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The Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship is a route to Qualified Teacher Status.
It provides an employer apprenticeship that is a levy-funded, salaried route into primary, special or secondary school teaching.
It is free of charge for apprentices, allowing you to earn while you learn on the job.
Employing schools can find out more information about the apprentice on our Information for employers page.
The 10-month course runs from September to the end of the following June, with a minimum of 278 hours off-the-job training throughout the year, meaning that apprentices get the best of university-led training alongside being embedded in school.
As well as teaching, planning and assessment, on-the-job training refers to the practical training that you undertake as part of your daily work in the school environment. This includes observing experienced teachers and receiving mentoring and feedback.
Off-the-job training time must account for at least 20% of your contracted hours and is carefully structured to ensure your development as a knowledgeable, evidence-informed teacher. It will take place through a blend of in-person lectures and workshops, online learning, reading and discussion.
Typically, the off-the-job training will take place on Fridays throughout the year. You will be taught by experienced subject and phase experts, receiving input on teaching and learning for specific subjects.
You’ll also study wider areas of the role of a teacher such as managing behaviour, assessment, child development and working with children with special educational needs and disabilities. The course will ensure that you experience all aspects of the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF).
You might consider a Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship if:
A Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship is a rewarding and challenging programme, requiring an ability to take on classroom teaching responsibilities from the very start of the course.
You’ll be expected to manage training and gather evidence of meeting the Teacher Apprenticeship Standard, and show readiness to be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status, alongside a busy role in school.
Candidates should reflect on whether they see themselves thriving in this training environment.
Candidates wanting to become a primary teacher can apply to follow a general primary, age three to seven, or special educational needs (SEND) pathway.
Candidates interested in secondary teaching can follow the same range of subjects covered by our other secondary routes, including English, mathematics, the sciences, art, design and technology, modern foreign languages, history, geography and PE.
Both primary and secondary courses lead to Qualified Teacher Status on successful completion, and award the apprenticeship when you demonstrate that you meet the Level 6 Teacher Apprenticeship standard.
You can also choose to study for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), which is a level 7 qualification. You will need to pay an additional fee for this as the apprenticeship levy cannot be used to cover this cost.
Throughout the 10-month course you will be supported in school by a work-based mentor and University of Reading tutor. They will visit you regularly in school and review your progress via an online platform.
You will also have a named academic tutor at the University who will keep an overview of your personal and professional progress and support you with any additional needs.
As a student of the University you will have access to all the support services available to any student, including counselling and wellbeing services, library access, academic support and IT support.
Assessment is varied throughout the course and designed to support your learning. It will include observations of your teaching, reflection on your teaching practice and regular reviews of your progress.
You will also receive visits to your school from a University tutor at least once each term, who will observe you teaching alongside your mentor and provide feedback on your progress.
Between visits they will meet with you online to ensure that you are well-supported and on track.
As with all apprenticeship programmes, you will also complete an end point assessment (EPA) through an external organisation, which is an opportunity for you to demonstrate the learning acquired during the course.
All trainee teachers must experience teaching in more than one school. On the Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship this means spending four weeks in a contrasting school placement, arranged by your employing school. During this period your salary will continue to be paid by your employing school.
Before applying for the Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship through DfE Apply, candidates should have a commitment from an employing school that they are willing to employ them as an apprentice for the duration of the course.
The school should email pgta@reading.ac.uk and give your name and the subject/phase that you are applying for. If we invite you for interview, you will be asked to complete some further questions on our learning management system (APTEM) so that we can check your eligibility for the programme.
We will conduct a joint interview, typically online, between the University and the employing school, to assess your suitability to teach. This will ensure that you are a good fit for the programme, and meet both:
You will be sent in advance the themes that the interview will explore. In the interview, you will be asked about your current knowledge, skills and expertise against the Teacher Apprenticeship Standard. You will be asked to make a short presentation, and to complete a written task.