Staff apprenticeships strengthen SEND provision at Polaris Community

Polaris Community is using apprenticeships to train existing staff into qualified teachers, with a teaching assistant starting a Level 6 apprenticeship funded through an ASDA levy transfer arranged by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The Polaris Community is expanding staff development through apprenticeship routes to support its SEND and SEMH schools. A teaching assistant at Ormston School, Hannah Hattersley, began a Level 6 teaching apprenticeship on 1 September last year. Her training is funded by an ASDA levy transfer arranged through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Levy Transfer Service. Polaris became an approved apprenticeship provider in 2025 and is using the model to retain and develop staff. Known details: - Hannah Hattersley started a Level 6 teaching apprenticeship on 1 September last year and is reported to be on track to be qualified by June 2026. - The apprenticeship is funded by an ASDA levy transfer matched through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Levy Transfer Service. - Polaris says training existing staff helps them grow the workforce from within because apprentices already understand the organisation's values and therapeutic approach. - Polaris became an approved apprenticeship provider in 2025 and supports staff across its children's services, including fostering, adoption, residential homes, and SEND and SEMH schools. Summary: The apprenticeship approach is described as a way to keep familiar staff working with pupils while they train, which Polaris says supports continuity for children with additional learning needs. The organisation reports benefits for staff professional development and for partners delivering practice-based routes into teaching, and it continues to support staff to upskill with apprenticeship programmes.