Resources

What is the apprenticeship levy?

The apprenticeship levy is funding that all employers with a salary bill of over £3million are required to pay.  0.5% of the employer's total salary bill is automatically paid into a digital account. This money is used to fund apprenticeship training for the employees of that employer. Any money in the account that has not been spent within 2 years goes back to central government. As an LA school you will be contributing to the apprenticeship levy for NCC therefore you can utilise this for your own staff.

Does the apprenticeship levy pay for the apprentice's salary?

No, the levy does not pay the salary. The salary is paid by the school employing the apprentice. 

How much do we have to pay our apprentice?

How much you pay your apprentice is at your discretion as long as they are paid at least the apprenticeship minimum wage which is currently £7.55 from April 2025. If your apprentice is 19yrs+ you can pay the apprenticeship minimum wage but only for the first 12 months of the apprenticeship. After 12 months their salary must increase to at least the minimum wage for their age. If you are recruiting a new member of staff on a trainee teacher contract to enrol onto the Teacher level 6 apprenticeship, then they must be on the unqualified Teacher pay grade. Your NCC HR adviser will be able to give you details.

What does the apprenticeship levy pay for?

The apprenticeship levy pays for the apprenticeship training that is delivered by the training provider. The levy does not cover any other costs such as salary, travel, resources, professional memberships etc.

Does the school need to set up a digital apprenticeship account?

No. There is just one digital account for the NCC apprenticeship levy. This is managed by the NCC apprenticeship team. They will add the apprentice to the account and organise paying the training provider.

Who agrees and arranges the levy payments for the provider?

NCC apprenticeship team will agree the cost with the provider and will arrange for the monthly payments to be paid, directly from the NCC digital apprenticeship account. There is no requirement for the school to do anything with regards to the apprenticeship funding.

If my apprentice leaves their employment within the school will anyone have to pay any of the levy funding back?
No. The school/employer/apprentice will never be asked to any back any funds spent. In the unfortunate event that the apprentice leaves, then the levy funding payments will be stopped from that month. 

How do I find a training provider to deliver the training?

The NCC apprenticeship will procure a suitable provider from our approved provider procurement framework. The NCC apprenticeship team will contact the provider with details of the apprentice. The provider will then make direct contact with the school. If there is a specific training provider you would like to use then please speak to the NCC apprenticeship team.

Can you do an apprenticeship if you are part time?

An employee working part time can be funded as an apprentice as long as their contracted hours are a minimum of 16. However, there may be some training providers that require a minimum number of working hours eg; 30 hrs for a specific apprenticeship. If you have someone who is working on a part time contract check with the NCC apprenticeship team first. They can speak with the provider to confirm if they will be eligible for their programme. The training provider will have to extend the duration of the apprenticeship accordingly if the apprentice is working part time hours (less than 30 hrs).

Can existing members of staff enrol onto an apprenticeship?

Yes, they can. An apprentice can either be a new recruit to the school or they can be an existing member of staff using the apprenticeship as CPD.

How do we advertise and recruit an apprentice?

The school would follow usual recruitment procedures for recruiting an apprentice, same as they would any other member of staff. Once a person has been appointed you would just need to let NCC apprenticeship team know. 

What the age limit for an apprentice?

There is no age limit, anyone from 16yrs + could do an apprenticeship as long as they were employed by the school.

Does the apprentice have to attend college every week?

This depends on the apprenticeship they are doing and the training provider they work with. All training providers deliver their apprenticeships differently. Delivery methods could involve weekly face to face in college, all online, monthly workshops, blended learning etc. This will be discussed before enrolment takes place. Whatever the requirement for delivery is, the apprentice must be allowed to attend during their work time, and they must still be paid. 

What does 20% off the job training mean?

Each apprentice must spend 20% (6 hours if full time) of their paid working hours doing some form of learning/training/development towards their apprenticeship. It could be used attending face to face workshop/lecture, online session, time spent writing assignments for college, research, revision, portfolio building, shadowing a colleague at work, inhouse training/CPD etc. Any activity that results in learning a new skill or obtaining new knowledge could be classed as off the job training. The 20% would be calculated at the start of their apprenticeship and this would be based on their contracted working hours. Each apprentice must log and evidence their 20% off job training activities. This is a funding requirement, and the apprentice cannot complete their apprenticeship until all their 20% off the job training hours (as calculated at the start) have been logged. 

Can we opt out of 20% off job training?

No. This is a funding requirement, and the apprentice cannot complete their apprenticeship until all of their 20% hours as calculated at the start, have been logged. This is mandatory and makes up an essential part of the funding rules. If as an employer, you cannot agree to let your apprentice have this 20% training time then we will not be able to fund the apprenticeship.

What are we required to do in terms of supporting the apprentice?

Allocate a line manager/mentor so that the apprentice has designated person at work for support. Their designated person needs to attend the 12 weekly progress review that are carried out with the apprentice and the training provider (tutor/assessor/coach). 

Do we have to offer them a job at the end of the apprenticeship?

There does not have to be a job at the end of the apprenticeship, but this must be made clear at the start. You must however, employ the apprentice for the full duration of their apprenticeship to allow them to complete all elements of the learning and the EPA (end point assessment). Example; Teacher apprenticeship has 12-month duration. This will usually be delivered during a school academic year September to July, however you will need to add on an extra school term to allow for the EPA to take place.

How do we start the apprenticeship process?

The initial step is to contact the NCC apprenticeship team. They will be able to advise on the apprenticeships that may be suitable. If you have already decided on a specific apprenticeship, they will ask you to complete a short form with details of the apprentice. They will contact suitable training providers and ask them to contact you directly to start the onboarding/enrolment process.

Contact NCC apprenticeship team : [email protected] or 01603 223955

Who signs the employer parts of the enrolment paperwork?

As you are the main employer contact for the apprentice you will be able to sign any enrolment paperwork.