The Apprenticeship Levy can be used to develop and upskill our employees within the Trust.

Whether you are keen to complete a formal qualification in a particular area, something that will help you to advance in your current role, or you are looking to progress into a different role within the Trust, funding can be made available through the Apprenticeship Levy.

Level 2 (GCSE) to Level 7 (Masters) are available in a wide range of subjects, from Facilities Management to Professional Coaching.

The flagship programmes of the Laurus Institute continue to be the Masters and Doctorates in Education. The aim of these programmes is to develop teacher’s research literacy with the aim of improving their classroom practice.

The Laurus Trust is proud to be one of the founding accredited learning partners for the Chartered Teacher Programme (CTeach).

​​​​​​​Chartered Status is a professional standard that represents the highest standard of professional excellence. It recognises the knowledge, skills and behaviours of excellent teachers and school leaders, and their commitment to evidence-informed practice and continuing professional development.

The standard has been designed to be rigorous and yet equally accessible to individuals working in any phase, subject or school type. Chartered Teacher Status is a celebration of teacher and school leader expertise.

Action Research Communities (ARCs) are groups of teachers who come together to develop their understanding and investigate a particular aspect of classroom practice. They carry out research as a team over the course of an academic year.

The action research topics are linked to the school development plan, but may also help to inform priorities for the following year. Throughout the year, the groups meet to review progress and agree next steps. There are also opportunities to feed back to other staff within the school.

Further Professional Learning (FPL) sessions take place throughout the academic year. The primary focus of these meetings is to enable interested staff to stay up to date and to discuss current classroom practice. A small number of sessions will also cover some of the wider work taking place within the school.

In many Laurus schools, these sessions take place in the morning and provide an opportunity to explore current best practice.

Each session can be seen as a ‘think piece’ – an introduction to a particular area of work or strategy. Action Research Communities (ARCs) and FPLs form the core of the Professional Learning offer.