Apprenticeships
A webinar for schools on apprenticeships with more of a myth-busting angle and explaining to schools how they can best utilise these programmes for their staff:
Understanding Apprenticeship Training for School Staff Webinar
A guide to apprenticeship funding
From TA to Maths Teacher – Michaella’s story.
OTJT Hours Are Changing
From January 2026, the Department for Education is introducing a new approach to calculating Off-The-Job Training (OTJT) hours. These changes are designed to make the rules clearer and fairer across the sector.
The key change is that OTJT hours will now be based on actual contracted working hours rather than a fixed national average. This means the hours will be more tailored to the role and working pattern of the apprentice. So there is no longer a fixed amount of OTJT hours per week.
The government has introduced a transitional period from September to December 2025. Where any apprentices starting during this period can be enrolled under either the current OTJT rules, or the new rules. This has led to a new set of hours for this interim period.
Some of BPN's programmes will see reduction in OTJT hours under the new model, making them even more manageable for schools and settings. The table below shows how each programme will be affected:
This timetable shows how Off-The-Job Training (OTJT) can be built into a TA’s normal week, limiting time out of class.
OTJT activities are highlighted in bold, showing how training fits around duties like lunch cover and afternoon sessions, keeping things manageable and low disruption.