EDUCATION unions warned extra funding is needed for teaching apprenticeships today, after the government announced it was cutting the length of the programmes from 12 to nine months.

National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede said bringing the postgraduate teaching apprenticeship (PGTA) courses in line with other post-graduate programmes so they fit into a school year “is a welcome move and an act of common sense.”

But he added: “It is extremely challenging for schools to support trainees properly in the current funding environment.

“Clearly, if the deep problems in teacher retention are not solved then there will be fewer experienced teachers to support the new entrants.

“The government needs a plan not just for recruitment but retention – and one that properly addresses the real-terms funding shortfall that schools have endured for far too long.”

Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio added: “The reason why there are such a limited number of apprenticeship places available is largely due to the demand they place on employers.

“Shortening the apprenticeship so that it is contained within a single academic year will make this easier to accommodate, but the fact remains that apprenticeships are only a suitable route into teaching for a relatively small number of people.

“While we welcome the fact the government is looking at new strategies to boost teacher recruitment, they are going to need to go much further than this.”

The Department for Education said more than 1,400 people trained to teach via the apprenticeship route this year, but about 2,800 were unable to secure a place in 2024 due to high demand.