more information.