Secondary Teaching Apprenticeship
At a glance
| Course Duration | 10 months |
| Start Date | 2nd September 2026 |
| End Date | 30th June 2027 |
| Salary | Full pay on unqualified teacher pay scale 1 |
| Fee | No fee for training; funded through the apprenticeship levy |
Overview of the programme
Course Components
Apprentices follow the same high-quality ITT curriculum as the postgraduate fee funded route. An apprentice must have a minimum of 20% training when they are considered ‘off the job’ and not in school. Apprentices will be supported to develop their teaching through attendance at Professional Development Days (Training Base, Subject and the University of Leeds), alternative school visits to partnership schools, as well as through their Teaching Impact Studies. A distinctive feature of our programme is our evidence-based approach, which supports apprentices to critically evaluate their teaching using recent and relevant theories from wider reading and research. Apprentices work alongside expert colleagues in schools who advise them when applying their knowledge and skills in the classroom.
Teaching Percentages
Most training happens at the end of the week so schools can create a timetable for classes at the beginning of the week. The total amount of teaching time builds up across the year and RKTT provides a detailed overview of the training programme and materials to support the work of both the apprentice and the school.
To meet the Teachers’ Standards, apprentices must have a sustained period with a class so they can demonstrate progression through sequences of lessons. They must demonstrate they can teach the age range for which they are trained. 3-7 apprentices would need time in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. 5-11 apprentices need time in Key Stage 1&2. 7-11 apprentices would need time in years 3 to 6.
Teaching Apprentices must not perform more than 80 per cent of the teaching duties normally required of a full-time qualified teacher.
Support
The school will need to provide a school-based mentor to support on the job training and provide feedback, guidance and support. This includes lesson observations and a weekly mentor meeting. RKTT provides training for the mentors, which they will need to attend at key points throughout the year. It is essential that mentors attend the training in order to effectively support the apprentice.
Benefits
For the school |
For the apprentice |
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'Grow your Own'
Red Kite Teacher Training now offers the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) route giving schools the chance to upskill graduate staff with a trusted provider.
Your school can access funding from the government’s apprenticeship levy to make training your staff more financially achievable.
Red Kite Teacher Training are not able to provide employing schools for apprentices. The apprentice should have secured employment in a school who would support the application and agree to pay the applicant as an unqualified teacher, scale point 1, for the duration of the apprenticeship. Some secondary subjects are eligible for grants, which contribute towards the cost of or fully cover the salary.
| 2026 to 2027 Grants | Subjects |
| £29,000 | Chemistry, Computing, Mathematics and Physics |
| £20,000 | Design and Technology, French, German and Spanish |
| £5,000 | Biology and Geography |
Introduction
Secondary apprentices can choose to train in the range of subjects below or choose a ‘with SEND’ option for English, mathematics and science:
- Art and Design (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Biology (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Business Studies (14-19)
- Chemistry (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Computing (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Design and Technology (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- English (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Geography (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- History (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Mathematics (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Languages (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Music (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Physical Education (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Physics (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
- Religious Education (11-16 with post 16 enhancement)
All routes are full time and lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The cost for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is not covered by the apprenticeship levy however, apprentices can choose to top up and fund this separately.
All apprentices are urged to consider the PGCE as it is an internationally recognised qualification, which offers 60 credits towards a masters and gives a better understanding of educational research and theory.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Hold a first degree from a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification (A first degree comprises 300 HE credit points of which 60 must be at level 6)
- To have achieved GCSE Grade C (4) in English and mathematics
- Have the right to work in the UK and have lived and worked in the UK for over 3 years
- To meet the requirements of the Department for Education (DfE) with regard to mental and physical fitness for entry to teacher training
- That we receive from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), a satisfactory ‘Enhanced Disclosure’ including a check of the barred lists
- Certificates of Good Conduct must be provided if you have spent more than 3 months abroad in any one country in the last 10 years while aged 18 years or over
- Suitable references
