Early years FE college tutors could be eligible for an extra £6,000 a year from September

From September FE teachers teaching early years in further education colleges will be offered an extra £6,000.

Early years is one of the new subject areas for which FE teachers can claim a levelling up premium payment for teaching specific courses in subject areas including early years.

The scheme provides a Levelling Up Premium payment to eligible FE teachers will help to facilitate a growth in EY course availability and create a pathway to the EY workforce for prospective entrants.

Teachers who teach a course leading to a full and relevant Early Years qualification and which enables the recipient to be counted in staff: child ratios will be eligible for the LUP.

The Department for Education said it is part of the Government’s drive to recruit support schools and colleges to recruit and retain talented teachers they need in the future, and ahead of the introduction of the Advanced British Standard - a new baccalaureate style post-16 qualification which is set to bring together the best of technical and academic education.

Eligibility includes FE teachers of the following early years courses:

• early years practitioner (level 2) apprenticeship
• early years educator (level 3) apprenticeship
• T Level in education and early years (early years educator)
• a course that leads to an early years qualification which enables providers to count the recipient in staff: child ratios

For the 2024 to 2025 academic year, the levelling up premium payment ranges from £2,000 to £6,000, depending on:

• the provider you teach at
• the number of hours you teach

For those teaching at an FE provider that has higher levels of disadvantage, you’ll receive a higher payment. The DfE will publish a list of eligible FE providers and the matching value of payment by summer 2024.

The DfE said it expects eligible teachers at most general FE colleges will be eligible for the top payment of £6,000 if they teach at least 12 hours a week.

Teachers must be in the first five years of their FE teaching career to claim. This means it must be five years or less since they started their first role with teaching responsibilities at an FE provider. If they were employed as a teacher in FE in the 2019 to 2020 academic year or before, they’re not eligible to claim.

The £6,000 incentive is being offered through the government’s Levelling Up premium doubling payments introduced in 2022 to support schools in disadvantaged areas across the country to recruit and retain the teachers they need in maths, physics, chemistry and computing.

The programme is being expanded to cover further education teachers teaching in vital subjects including early years, building and construction, digital, engineering, manufacturing and transport engineering and electronics.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said, Teachers are the heart of our education system, inspiring young people and shaping future generations. 

‘By offering incentives of up to £6,000, we’re ensuring schools and colleges can support the recruitment and retention of dedicated teachers in high priority subjects and in the areas that need them most.

‘This will make a real difference to schools and colleges across the country allowing them to provide world class education for all ahead of the Advanced British Standard, whilst giving businesses the skilled workers they need to drive economic growth.’

• Guidance is available for FE teachers here