The postgraduate teaching apprenticeship (PGTA) course duration is being reduced from 12 months to nine months as part of a government initiative to train thousands more teachers. This change offers universities and training providers an exciting opportunity to align their delivery with the academic year, streamline course management, and help address critical teacher shortages across the country. With demand for the PGTA pathway rising sharply, providers are well-placed to expand their training offers and contribute significantly to shaping the next generation of educators.
Schools Minister, Catherine McKinnell said: "Recruiting and keeping high-quality teachers in our classrooms is the single biggest driver of high standards in schools, which is why our Plan for Change has a clear commitment to recruit an additional 6,500 expert teachers by the end of this Parliament.
Our schools are crying out for more expert teachers, and this government will continue to pull every lever it can to plug the gaps and build on the green shoots we are already seeing.
"Bringing teaching apprenticeships in line with the school year is not only logical. It will open the doors for more and more people to become brilliant teachers, shaping the lives of the next generation."
According to DfE figures, the number of people taking the PGTA has increased by 58% in recent years, with trainee teachers keen to earn while at the same time gaining practical, direct experience in schools.
Some 1,432 teachers trained via this apprenticeship pathway last year, but demand was so high that 2,836 eligible applicants couldn't get a place on the course.
To address teacher shortages in maths, biology, chemistry, physics, computing and modern foreign languages, schools are being offered up to £28,000 to cover the cost of apprentice training. Thanks to the funding, apprentices don't have to pay for their training and will continue to take a salary before qualifying as a teacher and progressing to full time teachers' pay.
Following the changes, the DfE has said it would expect more candidates to apply for the PGTA route. The PGTA's 20% off the job learning requirement equating to 278 hours over nine months, will carry on and there will be no reduction in learning hours or changes to content.
The government's commitment to shortening the PGTA course and streamlining the End Point Assessment aims to reduce administrative burdens for providers, while maintaining the quality and rigor of teacher training. Training providers are encouraged to prepare for these changes ahead of the August implementation and to explore how this revised pathway can fit within their portfolio, attracting more candidates and meeting the growing demand for qualified teachers.