A guide to the new Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeships

The first Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (EYTDA) courses will begin later this year, creating a brand-new route for Level 3 educators to qualify as early years teachers while continuing to earn a salary. The 33-month programme blends academic learning with practical experience and is designed to allow more professionals to gain Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS), progress their careers and ultimately improve the quality of education for young children.

The EYTDA aims to strengthen recruitment and retention across the sector, giving opportunities to upskill and clear routes into leadership positions. The new degree-level apprenticeship recognises the vital role the early years workforce plays in giving children the best start in life.

The introduction of the EYTDA is a key step in delivering the Giving every child the best start in life strategy in 2025. The initiative aims for every setting to have an early years teacher, leading to stronger pedagogical leadership and better outcomes for children.

who are Level 3-qualified to progress into teaching roles without leaving employment or taking on student debt. Key elements of the programme include:

• off-the-job training completed during paid working hours, allowing apprentices to develop new knowledge and skills away from their day-to-day responsibilities

• weekly mentor sessions, giving apprentices regular support, reflection time and professional guidance

• six weeks of external placements, providing experience in a range of settings and enriching their understanding of early years teaching

All activity is structured to help apprentices meet the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years), which they must do to successfully qualify as an early years teacher.

Training for the EYTDA costs £27,000 over the 33-month programme.

• Levy-paying employers (those with a wage bill over £3 million) can use their apprenticeship levy funds to cover the full cost.

• Non-levy employers will be asked to pay 5% of the training fees, with government funding covering the remaining 95%.

While the apprenticeship offers clear benefits both for apprentices and their settings, releasing personnel for training can create short-term pressures for employers. To ensure they are not left out of pocket, the government has announced details of a new Employer Support Grant (ESG).

The ESG will provide financial support of £8,236 per apprentice in the academic year 2026 to 2027, with funding for future academic years to be confirmed in summer 2026. The grant will be paid to training providers, who will then distribute it to eligible early years settings.

Employers will receive a grant for each EYTDA apprentice in their setting, subject to availability. There are 400 grants available. Employers can use ESG funds to cover a range of costs, including:

• supply cover when employees are attending training
• employment-related costs associated with supporting an apprentice
  
• additional training or development costs
  
• other overheads linked to the apprentice’s role
  

The EYTDA represents a landmark investment in the early years workforce. For those working in early years settings it opens the door to a recognised teaching qualification and long-term career growth. For employers it brings new opportunities to develop staff, strengthen leadership capacity and enhance the quality of provision. And, most importantly, for children it promises more settings with an early years teacher who can support learning and development during the earliest, most formative years.