Nicola Woolcock, Education Editor
Saturday December 09 2023, 1.30pm GMT, The Times
Teenagers are set to work in the classroom as trainee teachers under a new apprenticeships in an attempt to address a recruitment crisis.
Teaching degree apprenticeships will be designed to appeal to those deterred from university by tuition fees and living expenses and to attract a wider diversity of candidates into the profession.
Only 50 per cent of the targeted number of secondary teachers began training this academic year, a record low, figures revealed on Thursday. In languages, just 33 per cent of the required trainees started and in physics it was 17 per cent. Head teachers have described the figures as catastrophic.
Postgraduate teaching apprenticeships already exist but the Department for Education is drawing up plans for degree apprenticeships that would involve trainees as young as 18 years old being in the classroom alongside experienced teachers.
As with other degree apprenticeships, they would pay no tuition fees and earn a salary while they learn. Teach First is one of the organisations that will apply to offer the teaching apprenticeships, alongside its existing route.
She said: “We need more teachers in our schools, particularly in key subjects like maths and physics. That’s why we’re developing a new teaching degree apprenticeship, so more people can start a fantastic career in teaching, whilst earning a salary, avoiding student debt, and getting on with the job from day one. I started out as an apprentice myself, so I know it is a great way to get ahead in your career and I look forward to setting out more detail soon.”
Teach First said its two routes would be complementary, attracting different candidates. When founded 20 years ago, Teach First shook up traditional training by parachuting bright young graduates into the classroom after just six weeks on their course. After two years, they were released into other professions if they wished, but many stayed in teaching.
Now it hopes to attract school-leavers who are shunning university — deterred by living costs or by leaving home from becoming teachers — via apprenticeships.
Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First, said there would be no “dumbing down” of the content and that apprentices would end up with a full degree, although it might take longer than the conventional route.
He said there were a lot of hoops to jump through before the new qualification could be designed and signed off, but added: “The degree apprenticeship is attractive because it’s almost like a double hit on our mission. First of all, there aren’t enough teachers in our classrooms and the schools that serve low income communities are least likely to attract them.
“Anything we can do to create another route into teaching that’s attractive and high status could make a difference there. That will also benefit the children they teach.
He said a survey suggested 40 per cent of young people would consider taking a teaching apprenticeship, opening up the opportunity at a time of a shortage of teachers.
“Teach First exists to create opportunities for people who come from disadvantaged communities. Many of those are people who are not willing or able to go to university. They are worried about the debt and other factors,” he added.
“This gives us a route for them to get into what is, I think, an excellent profession. It will be many of the students that we serve anyway who might be interested in this route. Some of our major competitors in the graduate recruitment space, like the big four audit firms, are really going hard on apprenticeship routes as well. It seems like a scheme whose moment has come.”
Hobby said around 100 schools could offer the teaching apprenticeship initially and that it would benefit schools that had a shortage of teachers. Apprentices will end up with an honours degree and can specialise in a subject such as maths.
“There is no dumbing down of high academic standards. Many want to teach where they have roots and family themselves. But we also need to make sure that this finds its place within other routes into teaching so we do need to collaborate with other providers and are not treading on toes,” he said.
I did some substitute teaching as a 19 year old. It worked fine with younger kids 6-12 but wasn’t very fun with 14-15 year olds.
Next will be apprenticeships for pre-teen doctors and nurses.
This will surely work out fine… no problems whatsoever!
There’s far too much focus on recruitment and not enough on retainment. If the profession was reformed to allow teachers lives alongside their career, it’s a job which would be very appealing. Sadly, the only plan seems to be to churn through and increasing number of young people and hope a small fraction stick it out.
Another band aid solution to a “the UK’s guts are literally hanging out a gaping wound”.
Such a depressive read. Why are our political overlords so obsessed with trying any silly innovation other than resolving the issue: pay teachers better, improve working conditions and voilà! Problem will sort itself out.
Same with doctors and other health and care staff. Better funding of health and education tends to pay back in terms of better productivity (and healthier people and society, if it matters).
