National Apprenticeship Week 2026

National Apprenticeship Week is an annual event that recognises and celebrates the accomplishments of apprentices across England. It brings together employers and apprentices across the country and shines a light on the positive impact apprentices make to people’s lives, their community and to the wider economy.

National Apprenticeship Week 2026 runs from 9 – 15 February.

For the apprentice, it costs nothing. You will be employed by your school and earn a salary alongside your learning.

For schools, apprenticeships are funded by the apprenticeship levy. If your school pays the apprenticeship levy, the training is delivered at no cost to your school. This includes the cost of the End Point Assessment.

If your school doesn’t pay the levy, they can still benefit from the initiative. Schools can opt to make a 5% contribution to the cost of training, and the government will pay the remaining 95%.

Either way, you will need to pay your apprentice an unqualified teacher salary on the minimum Unqualified Teacher Scale 1. In some cases, you can get funding for this too – there are grants available which can cover an apprentice’s salary for certain subjects.

For the apprentice, it costs nothing. You’ll continue to work as a TA in your school and keep earning while you learn.  

For schools, apprenticeships are funded by the apprenticeship levy. If your school pays the apprenticeship levy, the training is delivered at no cost to your school. This includes the cost of the End Point Assessment. 

If your school doesn't pay the apprenticeship levy, you will pay a 5% contribution to the cost of training, and the government will pay the remaining 95%.  

The school is responsible for paying the salary of your TA during the apprenticeship.

Yes, apprentices must be employed from the date that they start the apprenticeship. Apprentices must have a contract of employment with a school, and the school must commit to employing the apprentice until the end of their apprenticeship. They will need to confirm that they have been offered this contract.

We recommend that you work with a trusted partner like Tes Institute. Whether you’re looking to train and qualify your teachers or develop and support your TAs, we'll help you navigate the funding and eligibility rules, support your staff through the application process and deliver the training. Contact us to find out more.

Once you've applied, your application will be assessed by the programme leaders and if you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll be asked to attend an interview, conducted jointly between your school and Tes. Our programme leaders will also contact your school and ask them to confirm that they will support you as an apprentice.

The duration depends on the type of teaching apprenticeship. For example, a bachelor’s-level degree apprenticeship lasts for four years. For individuals who already have a bachelor’s degree, the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship offered by Tes Institute takes 10 months to complete – effectively, one school year.

Our Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship is an 18-month course, plus a 3-month End Point Assessment. So, you can expect to complete the apprenticeship within two school years.

The apprentice and the school need to commit to 10-15 teaching hours and one study day away from school per week for the duration of the apprenticeship.