Postgraduate Primary Teacher Apprenticeship

Employer Information

Partner with Liverpool Hope University to offer our Postgraduate Primary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship. This apprenticeship is for your staff who already possess an undergraduate degree and would like to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to become a Primary Teacher. We offer the Primary Teacher in ages 3-7 or 5-11 depending on the workplace setting. 

Whether you are a local authority school, an academy trust or an independent primary school, this programme offers a cost-effective route to developing high-quality, work-ready educators.

Your commitments as an employer

To offer the Postgraduate Primary Teacher Apprenticeship, you must: 

• Employ the staff member as a Unqualified Teacher for the full duration of the apprenticeship.
• Pay the apprentice's salary.
• Agree to release the apprentice for the agreed university days (delivered via a blend of in-person and online sessions).
• Allow the apprentice time within their working hours to work towards the apprenticeship and practice being a teacher.
• Provide a Workplace Mentor to support the apprentice with accessing relevant activities and supporting the journey to becoming an Qualified Teacher.
• Fund the apprenticeship via the Skills and Growth Levy.

Need more information?

Our Business Development Manager is ready to support you with accessing the correct funding and ensuring your workplace is ready to employ an apprentice. Email  apprenticeships@hope.ac.uk or call us on 0151 291 228 to set up your initial information meeting. 

...or complete the form below to receive your employer essentials guide:

About the Course

Liverpool Hope University is one of the country's leading providers of Initial Teacher Education. We ranked 1st in the North West in the National Student Survey (NSS) for assessment and feedback, academic support and mental wellbeing services. 

Why choose Liverpool Hope University?

The Primary Apprenticeship is aimed at high-quality graduates wishing to pursue a career in primary teaching. It is an intensive, demanding yet very rewarding programme running from September to July. Tutors are dedicated to individual apprentice support and to working closely with your employer to deliver tailored sessions and learning that meet the needs of your workplace.

Our teaching staff come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds, with a rich diversity of experience in many types of schools. We are committed to the idea that teachers are formed not trained and need both theoretical and practical preparation to be truly outstanding teachers. Our lectures and workshops are engaging and interactive, supporting you in becoming well-informed and reflective professionals who can take independent judgements and are ready to be full members of a school community.

To apply, applicants must be employed in a primary school before the apprenticeship start date and must be employed in an Unqualified Teacher role. Please check the entry requirements to gain further information. 

It is the applicant’s responsibility to find relevant employment before contacting Liverpool Hope University as we are unable to offer job roles.

Safer Recruitment Statement

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and/or vulnerable adults, and we expect all trainees to share this commitment. All successful applicants onto our ITE programmes will be subject to appropriate pre-course checks in line with DfE requirements, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, verification of identity, and references.

Curriculum Overview

You will choose whether you would like to complete the ages 3-7 apprenticeship or the 5-11 apprenticeship based on your workplace setting. The curriculum will be tailored to the age range selected and integrated to your workplace experience.

Timetable

Apprentices are timetabled for study across a number of areas including initial professional development covering principles of education and curriculum areas such as English, Mathematics, Science, ICT, History, Geography, Art, Music, P.E and R.E. Both within university and in school, time is built in for apprentices to meet with their skills coach and tutors on a one-to-one basis to discuss their professional development.

As part of the course, apprentices are expected to engage, on a variety of levels, with the course content and materials. Many of the sessions require active participation through, for example, dance and games in P.E. sessions, songs, games and practical activities in English, Math's and science, and exploration of the local environment in R.E, history and geography. In contrast to this, you will be expected to have some familiarity with accessing library and online resources to support your research into different aspects of primary education in preparation for the completion of the assignments.

Formal assessment of the course takes place through observations, and their successful completion of assignments. Linking theory and practice is a key feature of the course. 

Professional Studies

This part of the programme covers general aspects of becoming a teacher. It is largely lecture-based supported by discussion-based seminars with an assigned personal academic tutor (PAT). Professional Studies develops the apprentice teacher's knowledge and understanding of a range of key issues in education..

Entry Requirements

1. Undergraduate Degree Qualification

A minimum of a Second-Class Honours degree in a relevant discipline awarded by a UK university, or an equivalent higher education qualification. Applicants should highlight how their degree subject relates to primary National Curriculum.

2. GCSE Criteria  

• Level 2 Math's GCSE at a grade 4/C or above.
• Level 2 English Language GCSE at a grade 4/C or above.
• Level 2 Science-based subject GCSE at a grade 4/C or above.

