Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship

Gain a nationally recognised, Level 6 teaching apprenticeship that leads to qualified teacher status (QTS) with an optional PGCE, requires your school to pay little or no tuition fees and provides the opportunity for you to earn while you learn.

Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship

Key details

  • Duration

    12 months plus 3 months EPA
  • Location

    blended
  • Funding

    funding available through the government's apprenticeship service
  • Level

    primary and secondary

Course description

Our Level 6 Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship is a work-based route into teaching that allows you to gain QTS, and an optional self-funded PGCE, while you work as part of a school team, with support from your school, your mentor and the Tes Institute team.

Our Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship will help you to:

  • Gain a nationally recognised apprenticeship and QTS at no cost to you
  • Develop knowledge and understanding of your chosen phase and subject
  • Develop practical teaching skills, ideas and activities to use in the classroom
  • Gain knowledge of schools through working as a member of a school team
  • Develop the ability to reflect critically and think on your feet
  • Gain knowledge and develop skills of effective teaching and learning by following our curriculum which embeds the DfE’s ITT Core Content Framework

Entry requirements

Our Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship is aimed at trainees who have some experience of working in education, are interested in becoming a teacher and are employed in a mainstream primary, secondary school or specialist setting.

To be eligible for this apprenticeship you must: 

  • Have achieved a standard equivalent to GCSE grade 4/C in English language and mathematics (and science if you’re training to teach at primary level). Candidates with overseas qualifications should provide an ENIC statement to demonstrate the comparability of their qualification. See the Get into Teaching website for guidance. Applicants who haven’t achieved grade 4/C but are otherwise suitable may be able to take an equivalency test *
  • If you have taken a GCSE equivalency test in maths or English, you will be required to take functional skills level 2 during your apprenticeship
  • Hold a Bachelor's degree** from a UK higher education institution or equivalent qualification
  • If you have studied English as a foreign language you may be required to provide evidence that you have passed a Secure English Language Test (SELT) at level B2 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) with an approved provider within the last two years. See our FAQs for information on the available providers
  • Possess the appropriate qualities, attitudes and values expected of a teacher. These are skills such as resilience, commitment and adaptability, together with good communication skills
  • Satisfactorily complete all safeguarding checks before the start of training (and such checks must not identify you as being unsuited to working with children).
  • Meet the Secretary of State’s requirements for health and physical capacity to teach
  • Have been offered employment in a school as an unqualified teacher

Course delivery

Our apprenticeship is an alternative to a traditional full-time university course. You’ll follow a structured, 12-month course of online and in-school training that is specific to your subject and age range, and embeds the DfE ITE Core Content Framework. Following gaining QTS you will have an end point assessment, in the next term, usually within 3 months.

We offer a primary and primary with maths (age 5-11) course and a secondary (age 11-16) course in key teaching subjects including: art and design, biology, chemistry, computing, drama, English, geography, history, maths, modern foreign languages (MFL) – French, Spanish and German, music, physical education (PE), physics, religious education (RE).

For each subject and phase, you’ll follow a weekly training plan that will ensure you’re making the most of learning experiences in and outside of school.

20% of your timetable will be dedicated to online subject specific and professional studies training, delivered via our interactive e-learning platform where you can access course materials, lessons and tutorials.

You’ll be assigned a school based mentor who will help guide your ITT course and meet with you regularly to discuss your progress and next steps.

You’ll also be appointed a personal pathway tutor who will provide you with regular feedback on your progress and coach and mentor you on subject knowledge and teaching practice development. They’ll work with you to develop your online work, and visit and support you in school.

You also have the option to add a PGCE that will be awarded by University of East London (UEL). If you choose this option, you’ll be required to complete a number of additional written assignments to the level specified by UEL.

Course leader

Jane Coleman Learner story image


Jane Coleman

Since 2016, I've led the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Programme at Tes Institute, fully immersing myself in teacher education. Previously, as a deputy head in a large Essex secondary school, I led teacher training. For over 20 years, I've spearheaded ITT, NQT, and ECT development, curriculum design, and teacher professional training. My teaching career began in mathematics, and I've remained actively involved during various senior roles. Passionate about teacher education, I take joy in supporting the next generation of teachers.

Deputy course leader

Katie Hobbs Blog image


Katie Hobbs

Since starting my primary teaching career over 20 years ago, I have gained considerable experience in education through various leadership roles. However, it was my role in leading and delivering ITT and CPD programmes in school that ignited my passion for teacher training. Since then, I became a pathway tutor at Tes Institute in 2017, working across multiple programmes for many years, and have then gone on to work as a lead practitioner, supporting schools and trainees on their journey to QTS.

I feel incredibly privileged to work with our next generation of teachers, and I am dedicated to ensuring they have the knowledge, skills and behaviours they require to become reflective practitioners who have a lasting impact on the pupils they teach.

Course fees and funding

Our apprenticeship costs £9,000. If you meet the full eligibility criteria, set by the DfE, us and, where relevant, our partnership schools, our apprenticeship can be delivered at no cost to you or your school if your school pays the apprenticeship levy.

If your school doesn’t pay the levy, the government will pay 95% of your fees, with your school contributing just 5%, which is £450.

Additional grant funding may be available for shortage subject apprentices in schools that are part of an ITT partnership. More details can be found on the DfE website.

The optional PGCE is usually self-funded at the cost of £1,200 plus VAT (as applicable).

Course application and start dates

The application deadline is 5pm BST/GMT on the dates listed below.

Course start dates

Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship application deadline Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship start date
Friday 28th June 2024 Monday 2nd September 2024

Next steps

To find out more about our Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship, please click on the 'Express your interest' button and fill out the form. Our team will be in contact to progress your application and answer any questions you may have.

Apply for our Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship

Need more information?
Contact us about this course.

FAQs

Additional information

Tes Institute is a designated SCITT, accredited by the Department for Education (DfE) to deliver Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Tes Institute acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to fulfilling its duties to ensure safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and DfE requirements

* Tes Institute accept GCSE equivalency tests from any UK university or our own Tes Institute GCSE equivalency tests in maths, English and science or equivalency tests from A Star Equivalency Testing.

**  A Bachelor's degree comprises 300 HE credit points of which 60 must be at Level 6 of the QCF. Applicants with a foundation degree will need to supplement this qualification with at least 60 credits at Level 6 (HE Level 3) in order to attain an equivalent single qualification.