Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA)
The Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship (PGTA) is a nationally-recognised, work-based route into teaching in England. It's an alternative to a traditional full-time university course, offering a postgraduate-level qualification, no tuition fees, and the opportunity to earn a salary while you learn.
The OTT SCITT Apprenticeship Route to QTS offers an excellent opportunity for experienced school colleagues to earn their Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) while continuing to work in their employing school setting. This full-time, apprenticeship training programme is designed to develop teaching skills through a blend of in-school experience and structured curriculum learning (off-the- job training). While training on the PGTA route, you will combine teaching in your employing school with training sessions with the SCITT. You are paid a salary throughout and your course fee is paid via the apprenticeship levy, so there is no cost to individual applicants on this route.
This 12-15-month programme is appropriate for confident individuals with significant classroom experience, for example as a Teaching Assistant or Cover Supervisor, who are seeking to further their careers in teaching.
Apply for PGTA with Oxfordshire Teacher TrainingThis route requires the support of an employing school before you apply. If you do not yet have the support of an employing school please follow the guidance below.
Find a school to employ you
To apply for the OTT SCITT PGTA, you must already have the support of an employing school. The school must be committed to:
- Supporting your Training
- Providing a timetable of teaching experience
- Providing suitable school-based mentoring to support your development
- The employment and salary requirements of an apprenticeship
If you are not currently employed by a school or your school cannot employ you on this basis, you can join the OTSA Applicant Pool. This allows you to create a profile for potential employers to view. If a school is interested, they may contact you directly to discuss an opportunity.
How the Process Works
1. Create your profile in the OTSA Applicant Pool.
2. Partner schools will be able to view your profile and may contact you if they can support your apprenticeship.
3. If a school offers you a position, you will need to complete an application and interview process with them.
4. Once successful, you can apply to OTT SCITT for the PGTA via DfE Apply.
How to Create an Effective Profile
1. When creating your profile, you should select the “Potential Teacher Apprentice” option from the 'Applicant Status' field.
2. In the 'Your Professional Headline' Field please indicate that you are looking for opportunities as a teaching apprentice, using the following format:
"Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship Applicant - Secondary Geography"
or
"Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship Applicant - Primary".
If you have teaching experience, please add this, e.g.:
"Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship Applicant - Primary (with Teaching Experience)"
3. In the "Short Biography" Section you should include a brief overview of:
- Your qualifications and subject knowledge for your subject/phase
- Your teaching/work history, showing why you're a good fit for this ITT route
- Your preferred work locations (Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire)
4. DO NOT add anything to the 'Additional Skills' field - if there is something you would like to include, please add it to the biography above.
Other Recommendations
- You can include a professional headshot (clear and appropriate for a teaching profile)
- You can either upload your CV or complete the ‘Employment History,’ ‘Education,’ and ‘Certifications’ sections in more detail (no need to do both)
- You may wish to consider including a short introductory video (up to 2 minutes) explaining why you want to train as a teacher. You will need to upload it to a video hosting site (e.g., YouTube) and add the link to your profile.
Final Steps
- You must unhide your profile to make it visible to potential employers.
- Once approved by OTSA, we will inform schools about available candidates.
- Schools with relevant vacancies may then contact you directly.
Important: Please note. if your profile is incomplete after 48 hours, it will be deleted. You will need to start again if you still wish to register.
