Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship

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

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 or secondary school.

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

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.

Jess Grillo

I am a highly experienced primary education professional. Since training as a teacher 20 years ago, I have developed expertise working in a number of roles across multiple settings. As a senior leader and inclusion lead, I have worked in partnership with the staff team to identify and deliver the essential strategic and operational changes to ensure all pupils, regardless of need, were able to fulfil their potential.

I began working for Tes Institute as a pathway tutor in 2019. Since joining, I have been passionate in training the next generation of teachers, equipping them with the vital knowledge and skills to maximise their impact in the classroom. My ethos centres on the pursuit of excellence in education where teachers place the personal development and educational successes of their pupils at the heart of everything they do, ensuring optimal life chances for all pupils.

Calvin Shaw

I have been involved in education for nearly 30 years working across a number of different contexts, from UK State secondary schools and FE colleges to International secondary schools in Asia and Europe . I have taught various curricula form UK GCSE/IGCSE to the International Baccalaureate, holding many different positions of responsibility on my journey. I am excited to have joined the world of Initial Teacher Education with TES and look forward to helping the company prosper in this field.

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).

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

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.

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.

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