The Teacher Apprenticeship was launched in September 2018 and gives schools an opportunity to use apprenticeship funding (the apprenticeship levy) for training.  

This is an employment-based route for high quality graduates, the amount of teaching you will be expected to undertake at each stage of the programme will depend on your prior experience. Please note that applicants for the Primary Teaching Apprenticeship must have a minimum of one year classroom-based experience supported by references.  

You will be based in school 4 days a week working alongside expert colleagues to embed the off-the-job training into your classroom practice.  In your practice you will work with children who have a range of different needs under the guidance of expert colleagues to support you to adapt your teaching and ensure the best possible outcomes for all learners. 

The off-the-job training will be delivered locally by subject or phase specialists from our partnership schools as well as nationally recognised experts; these sessions are designed to support you in developing your knowledge, confidence and skills over time. 

The Apprenticeship leads to the award of a L6 Teaching Apprenticeship and Qualified Teacher Status. All apprentices will also have the option to undertake the IFT PGCE at an additional cost of £1500 payable by the apprentice. Please note apprentices are not eligible for student finance to support with the cost of the PGCE.

Apprenticeship Route - Salary 

Apprentices are paid according to the unqualified teachers pay scale; as a guideline in 2024/25 the minimum salaries are as follows: Inner London £27,252, Outer London £25,758, London Fringe £23,140 and all other areas £21,731.  Employing schools will confirm starting salaries when offers are confirmed.   

ITT course tuition fees for apprenticeships will be paid via the apprenticeship levy.   

If apprentices take the optional PGCE, they will be required to pay an additional cost independently (fee tbc) 

Please note, apprentices are not eligible for a student loan. 

Requirements and Eligibility 

Degree - 2.2 or above; or equivalent (a third degree will be considered where the applicant has significant relevant experience supported by references) 

GCSE’s: - Grade 4 (C) or above in English and Maths (and Science for Primary Applicants), or equivalent qualification 

Candidates with pending GCSEs will be considered 

Equivalency tests cannot be accepted for the apprenticeship route. 

If you do not have an English or Maths GCSE at grade C/Level 4 or above (or Science for primary teacher training), you can still apply for the apprenticeship, but we will require you to pass a full GCSE prior to the course start. 

Any overseas qualifications should be verified with ENIC for equivalency BEFORE an offer can be confirmed - (www.enic.org.uk) 

Secondary Teaching Apprenticeships  

Our Secondary Teaching Apprenticeship programme focuses on the teaching of children aged 11-16, which includes experience at both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. Your training will be tailored to prepare you to teach both key stages across your chosen subject specialism. 

IFT offers apprenticeships in the following subject areas (please note this is subject to availability and not all subjects will be available in your local hub area):

Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computing, Biology, DT, Geography and Modern Foreign Languages.

Successful candidates will be employed by a host school - this is dependent on location, transport access, and the needs of schools within the candidate’s home area and will be discussed once an offer is made.  We do our best to accommodate the personal and family circumstances of trainees when arranging placements and encourage a visit to the host school to ensure that the suggested placement is mutually agreeable.   

The majority of your time will be spent in the host school, and you will be expected to observe the normal teaching staff hours.  This will include meetings before and after the school day.   

We will also organise a 6-week placement, usually after February half term, to ensure that you have experience of teaching in a contrasting educational/phase setting. This not only supports you to develop your skills but also acts as a fantastic confidence builder. Following this placement, you will feel prepared to teach in any setting and you will be able to make an informed choice about the school/phase you would like to apply to for your first Early Career Teaching position.  

We work with a diverse partnership of schools with a detailed understanding of our apprenticeship programme, they share our ethos and passion for developing the full potential of their apprentices and fully understand how to maximise the impact of your off-the-job training sessions through your practice in schools. 

Please contact your local hub for more information about availability for apprenticeships in your chosen subject in your local area. 

Primary Teaching Apprenticeships

Our Primary Teaching Apprenticeship programme focuses on either the teaching of children aged 3-7, which includes experience at Nursery, Reception and Key Stage 1 or 5-11, which includes experience at both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Your training will be tailored to prepare you to teach across your chosen age range. 

Successful candidates will be employed by a host school - this is dependent on location, transport access, and the needs of schools within the candidate’s home area and will be discussed once an offer is made.  We do our best to accommodate the personal and family circumstances of trainees when arranging placements and encourage a visit to the host school to ensure that the suggested placement is mutually agreeable.   

The majority of your time will be spent in the host school, and you will be expected to observe the normal teaching staff hours.  This will include meetings before and after the school day.   

We will also organise a 6-week placement, usually after February half term, to ensure that you have experience of teaching in a contrasting educational/phase setting. This not only supports you to develop your skills but also acts as a fantastic confidence builder. Following this placement, you will feel prepared to teach in any setting and you will be able to make an informed choice about the school/phase you would like to apply to for your first Early Career Teaching position.  

We work with a diverse partnership of schools with a detailed understanding of our apprenticeship programme, they share our ethos and passion for developing the full potential of their apprentices and fully understand how to maximise the impact of your off-the-job training sessions through your practice in schools.