You can be pending the results of these qualifications when you apply, but you must have passed and sent the certificates before the apprenticeship start date. 

If you do not currently possess the above GCSE qualifications, you can complete an equivalency test in the relevant subject before the start date of the course. Email apprenticeships@hope.ac.uk to get more information about equivalency tests.

Please note, we are unable to accept Level 2 Functional Skills Math's and/or English qualifications due to the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) criteria. 

If you have a different qualification to the criteria listed above, please email apprenticeships@hope.ac.uk who can advise on acceptable entry qualifications. 

3. Appropriate Job Role

You must be employed as an Unqualified Teacher in a primary school setting before the start date of the apprenticeship. Your employer will need to agree to support your apprenticeship and provide you with the appropriate time to complete the course. 

4. DBS and Health Checks

Offers will be subject to a successful interview, as well as a Health Check Statement and an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formally the Criminal Records Bureau – CRB). 

Assessment

Apprenticeship completion will be dependent on them achieving: 

• Submitting and passing three written assessments throughout the duration of the course. Each assessment is carefully designed to ensure apprentices demonstrate competence in alignment with the Teaching Standards. 
• Completion of 120 days of placement in line with the QTS standards. This includes a 5 week placement in a contrasting setting. 
• Completing a portfolio of evidence and reflections that demonstrates all the Teaching Standards and meets the planned number of apprenticeship hours set at the beginning of the apprenticeship.
• Attend four Tripartite Reviews throughout the course with their Workplace Mentor and Skills Coach to discuss the apprentices progression. 

All apprentices will have a dedicated Skills Coach to support their apprenticeship journey and ensure they remain on track for the specified end date. 

Support

Apprentices will be eligible for a range of support offered by Liverpool Hope University, including:

Student Support including Learning Support, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Counselling

Library

Careers and Employability including job opportunities, career support and further study information.

Apprentices will also be able to obtain a student ID card to benefit from student offers and discounts including discounted annual gym and sports membership at our Hope Park Sports.

Funding

Apprenticeships are paid for by the employer and cannot be self-funded or funded via student loans. If you are unable to find an employer who can support this apprenticeship opportunity, please look at our PGCE Primary 3-7 or PGCE Primary 5-11 teaching courses.

The employer is responsible for employing and paying your wages in line with the government requirements.

Course Fees: £9,000 (dependent on individual assessment).

Local Authority Schools

If you are a school under the Local Authority, you will access your councils levy pot to pay the £9,000 course fees. You will need to contact your Local Authority and ask if they would be happy to support your school in funding the apprenticeship. They will be able to advise on any processes or documents you will need to complete to access the course fees.

Multi Academy Trusts

If your school is part of a Multi Academy Trust (MAT), depending on the size of your MAT, they will have a levy pot the school can access to fund the full £9,000 course fees. You will need to contact the MAT office to discuss the process for accessing this funding and whether they would be happy to support a Postgraduate Teacher apprentice. 

Independent/Voluntary Aided Schools

If your school is not a Local Authority or Multi Academy Trust school, you have a few different options for accessing the apprenticeship course fees. Please see each option below: 

Co-investment

If your apprentice is over the age of 25 years old at the start of the apprenticeship, you can access 95% government funding, and you will pay the remaining 5% over an agreed period of time. You will need to pay £450 (subject to apprenticeship assessment) before the apprentice completes their apprenticeship. The remaining funds will be paid via a government share which will be set up on the Digital Apprenticeship System (DAS). 

100% Government Funded

If your apprentice is 24 years old or under at the start of the apprenticeship, the government will fund 100% of the apprenticeship course fees. You will not have to pay a co-investment payment. 

Levy Transfer

You can contact or connect with large employers who have spare levy who can transfer 100% of the course fees to your levy account. Please contact apprenticeships@hope.ac.uk to learn more.

Employer Incentives

As an employer, you may also be able to access some additional funding for supporting an apprentice: 

• National Insurance Savings 

Pay 0% employer national insurance for apprentices under 25 years old at the start of the apprenticeship.

• New Hiring Payment 

From 1 October 2026, eligible non-levy employers can receive up to £2,000 for hiring an apprentice aged 16 to 24 years old.

• Young Apprentice Payment

Payable when you employ an apprentice aged 16 to 18 years old or 19 to 24 years old with an Education, Health and Care Plan or care experience. 

• Youth Jobs Grant

For eligible 18 to 24 year old's recruited through the Department for Work and Pensions process.