Middlesex University has today launched its teaching degree apprenticeship programme, to help primary schools overcome teacher shortages, increase staff retention and upskill teaching assistants (TAs) to qualified teachers across London and the South East.
With the university having provided teacher training for over 60 years, it’s new Primary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship, which is delivered over four years and starts in September, combines school and university learning.
Apprentices, such as existing TAs without a degree qualification, can earn whilst they learn and become a fully qualified teacher via the apprenticeship, whilst primary school employers benefit from upskilling and retaining existing talent.
The university’s 12-month Post Graduate Teacher Apprenticeship programme also starts in September and is centred around employment-based Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and structured around primary and secondary school timetables.
The launch of both programmes is critical, with research from the National Foundation for Educational Research* revealing that London has the highest rate of teacher shortages in primary schools. It also claims teachers in the capital are more likely to leave both their school and the wider teaching profession each year.
Schools and Local Education Authorities (LEAs) can draw on the Apprenticeship Levy to fund up to 100% of the training costs associated with the new teaching degree apprenticeships at Middlesex University. Many schools have not maximised apprenticeship funding available, with an estimated £2.7 billion of unused Levy funds across the wider economy having been returned to the treasury since its inception.
Middlesex University has worked with over 500 schools, colleges and settings in most London boroughs and across the South East. Many of these partnerships are connected to its Initial Teacher Training provision and others involve training teachers on the School Direct scheme.
Professor Darryll Bravenboer, director of business and civic engagement at Middlesex University, said: “Our new teacher degree apprenticeship programmes are launching at a pivotal time for the profession, with a growing number of schools across London and the South East experiencing teacher shortages or struggling to attract and retain top talent.
“The apprenticeship programmes enable schools to nurture and grow their own workforce and mould apprentices to their exact needs. The Primary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship is specifically designed for schools that want to retain talented TAs or learning support assistants by training them to be fully qualified teachers. Those apprentices benefit from the financial security of being able to earn while they learn.
“The new teaching apprenticeships are also proven to increase social mobility – providing apprentices from underserved communities with the opportunity to qualify as a teacher, have a clear career pathway and realise their full earning potential within the profession.”
Schools or LEAs interested in Middlesex University’s new teaching degree apprenticeship programmes starting in September, can register their interest here – www.mdx.ac.uk/business-partnerships/degree-apprenticeships-business/teaching/
