Forsbrook Primary School
Forsbrook Primary School is an average sized primary school in a village setting in Staffordshire. The school has 220 pupils from ages 4 to 11. The school employs 33 staff including 9 teaching assistants.
The school has taken on two cohorts of apprentices on the Teaching Assistant Framework. In the first cohort in 2005 the school recruited one apprentice and in 2007 they took on two apprentices who are coming to the end of their second year. Their first apprentice went on to do a full time teaching degree but remains in contact with the school.
Sue Durose is responsible for supervising the Teaching Assistants within the school including the apprentices. She considers that by recruiting apprentices the school benefits from being able to mould the young people to their ethos: ‘With apprentices…you have that blank canvas. Every school is different and expects different things from their staff. By showing commitment to the apprentice, providing a role model, with a high level of support we keep them in post’.
The recruitment for the apprentices is organised by the training provider, Staffordshire County Council. Sue considers that this is a significant benefit, both in terms of reducing administration and getting access to the best candidates: ‘We get the students once they have been through an interview process so we feel confident in the fact we are going to get a quality student’.
Sue considers that the Apprenticeship programme works well because of her good relationship with the training provider ‘I know if there is any question or query I can speak to anyone at the Kingston Centre and there are regular reviews so we can pick up on any problems.’
When filling entry level vacancies Sue considers the school would prioritise Apprentices in the future: ‘I think because we know the Apprenticeship scheme has worked well for us we would now look favourably on the scheme’.
Charlotte Keates is currently undertaking her Teaching Assistant Advanced Apprenticeship at level 3 with the school. Charlotte started her Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship (Level 2) at age 19 after completing a BTEC in Health and Social Care at college. Charlotte had previously done work experience in the school nursery and knew she wanted to work with children. However without sufficient experience she struggled to get a job: ‘When I finished my course I sent CVs and covering letters to all the local schools but I didn’t hear anything and then I saw the Apprenticeship in the paper’.
Charlotte is glad that she chose the Apprenticeship stating ‘it has given me the experience and made me more determined to go into teaching’. Charlotte will start her Foundation Degree in September part time whilst working at the school 4 days per week. Because the Apprenticeship gives her an exemption the Foundation degree can be completed in two years instead of three.
Last Updated: 23/05/2012