Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship: a practical pathway into teaching

Prior to joining NITE, Head of Partnerships Matt Pritchard taught and led PE in secondary schools in England. He completed his PGCE with a school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) provider, so has personal experience of school-based teacher training and running a PE department. Here he shares his excitement at the opportunity that our new Teacher Degree Apprenticeship: Secondary Education will offer to schools and aspiring PE teachers.

Opening the door to teaching through sport

For many young people, sport is more than just a subject on the timetable – it has the power to engage, motivate and inspire learning across the curriculum. Whether it’s understanding the psychology of performance and motivation, analysing the biomechanics of movement, or building resilience through competition, sport can act as a gateway to wider educational success.

Across schools, there is a growing recognition that students want to play a more active role in supporting this journey. Sixth formers, in particular, are keen to contribute through mentoring, coaching and classroom support. In my previous school, several progressed into teaching after completing placements with us, going on to become excellent teachers. Alongside this, support staff are increasingly seeking clear pathways into teaching, bringing valuable experience and strong student relationships.

What we are seeing is a shift: individuals within schools want to progress into teaching, but they need accessible, practical routes that fit within the realities of today’s environment.

A practical pathway into teaching

In a time where following your passion can feel increasingly difficult due to financial pressures, traditional routes into teaching can present barriers. For many aspiring teachers, the ability to train while earning is no longer just attractive – it’s essential.

This is where apprenticeships can make a genuine difference.

NITE’s new Teaching Degree Apprenticeship: Secondary Education has been designed to provide that accessible route and offers a PE specialism. With course fees funded through the employer’s apprenticeship levy, it allows aspiring teachers to begin their journey without taking on additional financial burden – opening the door to those who may otherwise have been unable to pursue a teaching career.

Learning in the classroom from day one

One of the most impactful aspects of the apprenticeship model is the structure itself. From day one, trainees are embedded within a school environment. They spend four days a week in school throughout the course, alongside one day a week in structured online learning, allowing them to develop both practical and theoretical understanding simultaneously.

Being in school day in and day out offers a unique advantage. Trainees quickly build strong rapport with students and staff, while also gaining a clear understanding of routines and what makes an effective lesson. They can observe how different teaching approaches are applied in real time. In many cases, trainees see pedagogy in action before they formally learn the theory behind it. NITE’s approach deepens understanding and allows new knowledge to be immediately contextualised and applied.

Having gone through this school-based approach myself, I feel it gave me a strong level of confidence in the classroom. Students recognise you as a teacher from the outset, rather than as a visitor on placement. This early integration often differs from more traditional initial teacher training routes, where time in school is delivered in blocks.

Building the next generation of teachers

From a school perspective, the benefits of this model extend beyond individual trainees. The Teacher Degree Apprenticeship, for primary or secondary, provides a structured way to develop and retain future staff. Schools are able to nurture individuals who already understand their context, values and expectations, supporting high levels of motivation and commitment to becoming the best possible teachers.

It also creates a natural progression route for existing talent within the school community. Sixth formers, teaching assistants and support staff, who are already contributing to student development, can now take the next step without leaving the school. The model enables schools to embed and reinforce their core values through the training of new staff. Trainees are not only learning how to teach – they are learning how to teach within that specific school and its ethos, strengthening consistency and culture over time.

Using sport to inspire more than performance

At its heart, this apprenticeship is about more than just PE. It recognises the wider impact that sport can have on education and uses it as a platform to inspire learning, leadership and personal development. By connecting sport with other areas of the curriculum and giving aspiring teachers a practical, financially accessible route into the profession, it opens new opportunities for both individuals and schools.

For those looking to turn a passion for sport into a meaningful career in teaching, and for schools seeking to build a sustainable pipeline of high-quality staff, this approach offers a compelling and forward-thinking solution.