Can You Get Paid While Training to Be a Teacher in Essex?

Paid teacher training can be a practical option for school leavers, teaching assistants and people looking for a career change. Rather than studying full time away from the classroom, you can combine training with paid employment in a school.

In Essex, Catalyst Academies Trust offers a route that allows you to earn £24,000 per year while working towards a degree, Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a PGCE.

Here is how paid teacher training works and what you need to know before applying.

Is teacher training always unpaid?

No. There are both salaried and non-salaried routes into teaching.

Some traditional teacher training routes involve paying tuition fees and using student finance or other funding to support yourself while you study. Other routes are employment-based, which means you are employed by a school and receive a salary while completing your training.

The right option will depend on your existing qualifications, the type of teaching you want to go into and the training providers available in your area.

If earning while you learn is important to you, an apprenticeship can be one of the most direct routes to consider.

How can you get paid while training to teach?

Teacher apprenticeships combine paid school employment with structured training.

You spend much of your time gaining experience in a real school, while also completing the academic and professional training needed to become a qualified teacher.

For people who do not already have a university degree, a Teacher Degree Apprenticeship can be particularly useful. It allows you to work towards a degree and teacher status without taking the traditional full-time university route.

If you already have a degree, there are also postgraduate salaried teacher training options available through some providers.

It is important to remember that salaried routes can be competitive. They are also demanding. You will be combining study with real responsibilities in a school, so you need to be prepared to manage both parts of the programme.

Get paid to train with Catalyst Academies Trust

Catalyst Academies Trust offers a Primary teaching apprenticeship in Essex for people who want to qualify as a primary school teacher while earning a salary.

The 36-month programme is employment-based, so you will be employed by Catalyst Academies Trust and placed in one of its primary schools in Thurrock, Essex.

Apprentices receive a salary of £24,000 per year and do not have tuition fees to pay.

Over the course of the apprenticeship, you will work towards:

• A BA (Hons) in Primary Education

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

• A PGCE

• The practical experience needed to begin your teaching career with confidence

This means you can qualify as a primary school teacher without having to complete a degree first and then apply separately for teacher training.

What does the apprenticeship involve?

The Primary Teaching Degree Apprenticeship is delivered in partnership with the University of Brighton.

You will normally spend Monday to Thursday working in a Catalyst primary school, where you will build classroom experience from the beginning of the programme.

Friday is dedicated to university-directed study. Around 75% of this study is delivered online and 25% is face to face. You will also complete three weeks of university-based training at the University of Brighton.

Your teaching responsibilities increase gradually as your skills and experience develop. You are not expected to walk into a classroom on your first day and teach independently.

You will receive support through mentoring, classroom practice and university study. In your second year, you will also complete a six-week placement in a contrasting school within the Trust. This gives you experience of another school environment and helps broaden your understanding of primary teaching.

Subject-specific training can also be provided based on your individual development needs.

Where could you be based?

Catalyst Academies Trust works with primary schools in Thurrock, Essex, including schools in Grays, South Ockendon and Aveley.

Training within a multi-academy trust gives you the chance to learn from experienced teachers and leaders while becoming part of day-to-day school life.

You will see much more than classroom teaching. Working in a school also gives you experience of planning, assessment, safeguarding, working with colleagues and supporting pupils with different needs.

That practical experience can be valuable when you move into your first qualified teaching role.

Who can apply for the Catalyst teaching apprenticeship?

The apprenticeship is open to people aged 18 and over who meet the entry requirements.

You will need:

• Grade 4 or equivalent in GCSE English, Mathematics and Science

• A minimum of Grade C or above in three A levels

• A genuine interest in working with children and becoming a primary school teacher

Candidates with lower A-level grades can still be considered where they have relevant school experience.

Applicants with approved BTEC qualifications can also apply, and Catalyst will consider candidates who have achieved the required GCSE standard through an A Star equivalency test.

You do not need to be coming straight from school or college. The programme is also open to career changers who want to move into primary education.

Is earning while you train right for you?

A salaried apprenticeship can remove two of the biggest concerns people have about teacher training: paying tuition fees and managing without a regular income.

It also means your training is closely connected to the job you are preparing for. Instead of learning about school life only through short placements, you are part of a school throughout the programme.

However, earning while you train does not mean the course is easier. You will need to balance academic study, professional development and your responsibilities in school.

For the right person, that combination can work well. If you learn best through practical experience and want to start building your teaching career from day one, an employment-based route may suit you.

Can career changers get paid while training to teach?

Yes. A paid apprenticeship can be an option if you are currently working in another sector and want to move into education.

Skills from other careers can also transfer well into teaching. Communication, organisation, teamwork, problem-solving and managing competing priorities are all useful in a school environment.

You may also already work in education as a teaching assistant or another support role. In that case, an apprenticeship can provide a route to progress towards becoming a qualified teacher without stepping away from employment to complete a full-time university course.

Start your teacher training in Essex

You do not necessarily have to choose between earning a salary and training to become a teacher.

Through Catalyst Academies Trust's Primary Teaching Degree Apprenticeship, you can earn £24,000 per year, gain practical experience in an Essex primary school and work towards a degree, QTS and PGCE over 36 months, with no tuition fees to pay.

Successful applicants are invited to a face-to-face interview at one of Catalyst's schools in Thurrock.

If you are ready to start working towards a career in primary teaching, you can Apply Here.