Subject knowledge enhancement: an introduction

This guidance is for for:

• subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) providers,providers
• initial Initialteacher Teachertraining Training (ITT) providers and
• School Direct lead schools.
  schools

If you’re an applicant to an ITT course, visit our SKE page on the Get into Teaching website.

You can use the subject knowledge enhancement: course directory to find a suitable provider.

Overview

As a School Direct lead school or an ITT provider provider, you may see applicants who have the potential to become outstanding teachers but who need to increase their subject knowledge before the teachers’ standards can be met. An SKE course courses can help you to feel confident that the applicant can be recruited.

The Department for Education (DfE) currently funds SKE courses in primary mathematics and 9 secondary subjects:

• biology
• chemistry
• computing
• design and technology
• English
• languages
• mathematics
• physics
• religious education (8 weeks only)

PE with Ebacc applicants can also access an 88-week week SKE in an Ebacc subject where aan SKE is availableavailable, and they meet the eligibility requirements.

Dual language SKE courses are also available.

Applicants who need to complete a dual language SKE course should take take:

• a short 88-week week course in their main language and
• a longer course of up to 28 weeks in the other language. language

Only applicants who have received a conditional offer in a languages ITT, which specifies the completion of a (dual) SKE course as a condition of their offer, will be eligible for a dual language SKE course.

SKE eligibility

EligibilityTo be eligible to undertake a DfE-funded funded SKE, isapplicants subjectneed toto:

• meet an applicant meeting the eligibility requirements to train to teach in England
• accept and the applicant accepting a conditional offer which specifies the requirement to complete aan SKE course.
  course

Applicants who have a degreedegree, (orpostgraduate adegree or joint degree)degree in their chosen ITT subject which has been awarded in the previous 5 yearsyears, are not eligible forto complete a DfE funded -funded SKE course. DfE does not fund SKE courses for individuals who have already obtained qualified teacher status (QTS).

SKE bursary

Applicants mightmay also be eligible to receive aan SKE bursary if:

• they have at least a bachelor’s degree 2:2 classification in their degree subject or a master’s degree or PhD
• they are undertaking their their SKE course course before starting starting ITT, or up to the point they start toITT receive a salary if theytheir areSKE oncourse aoverlaps schoolwith direct salaried routeITT
• they are entitled to support under the student finance criteria (with the exception of non-UK applicants undertaking languages or physics)

If a participant is undertaking an SKE course in parallel with their ITT, they are not eligible for a bursary.

SKE bursaries cannot be claimed retrospectively after completion of ITT. Where a provider becomes aware of an applicant withdrawing from ITT before their SKE is complete, their SKE course and SKE bursary should stop.

SKE eligibility for non-UK applicants

Applicants undertaking a face-to-face SKE need permission to study in the UKUK. –Candidates candidates on an existing visa should check that their visa allows them to study. If they do not already have permissiona theyvisa willor relevant permission, they will:

• need to apply for a visitor visa to undertake their SKE and will course
• be restricted on the type of provider and duration of thetheir course if SKE is delivered face-to-face (maximum of 26 weeks).
  weeks)

If undertaking an SKE course online from inside or outside the UKUK, there are no restrictions of the type of provider and the maximum course duration remains at 28 weeks. No immigration permission is required for thosenon-UK applicants studying online from outside the UKUK, but those already within the UK willshould need to ensure they hold aan relevantappropriate visa.

The SKE bursary is only available to non-UK applicants who are undertaking a tuition fee-based teacherITT training course in England and are eligible for support under the student finance criteriacriteria. whichThis is dependent on their immigration or residency status.

ForNon-UK ITT 2023, non-UK applicants who are funding a tuition fee-based physics or languages teacher training course in EnglandEngland, are also eligible for aan SKE bursary regardless of if they are entitledentitled, or not entitledentitled, to support under the student finance criteria. This also applies to School Direct (SD) salaried courses in physics and languages, up to the point they receive a SDSchool Direct salary.

How to know if an applicant needs SKE

The need for SKE is usually identified by a school or provider during the recruitment and selection process. This could be:

• when the applicant is undertaking school experience
• during discussions with anthe individualapplicant before they apply
• from the application form
• during the applicant’s interview

Applicants may need more specific subject knowledge to begin an ITT course if they have:

• a different but related degree to the subject they want to teach
• studied the subject at A level but not degree level
• an unrelated degree but relevant professional knowledge in the subject
• studied for a languages degree but need a second language at an acceptable level for teaching in schools
• a degree in the subject but have not used their degree knowledge for many years

Referring a participant for SKE

TheApplicants applicant’smust have freedom of choice regarding their SKE provider and should use DfE’s SKE provider directory to aid their choice. ITT providers may support participants but must not make it a condition of their ITT offer to undertake an SKE course with a particular institution.

Once an applicant has chosen their SKE course provider, their SKE provider will ask the ITT provider to complete a referral form to ensure a consistent approach to collecting applicant information. The SKE provider will then enrol the applicant onto a course and claim funding from the DfE, providing they have a framework agreement in place..

How SKE courses are provided

DfE-funded SKE courses are only provided by providers who have a framework agreement in place and are listed on the subject knowledge enhancement: course directory. They can vary in duration from an 88-week week refresher or booster programme through to a 2828-week week programme, with a week equating to 25 learning hours.

All SKE courses must be completed before qualified teacher status is recommended.

SKE courses can be:

• completed before or alongside ITT courses (given the time commitmentscommitments, we recommend starting and completing an SKE before commencing ITT)
• delivered online through:
  • distance learning
  • face-to-face
  • a mixture of these approaches
• undertaken on a part-time or full-time basis

The

delivered applicantonline, shouldthrough havedistance thelearning, finalface-to-face decisionlearning aboutor theirthrough SKEa providermixture butof thethese ITT provider can support the applicant to choose their SKE provider from the SKE course provider directory.

approaches

SKE funding

For all SKE courses in the 20222023 to 20232024 academic year:

• programme costs are funded at a unit fee up to £200 per week per participant
• subject to meeting the eligibility criteria, the participant bursary funding is £175 per week per participant

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