Programme Details and Funding
The School Business Professional Apprenticeship will take around 24 months to complete (including three months for the completion of an end-point assessment) and is open to school business professionals or those working in school-support roles.
The programme allows you to attend five one-day face to face sessions, up to seven coach meetings with work-based and online learning covering the topics below. Your line manager will be able to show their support of your development through attending these coach visits and being involved in activities undertake for your off-the-job learning.
A key requirement of your apprenticeship will be undertaking 20% off-the-job training which can include your face-to-face workshops as well as other learning opportunities. A minimum of English and Maths at Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE grade A*-C / 9-4) are required for the programme, but we can help you obtain these during your apprenticeship at no extra charge.
The cost of this course is £6000 which will be taken from your school's levy account. This value may change as prior learning will be taken into consideration before a final figure is provided to you.
Please Note: It is important that you check with your line/funding manager to confirm that there are sufficient funds within your DAS account before applying. For those that are Non-levy payers looking to apply, you can read here about alternative payment options.
For additional information on these topics, please refer to the overview document within the key documents section below.
How will I benefit from completing the SBP Apprenticeship?
'Every topic is related to a practical area of the job role of a School Business Manager and is closely aligned with the Institute of School Business Leaders (ISBL) Standards' - SBP Apprenticeship Learner
Read about how learners have benefitted from completing the SBP Apprenticeship below.
Kevin Parker read the full story
Why choose Serco?
Serco has previously trained over 16,000 school leaders across a wide range of leadership programmes. We have over ten years' experience providing first-class tuition to education professionals through collaborating with reputable providers such as ISBL and the SBM Partnership.
The coaches and facilitators working on the SBP Apprenticeship come from a variety of professional backgrounds and bring a wealth of knowledge in different subject areas such as business management and leadership which serve to enhance learner development throughout the duration of their studies.
SBP Apprenticeship information:
- Nearly 100 apprentices supported to complete the apprenticeship with many of these achieving a distinction
- Over 100 apprentices having also registered for ILM accreditation
- 20+ professional coaches and facilitators providing support and guidance throughout the apprenticeship
- Resources providing guidance for each unit are available through Serco's Leadership Learning Centre
- Opportunities to enhance your learning through face-to-face workshops
Other considerations
The apprenticeship levy will cover the cost of the training programme but doesn’t cover travel costs, WebEx call charges (depending on your phone provider) or accommodation should you need overnight accommodation when attending the one-day workshops during your studies. Salaries will not be covered.
This is an exciting opportunity to gain a Level 4 qualification whilst working but please think carefully about your time commitment and how you will manage the day-job. Your employer must be able to allocate 20% of your working time for off-the-job study/learning; this does include the face-to-face sessions and coach visits, etc., though.
Whilst the programme is delivered flexibly there will be deadlines for assignments and attendance at one-day workshops is mandatory. Should you wish to discuss this further please contact Serco Education either by phone on 01452 341 829 (office hours) or email: apprenticeshipapplications@serco.com.
Remember to discuss this opportunity with your line manager who will be required to support you during your studies. You will also need separate permission or approval from your funding / apprenticeship manager (please check this before applying).
Please note that, whilst your learning will be guided, with support from your facilitators (at the workshops and online) and your coach, you will be expected to work through the learning materials via Serco Education's online web platform.
Each unit that you study will have a start and end date and you may have one or two milestones during each unit, plus assignment submissions at the end of each unit, but aside from these it will be up to you to determine the pace at which you study and the amount of additional reading and research you do.
This may be a different style of learning to your previous experience and it relies on your own motivation and commitment to succeed; some of the evidence required for your portfolios will be compiled from your workplace or day-to-day role.
Key documents
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SBPA Overview
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A day in the life of a SBPA Apprentice
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SBPA FAQs
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SBPA T&Cs
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Apprenticeships for the school workforce - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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Information for levy-paying apprentices
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Information for non-levy apprentices
To apply online, please scroll to section below.
Complaints Policy
We work hard to ensure that apprentices and their employers receive a high quality experience throughout an apprenticeship. We endeavour to respond to any concerns as soon as they arise but occasionally complaints do arise. Our employer complaints process may be found here.
When can I start?
There are typically three intakes per year in the Spring, Summer and Autumn terms. Our next intake application window for 20th May 2024 is open and the deadline to apply is the 22nd April 2024. There will usually be one or two regional locations across England for the one-day face-to-face workshops.
Ready to apply?
Please download your application pack here to start the application process (The link will open an Excel Document for you to work through prior to returning to us).