7 comments
Nicola Woolcock, Education Editor
Saturday December 09 2023, 1.30pm GMT, The Times
Teenagers are set to work in the classroom as trainee teachers under a new apprenticeships in an attempt to address a recruitment crisis.
Teaching degree apprenticeships will be designed to appeal to those deterred from university by tuition fees and living expenses and to attract a wider diversity of candidates into the profession.
Only 50 per cent of the targeted number of secondary teachers began training this academic year, a record low, figures revealed on Thursday. In languages, just 33 per cent of the required trainees started and in physics it was 17 per cent. Head teachers have described the figures as catastrophic.
Postgraduate teaching apprenticeships already exist but the Department for Education is drawing up plans for degree apprenticeships that would involve trainees as young as 18 years old being in the classroom alongside experienced teachers.
As with other degree apprenticeships, they would pay no tuition fees and earn a salary while they learn. Teach First is one of the organisations that will apply to offer the teaching apprenticeships, alongside its existing route.
She said: “We need more teachers in our schools, particularly in key subjects like maths and physics. That’s why we’re developing a new teaching degree apprenticeship, so more people can start a fantastic career in teaching, whilst earning a salary, avoiding student debt, and getting on with the job from day one. I started out as an apprentice myself, so I know it is a great way to get ahead in your career and I look forward to setting out more detail soon.”
Teach First said its two routes would be complementary, attracting different candidates. When founded 20 years ago, Teach First shook up traditional training by parachuting bright young graduates into the classroom after just six weeks on their course. After two years, they were released into other professions if they wished, but many stayed in teaching.
Now it hopes to attract school-leavers who are shunning university — deterred by living costs or by leaving home from becoming teachers — via apprenticeships.
Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First, said there would be no “dumbing down” of the content and that apprentices would end up with a full degree, although it might take longer than the conventional route.
He said there were a lot of hoops to jump through before the new qualification could be designed and signed off, but added: “The degree apprenticeship is attractive because it’s almost like a double hit on our mission. First of all, there aren’t enough teachers in our classrooms and the schools that serve low income communities are least likely to attract them.
“Anything we can do to create another route into teaching that’s attractive and high status could make a difference there. That will also benefit the children they teach.
He said a survey suggested 40 per cent of young people would consider taking a teaching apprenticeship, opening up the opportunity at a time of a shortage of teachers.
“Teach First exists to create opportunities for people who come from disadvantaged communities. Many of those are people who are not willing or able to go to university. They are worried about the debt and other factors,” he added.
“This gives us a route for them to get into what is, I think, an excellent profession. It will be many of the students that we serve anyway who might be interested in this route. Some of our major competitors in the graduate recruitment space, like the big four audit firms, are really going hard on apprenticeship routes as well. It seems like a scheme whose moment has come.”
Hobby said around 100 schools could offer the teaching apprenticeship initially and that it would benefit schools that had a shortage of teachers. Apprentices will end up with an honours degree and can specialise in a subject such as maths.
“There is no dumbing down of high academic standards. Many want to teach where they have roots and family themselves. But we also need to make sure that this finds its place within other routes into teaching so we do need to collaborate with other providers and are not treading on toes,” he said.
I did some substitute teaching as a 19 year old. It worked fine with younger kids 6-12 but wasn’t very fun with 14-15 year olds.
Next will be apprenticeships for pre-teen doctors and nurses.
This will surely work out fine… no problems whatsoever!
There’s far too much focus on recruitment and not enough on retainment. If the profession was reformed to allow teachers lives alongside their career, it’s a job which would be very appealing. Sadly, the only plan seems to be to churn through and increasing number of young people and hope a small fraction stick it out.
Another band aid solution to a “the UK’s guts are literally hanging out a gaping wound”.
Such a depressive read. Why are our political overlords so obsessed with trying any silly innovation other than resolving the issue: pay teachers better, improve working conditions and voilà! Problem will sort itself out.
Same with doctors and other health and care staff. Better funding of health and education tends to pay back in terms of better productivity (and healthier people and society, if it matters).