Potential teachers across the northwest are being given access to fully funded training, thanks to the launch of a new scheme announced by one of the region’s leading education training providers.
The Alliance for Learning Teaching School (part of Bright Futures Educational Trust) has teamed up with e-Qualitas to deliver Teaching Apprenticeships, which will mean that schools can receive a grant of up to £14,500 towards the salary of a new trainee or existing employee meeting the eligibility criteria for the training, as opposed to taking it from the school’s budget.
Lisa Fathers, Director of Teaching School and Partnerships, says “The UK has seen the number of secondary school teacher trainees fall for years and while there are a number of factors causing this, the cost of the training is definitely one of them. Our aim is to ensure more potentially brilliant teachers, from all demographics, will now get access to training.
“This programme offers real flexibility: there is no cap on how many training positions can be delivered and the start date of the training is open, in order to suit the trainee and their school.”
“This is quite ground-breaking for the northwest region,” adds Robyn Johnstone of e_Qualitas. “It is the first regional partnership of its kind and scale and means schools in the area can invest in their best potential staff so that the pupils get the best possible teaching, without dipping into much-needed, already depleted funds.”
The training cost covers the apprenticeship levy and in selected subject areas supplemented by the salary grant for each subject or year level. Prospective trainees must hold a degree and maths and English GCSE Grade 4 or above.
