UK-first apprenticeship welcomes aspiring early years teachers

Early years practitioners are taking their first steps to achieving teacher status as they begin the pioneering Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship at Teesside University.

The apprenticeship is the first of its kind in the UK, designed to strengthen the teaching workforce and support early years settings including nurseries, preschools, childminders and schools.

The new apprentices, all currently working with children aged five and under, are working towards a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS).

Over the next three years, they will combine academic study with hands-on experience and build specialist expertise in pedagogy, safeguarding, inclusion and early childhood development.

The training programme was developed in close collaboration with employers to help address sector-wide challenges around recruitment, retention, quality and leadership.

Sophia Butterworth, 21, works at Zizus Daycare in Middlesbrough. She said: “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I was that kid who picked the teddies up and took the register.

“I love the idea of having your own classroom, having your own children, leading the team and making it the best it can be.

“The thing I’m most looking forward to about this apprenticeship is applying the knowledge I’ve learned at university back into the setting.”

Lucy Summerton, 21, is from St Aidan’s CE Memorial Primary School in Hartlepool. She added: “I’ve always loved working in early years, and I’ve aways wanted to be a teacher, but I’ve struggled to find an opportunity to do my teaching course and work at the same time and for it to only be in early years.

“I think it’s so hard for schools to find early years teachers too, so doing this is great. It’s good as well that the schools get funding, so you don’t have to worry about cover.

“I’m excited to learn more things, get more confidence and more experience, and to be a teacher. Having that extra responsibility and even more kids will be more fun.”

The apprenticeship is supported by a national employer grant, providing £9,000 per apprentice per year towards training, plus an additional £8,000 per apprentice to help employers cover costs such as backfill and training time.

This ensures early years providers can invest in staff development without incurring additional financial pressures.

The support forms part of a wider £3.2m package aimed at boosting workforce quality and improving outcomes for young children.

Jo Burgess, Director of Professional Apprenticeships at Teesside University, said: “We are incredibly proud to be the first university in the country to deliver this pioneering apprenticeship.

“The programme enables talented early years practitioners to take the next step in their careers while continuing to make a difference in the lives of the young children they work with.

“It is fantastic to see our first cohort of apprentices begin their studies, and we look forward to supporting them on their journey to becoming qualified teachers.”

As well as supporting individual learners, the programme offers opportunities for closed cohorts for employers with multiple learners.

To find out more about the Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship, contact apprenticeships@tees.ac.uk.

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