Training is funded through the apprenticeship levy. Schools/nurseries pay this if their employer has an annual wage bill of more than £3 million. All schools that are part of United Learning can access the group-wide levy pot. If you are external to United Learning and part of a Multi-Academy Trust, you likely also meet the criteria to pay the levy.
If your organisation doesn’t meet the threshold to pay the levy, you will be able to use the ESFA’s reserved funding system to fund either 100% of training costs (if you’re an organisation with less than 50 employees), or 95% of the costs if you’re medium sized and don’t pay the levy.
All employers must use the Apprenticeship Service portal to manage their funding.
Find out more, including how to set up your Apprenticeship Service account.
We open new intakes for all our apprenitceship programmes every spring and autumn term.
An apprenticeship programme lasts between 15 to 18 months (plus end point assessment).
Off-the-job training refers to the dedicated time, typically 20% of the apprentice's working hours, allocated specifically for their apprenticeship-related activities and learning, conducted away from their usual work duties.
Absolutely! Apprenticeships present a fantastic opportunity to nurture and invest in your current workforce.
It's straightforward—just reach out to us at courses@unitedlearning.org.uk and we'll kickstart the process for you. We'll request your vacancy details and promote your role on the Apprenticeship Service to help you find an excellent new hire.
We request that you allocate your apprentice 6 hours of Off-the-Job study time per week (or 20% of their total hours if they are part-time) during term time. This time should be spent in a peaceful study environment, free from distractions (consider allowing them to study from home if possible). Additionally, you'll need to assign a workplace mentor to support them, who will participate in progress reviews and briefings each term as well as some other activites.
Actually, apprentices can now be of any age, as long as they are over 16 years old.
Certainly! Nevertheless, the feasibility of this will depend on the unique circumstances of your school. If there are multiple apprentices, the employer must assess how each apprentice will meet their Off-the-Job time requirements while ensuring adequate classroom staffing each day.
If you're unsure about how to proceed, feel free to contact us, and we'll gladly provide guidance.