The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has today
submitted a response to the
government’s consultation on the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship.
Sara Tanton, Deputy Director of Policy at the Association of
School and College Leaders, said: “We are supportive of
apprenticeships as a route into teaching. To ensure the scheme is
successful, it’s crucial that the knowledge and training provided
to apprentices has parity with the other routes into teaching, so
that the profession has confidence employing them once they
qualify.
“It’s important to remember that this will only be the right
route for a small number of employers as there are only very
marginal gains to be had, given the investment needed from them
in terms of the apprentice’s salary and time required from
existing staff over the four year period, against the benefits
they may later accrue. This will likely be reflected in the
relatively low number of apprenticeships available each year.
“With this in mind, it’s vital that the government does not lose
sight of the urgent need to improve teacher recruitment via other
routes. The recruitment and retention crisis can only be
addressed by taking significant steps to improve pay and
conditions and making teaching a more attractive proposition for
graduates.”
ASCL’s full consultation response is available to read here.
