Since Autumn 2019, with the encouragement of DfE SEND division and the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, a team of colleagues from across our sensory impairment sector have been working on developing a proposal, and then a standard, for a Level 7 Apprenticeship route for training to become a QTVI, QToD and QTMSI.
Under the proposed apprenticeship route, qualified teachers will still have to focus on achieving the appropriate specialist mandatory qualification through one of the approved training providers. After achieving that, the apprentice would then also take a specialist End-point Assessment to obtain the apprenticeship.
We have been fortunate to have broad representation on this Trailblazer Group. The ten colleagues contributing represent managers and employers across a selection of local authorities and special schools; as well as representation from NatSIP, NDCS, RNIB and BATOD. There is also representation from three of the University current MQs course providers, and from link partners at the Institute for Apprenticeships.
The apprenticeship pathway being developed will not affect teachers who choose to train on one of the mandatory qualification training courses if they choose to self-fund or have their training funded by a charity. The aim of the group is to create an apprenticeship that allows employers, using the apprenticeship levy which all employers already pay into, to fund members of their teaching staff to undertake the mandatory qualification courses. In recent years a number of apprenticeship standards have been developed and implemented that tie in with first degree qualifications (level 6) and with Advanced Diploma and Masters Courses (level 7). The concept of a Sensory Teachers Apprenticeship very much aligns with this. It is clear in our standard that anyone entering the apprenticeship must already be an experienced, qualified teacher.
The employers who choose to employ staff as apprentices can be from local authority services, state schools including academies, or non-maintained and independent schools. As with any other apprenticeship all of the employers can access apprenticeship funding that provides a significant share of the training costs.
The Trailblazer Group has made a great deal of progress with this work. The Occupational Proposal has been approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships, and we have developed a draft Occupational Standard and End Point Assessment. We are now working on completing the funding arrangements. The group are hopeful of soon submitting documentation for final agreement with the Institute.
There is still a lot more to achieve and we cannot be sure of when this exciting project will become a reality. The Trailblazer Group through NatSIP will provide further updates as the project develops.
The Chair and Coordinator of the Trailblazer Group are Rory McDonnell and Tina Wakefield and they would like to thank all who have been involved up to this point.