Uncertainty for the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship?  

 

In this article, Dr Giles Proctor, CEO of The College of Legal Practice reflects on the changes in Level 7 apprenticeship funding and options available to firms to support their aspiring solicitors.

Why has the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship been so popular?

The availability of funding to levy and non-levy payees has of course been a key driver in its popularity, alongside the opportunity for an organisation to develop its own talent pool in a structured apprenticeship programme.

At the College, we have seen increasing interest in the GSA due to the opportunities it gives an organisation to recruit, develop and train a socially mobility cohort, who study and work in the firm within the GSA programme.

Our GSA cohort demographic perfectly illustrates this - apprentices aged between 22 and 50, with the vast majority between 21-25, from varied socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. The vast majority have joined an organisation immediately after graduating. This pathway doesn’t just facilitate qualification but also gives a developmental framework and training opportunity for early talent professionals to build on, driving a focus on retention of hardworking paralegals.

Why are SQE candidates from apprenticeship programmes doing so well in the SQE exams?

Statistics from the SRA show a steady level of higher achievement in the SQE from GSA candidates; this fluctuates with each cohort but SQE candidates from apprentice programmes have performed between 10% to 13% better in the SQE than other candidates.

I suspect there are several contributory factors. The timescales of GSA programmes, running over two years or three years, allow a longer period to embed the structured learning and grasp of technique for ‘single best answer’ MCQs within an SQE1 preparation programme. This aggregation of legal knowledge, focused on understanding of principle, (plus assessment know how), gives a candidate confidence to tackle the SQE examinations. Also the work experience undertaken in their GSA programme, where the apprentice gets to apply their learning in the workplace and develop a portfolio of learning with the support of a coach, inevitably helps the apprentice in their preparation for the oral and written skills ‘stations’ used for assessment in SQE2.

The accountability for learning in the GSA is such that an employer must give the apprentice 20% ‘off the job’ learning to complete the SQE preparation. The apprentice must complete all the programme and, as a provider, we must provide the high level of direct support through supervision and coaching

The importance of coaching

I mention the coaching element of the GSA programmes because we believe that it is making a notable difference to the success of the apprentices. The coach meets individually with the apprentice for a pre-set number of 1-2-1 sessions; this individual & regular coaching within the GSA programme gives confidence and helps build the resilience of the apprentice. We find that socially mobile candidates are often lacking in that confidence and particularly benefit from the coaching. All our coaches are very familiar with the SQE syllabus so not only can they help support building their work-based portfolio of evidence but they also understand the demands of the SQE national exams.

The coaching element to a GSA programme also brings in a closer connection to the employer and their support. You have a tripartite basis for an understanding of the progress of the apprentice and regular updates for the organisation on this.

What are the changes to apprenticeship funding?  

The government has announced that funding for Level 7 apprenticeships will be restricted to apprentices aged 21 and under from 1^st January 2026. This age restriction rules out many graduate solicitor apprentices. The 6/7-year solicitor apprenticeship programmes should be unaffected, given the likely age of those apprentices, entering the programme after their A Levels or equivalent. However, the cap on fees begs the question whether providers will still see value in providing this route.

What next for Graduate Solicitor Apprentices?

Understandably, there is a high level of concern from both firms and individuals who have embraced this qualification route. We are talking to lots of firms about the approach they are going to now take, and it is varying considerably. There is not yet a consensus across the sector about next steps for the GSA.

So what is the impact of the government announcement so far? Firstly, many firms are trying to make the most of the 2025 programmes available to them between now and January. Any apprentice that starts a programme will be able to complete it and access the levy funding. Unsurprisingly, the College has seen an uptake in interest in both our August 2025 and our December 2025 programmes, that are open for applications. At the College we will continue to provide this opportunity to as many apprentices as we can.

Secondly, some firms have decided that unfortunately the GSA is no longer viable and are looking at part-time SQE preparation courses. For example, at the College, we provide 40-week programmes that effectively take a similar timeframe to the GSA for the SQE study and exam. You study for SQE1 over a year and SQE2 in a second year. These courses can be undertaken with the equivalent of just over a day a week of study, much like the GSA programmes.

Whilst there isn’t funding available for these programmes, they are very affordable. At the College we charge only £4,900 for both SQE1 and SQE2 preparation courses. Like the GSA, we provide a high level of client service and reporting for the firm from the training provider, aspects of the GSA programme that we replicate in terms of engagement expectations and reviewing progress that will help the candidate perform well in the SQE exams.

Lastly, some firms are looking at a continuing with a mixture of GSA and SQE preparation courses, running alongside each other. The complexity of balancing different programmes is something that Legal L&D teams can find a challenge since the introduction of the SQE, particularly in harnessing the support of wider stakeholders in the business for different working and supervision patterns.

We are also looking more creatively with partners at the opportunities still available to firms, across the range of qualifications and apprenticeships. I anticipate that new pathways might well evolve in the future, that can continue to help these hard working and impressive individuals with aspirations to qualify.

If you are unsure of which path to take and looking for guidance, please contact the College to find out more.

4^th July 2025