Apprenticeships and funding for Hackney schools

Investing in apprenticeships is a strategic way to develop your workforce. All Hackney schools can access 100% funding for training, making recruiting new staff into the schools workforce and providing professional development for existing staff both accessible and affordable.

Growth and Skills Levy

The Growth and Skills Levy (formerly the Apprenticeship Levy) enables schools to fund training through approved apprenticeship standards and short-duration units.

• Funding - collected monthly via the PAYE process
• Usage - funds cover training delivery costs only and cannot be used for salary payments
• Accessibility - community schools access funds directly through the Council’s levy. All Hackney schools can request funding from the Council when needed
• Cost transparency - qualification costs typically range from £2,000 to £27,000. The Council maintains a sufficient levy funding pool to support your training requirements

Hiring and upskilling

Whether recruiting new talent or developing existing staff, Hackney Council’s Apprenticeship Programme Team offers end-to-end support.

Recruiting new apprentices

Keep job descriptions concise and jargon-free. For entry-level roles, focus on potential and aptitude over prior experience. A work trial is strongly recommended.

We recommend paying at least the Adult National Living Wage for all apprentices. Apprentices are employees from the start; we advise using fixed-term contracts for the programme duration with the goal of securing a permanent role upon completion.

Developing existing staff

Existing staff can gain nationally recognised qualifications to enhance their skills and further their careers. Learners must dedicate approximately 20% of their paid hours (avg. 6 hours/week) to training directly linked to their role.

Qualifications and training providers

Choose from national Apprenticeship Standards (full qualifications) for new entrants and existing staff, shorter duration entry-level Foundation Apprenticeships for new apprentices aged 16-21 or Units (shorter modules) aimed at experienced staff.

There are a range of education-specific apprenticeships on offer, which cover a variety of disciplines and educational levels. 

Schools will be interested to know that there are new apprenticeships available to allow experienced and qualified teaching assistants, who do not hold a degree, direct access into a teaching degree apprenticeship.

Note on funding: Please be aware that Level 7 apprenticeships for those over 22 and certain leadership/management qualifications are no longer levy-funded. We are currently evaluating alternative standards to ensure your range of training needs are met.

Choosing a training provider partner

We recommend partnering with council-approved training partners where existing relationships are in place or you can select your own independent providers. We will also publish local programme delivery information and start dates with our trusted partner providers in school newsletters and bulletins.

When selecting a provider, consider:

• Ofsted ratings and historic achievement rates
• A proven track record in quality delivery
• Compatibility with school timetables
• Interviewing 2-3 potential providers before committing

Additional support and incentives

• Various government incentives are available to support the hiring of new apprentices, ranging from £1000 to £5000 if all criteria is met
• Our team provides end-to-end support, including advice on apprenticeship training and standard selection, contract management, recruitment, and funding
• Our team can provide pastoral support to your line managers and apprentices as required and provide access to wider apprentice peer networks and other support, such as reduced travel costs and discounts for apprentices.

Frequently asked questions

See the frequently asked questions for further information. 

If you need further support email the Hackney Apprenticeship Programme Team on apprenticeships@hackney.gov.uk