What Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance does

Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance (STTA) is a UK-based Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provider founded in 2012 and headquartered at Silverdale School in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. It delivers school-based teacher training programmes leading to PGCE, Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), and 60 Master's credits, serving recent graduates, career changers, and existing school support staff across early years, primary, secondary (14 subjects), and SEND specialisms. Approximately 100 trainees are trained annually through a network of over 100 partner schools across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

The organisation's core products are its PGCE with QTS programme and the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA), which includes a SEND variant. The delivery model is blended: one day per week of online core training plus four days per week in placement schools, supported by an online tracking system that records mentor meetings and observations. Curriculum design is evidence-informed, drawing on the ABA (Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence) framework and, from Summer 2026, research-informed practice provided through the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) associate-college partnership announced in October 2025.

STTA generates revenue through tuition fees (£9,790 per fee-funded trainee), government bursaries and scholarships of up to £31,000 for eligible secondary subjects, and apprenticeship funding for the PGTA route. Applications are sourced primarily through the government's official Apply for Teacher Training portal (DfE provider code 1N5), with additional conversion through Flying Start pre-course events, Get School Experience days, and a Facebook presence. STTA operates as part of Chorus Education Trust and functions as the ITE arm of the South Yorkshire Teaching Hub, integrating downstream CPD, NPQ, and Early Career Framework services into a continuous teacher-career support system.

Name

Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance

Legal name

Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance

Website

https://sheffieldtta.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance is a DfE-approved Initial Teacher Training provider in Sheffield, training around 100 teachers per year across primary, secondary, early years, and SEND via PGCE, QTS, and apprenticeship routes, supported by 100+ partner schools in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Initial Teacher Training

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (61171), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Teacher Professional Development & In-Service Training Institutes (EDAHAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs (EDAHAFAF)

Keywords

• Initial Teacher Training
• Postgraduate Teacher Training
• Secondary Teacher Training
• Primary Teacher Training
• Teacher Apprenticeship Programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Trainees on the fee-funded route pay tuition fees of £9,790 for the programme. Tuition fee loans are available from Student Finance England, paid directly to STTA. These loans are not means-tested.
2. Bursaries and Scholarships: Tax-free funding in the form of government bursaries and scholarships is available in a range of secondary subjects of up to £31,000. The level of funding depends on subject and degree classification.
3. Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA): The Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship route allows recruits to earn a salary while training, remaining in paid employment in school. Schools host apprentices and receive financial contributions from STTA (Placement A: £1,000; Placement B: £200). STTA receives funding for delivering the apprenticeship programme.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance is an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provider based in Sheffield, UK, delivering school-based teacher training routes including PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) programmes, a Post Graduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA), primary and secondary teacher training across 14 subjects, a Flying Start pre-training programme, and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) specialisms. Training is delivered through blended online and in-person learning supported by 100+ partner schools and placement providers.

Product overview

Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance offers a unified teacher training platform delivering Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programmes through two main routes: the PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) combined with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status), and the PGTA (Post Graduate Teaching Apprenticeship). The portfolio includes Primary courses (ages 3-7 and 5-11, with optional mathematics specialism), Secondary courses across 14 subjects (Art and Design, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Religious Education), and SEND specialisms. All trainees receive 60 Master's credits. The Flying Start pre-training programme provides foundational preparation before placements begin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PGCE with QTS (Primary)
• PGCE with QTS (Secondary)
• Post Graduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA)
• Flying Start Pre-Training Programme
• SEND Specialisms

Quantifiable outcome

• Many trainees secure their first teaching post before completing the course; vast majority gain teaching jobs within six months of completion.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Institute of Teaching (NIoT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2025STTA became an Associate College of the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), giving schools across Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, and Doncaster access to NIoT's full range of teacher education and professional development programmes. The partnership provides access to nationally recognised, research-informed practice, curriculum design, and pedagogy. The STTA team benefits from professional development opportunities and cutting-edge research. Initial ITT recruitment began October 2025 with delivery from Summer 2026.
• South Yorkshire Teaching HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTTA is the Initial Teacher Training (ITE) arm of the South Yorkshire Teaching Hub. The Hub is a one-stop-shop for everything related to teaching, bringing together the DfE's golden thread to support teachers throughout their careers — from ITT through Early Career Framework, CPD, NPQs, and Appropriate Body work. STTA trainees continue their career within the same support network.
• Chorus Education TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTTA is part of Chorus Education Trust, a growing local Trust committed to providing the very best education for all children in the region. The Trust's CEO (Chris James) has endorsed the NIoT partnership. Silverdale School and Malin Bridge Primary School are lead schools within the Trust.
• Silverdale SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilverdale School is the founding school of STTA and its lead secondary school. It is a comprehensive school and sixth form in the south-west of Sheffield, described as a friendly, inclusive community with outstanding results. It serves as the main location for STTA's headquarters.
• Malin Bridge Primary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMalin Bridge Primary School is STTA's lead primary school. Rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, it is rooted in the belief that education can change lives and provides primary trainee placements.
• Over 100 Partner SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTTA works with over 100 infant, primary, secondary, and special schools across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire to provide hands-on classroom experience with support from experienced mentors. Trainees have a main host placement and a contrasting placement in a different school.
• National Modern Languages SCITTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTTA's sister organisation runs the only national teacher training courses dedicated to modern languages. The course is designed by experts in language teaching and delivered through geographical hubs across the country.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GORSE SCITT: A well-established Yorkshire-based SCITT delivering primary and secondary ITT programmes. Operates the same school-centred model with strong multi-academy-trust backing, comparable in segment and geography.
• National Modern Languages SCITT: STTA's sister organisation, the only national teacher training provider dedicated to modern languages. Operates the same SCITT model with geographically distributed hubs, making it directly comparable in product and delivery mechanism.
• Sheffield Hallam University - Teacher Training: Another nearby university-led PGCE route into teaching, including secondary subjects that overlap with STTA's portfolio. Competes for graduates and career changers in the same South Yorkshire catchment.
• Ark Teacher Training: National school-based ITT provider delivering salaried and fee-funded PGCE routes. Directly comparable in product (PGCE/QTS), target segments (graduates/career changers), and school-immersive delivery.
• Teach First: Large national teacher training programme placing graduates in low-income schools. Competes for graduates and career changers opting for school-based, salaried routes similar to STTA's PGTA model.
• Oasis Teacher Training: National ITT provider tied to Oasis Community Learning MAT, offering primary and secondary school-based training. Comparable in school-centred approach and salaried apprenticeship routes.
• University of Sheffield School of Education: The local university-led PGCE provider competing for the same Sheffield-area teaching talent. Offers higher-education institution status and academic research credentials, contrasting STTA's school-based model.
• Harris Initial Teacher Education: London-based SCITT delivering PGCE/QTS programmes through the Harris Federation school network. Directly comparable school-led ITT model with strong employer-school backing.
• E-Act Initial Teacher Training: National multi-academy trust offering fee and salaried ITT pathways tied to its 28 academy schools. Similar school-based SCITT-style training with employer-led placement access.

Broad incumbents

• National Institute of Teaching (NIoT): The national body whose Associate College programme now includes STTA. Operates broader teacher education and professional development across ITT, ECF, and NPQs at a national scale, providing curriculum and research infrastructure rather than directly delivering courses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SheffieldTTA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sheffield-teacher-training-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance