Level 5 Speech, Language and Communications Leadership Programme
(with HLCP qualification)

If you pay the Growth and Skills levy (formerly known as the Apprenticeship levy), your bursar, business manager, or finance team should be able to tell you the next steps.

• Local Authority schools can access funding from their council’s shared levy pot, even if their payroll is below the threshold, by contacting the Local Authority’s Apprenticeship Team.
• Multi-academy Trusts with a wage bill over £3m should contact their central finance or HR team.
• Voluntary Controlled schools should approach their Local Authority.
• Voluntary-aided and Foundation schools (non-levy paying) can access 95% government funding, with further support potentially available from the Local Authority or via levy transfer.

If you don’t pay the Growth and Skills levy then the Government will fund 95% of the apprenticeship and you will need to commit to paying 5% of the fee. ESF Apprenticeships should be able to support your organisation to reclaim this 5% via a process known as Levy Transfer.

Larger organisations can support other organisations, by making up to 50% of their annual levy funds available to eligible employers who need financial assistance with apprenticeships.

We can provide more information if you are interested in pursuing this route.

• You’ll need to provide a formal employment contract covering the duration of the apprenticeship
• An apprentice must be paid at least the minimum apprenticeship wage in their first year of learning
• Apprentices aged 19+ must be paid at least the minimum wage for their age group in their second year of learning
• You must assign a school mentor who will participate in termly progress reviews and complete a final “Employer Review” assessing the apprentice’s professional behaviours. Apprentices will gain experience through hands-on tasks and research projects, with much of this learning occurring in the classroom or where PE sessions are taking place. Mentors will also need to carry out two observations during the course of the apprenticeship.
• Mentors will need to support the end-point assessment process by attending a “gateway meeting” and assisting with planning the assessment day, which typically takes only a few hours.

Off-the-job-training is an essential part of an apprentice’s development. It is dedicated time, during normal working hours, in which apprentices can focus on learning and applying new skills.

This protected time is required for apprentices to engage fully with their learning and development activities. All of the required learning, live workshops and projects completed during the programme count towards Off-the-job time.

Our apprenticeship tutors will sign-post opportunities which count as Off-the-job training and during the enrolment meeting we can discuss how this can work alongside busy job roles.

We have developed a blended teaching and learning model which works for busy TAs, teachers and school leaders.

Scheduled release time: 

• 2-3 hours every month for live online learning with an experienced teacher.
• 5 live webinars to help learners work towards their HLCP qualification
• Both of these options above also provide opportunities for learners to share ideas and network with others on the programme.

Flexible release time:

• Learners will have access to our self-paced online learning platform full of resources, activities, research and ideas.
• They will also complete practical projects that can be carried out in a classroom environment and will be of direct benefit to your pupils and your school.
• Learners need to have release time for regular progress reviews with their ESF tutor and school mentor to set new targets and celebrate success. These are short sessions that will take place every 12 weeks (as a minimum).
• Our SEND Masterclasses are 2-3 hour live online sessions held every six weeks during term time. Attendance is optional and recordings are also available.

Key roles and responsibilities of a HLCP may include:

• Supporting and liaising with the SENCO to support all children and young people with SLCN.
• Supporting the development of good SLC practice for all children and young people.
• Providing and modelling strong practices to support individual learners with SLCN.
• Liaising and developing partnerships with local SaLT and SLCN services.
• Supporting all colleagues in understanding how to effectively support speech, language and communication skills of all children and young people.
• Supporting colleagues working with parents of children and young people with SLCN and implementing advice from SaLT and SLCN professionals.
• Using screening tools to support early identification and early referrals for clinical assessments by SaLT and SLCN services.
• Supporting/leading the referrals to SaLT and SLCN services for diagnostic and clinical assessments and advice.

An HLCP will be employed within one education setting and should not be mistaken as the role of a Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT), or a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant (SaLTA).