An academy trust is to launch a “one of its kind” higher education institute for non-graduates working with children to train as teachers, social workers, counsellors and SEND specialists.
The Reach Foundation, the sister charity of Reach Schools, is launching the Centre for the Children’s Workforce next September to provide “structural solutions” to workforce recruitment and retention issues.
Last year, the Reach Foundation said it wanted to upskill teaching assistants by giving them a route to becoming qualified teachers. It outlined plans for an accountancy-style training route.
But now the idea has taken on a “broader ambition” and it will offer training routes to roles including early years staff, pastoral workers, social workers, counsellors and SEND specialists.
These would be open to anybody already working with children, without a university degree.
Training will be delivered in partnership with multi-academy trusts across England, and Reach is in talks with the University of East London to be the degree validating partner.
‘A whole workforce hiding in plain sight’
Sam Fitzpatrick from the Reach Foundation told Schools Week: “There is a whole workforce that is just hiding in plain sight. These people are already working with kids, they love kids, but their development is stymied, so this is about unleashing those people.
Ned Younger, managing director of the centre, added: “It’s become more about the wider children’s workforce.
“It’s more about the potential value in people being able to work in different roles and different settings across the workforce. It’s not going to be a failure if a teaching assistant starts this and then realises, they’re better suited for social care or youth work”.
In its announcement, the trust said the expansion represents a “generational bet on workforce reform” and “moves the conversation from retention gimmicks and funding tweaks to structural solutions”.
The latest government data suggests retention and recruitment pressures may have eased slightly. Last year, vacancies fell by over 20 per cent, according to the Department for Education.
But the changes to Reach’s programme do not reflect reduced concerns.
Younger said: “It’s seeing the teacher recruitment and retention landscape as part of a wider workforce and wider issue. I think this will hopefully lead to more teachers, but it’s more about the health of the whole, rather than focusing on one discipline.”
How will it work?
Reach plans to take its first cohort in September 2026, with applications opening early next year.
It will be open to any non-graduate already in the workforce. Younger said this was important for these individuals’ development, as it “opens up all these opportunities without leaving their job or leaving their communities”.
Participants will complete a modular, two-year foundation degree alongside their jobs, with ongoing, practice-based assessments.
At the end of the 2 years, they will then be able to do a ‘top-up’ in their chosen specialism for a full BA, which could lead into a teaching qualification, or take them into another field.
Younger said it would be appealing “particularly for people who are early on in their career and want to work with children, but don’t know exactly what they want to do.
“[They] probably don’t know what roles are available to work with children, what kind of qualifications are necessary”.
Training will be hosted at a regional level by multi-academy trusts. Reach is in conversation with multiple trusts.
Next year’s cohort will have a “national footprint, but not at scale,” Younger said. Last year, Reach indicated it would have to take on 400 TAs to make the scheme financially viable. Now, the foundation says it wants to build up to that number in the next five years.
The Brigshaw Learning Partnership is in talks to take part in the scheme.
CEO Aidan Sadgrove said it would provide an “opportunity not only to develop our own staff, but to contribute to the strength of services across our communities”.
Reach is still exploring how the new non-graduate teaching apprenticeship might fit into the plans, as reported last year.
At this rate, the total SEN and SEND will outnumber all the other children.
Put the brake on BEFORE there is a nonSENce apocalypse, and EVERY child is officially classed as ILL, and the WHOLE country is bankrupted!
REMEMBER: There was a time BEFORE this nonSENce was invented.
Stop all this POLITICAL illness-making, any get back to reality and common sense.
This government never ceases to amaze me. I’m a qualified teacher from Kenya with over 25 years teaching experience. Yet I cannot find work as a teacher in schools here. My qualifications aren’t “British” therefore not good enough. Despite having a higher Diploma, a degree (First class) a masters degree from here and now doing my PhD. They’d rather spend more money, than mend structural racism! I’ve lost interest in teaching anyway. I’ll pursue more rewarding careers.