The State of Apprenticeships.
Cross-cutting intelligence from DfE and Ofsted public data. National trends, Ofsted correlations and sector analysis.
Updated March 2026 · Source: Department for Education, Ofsted, Skills England
Starts data: 2025/26 (Aug-Jan in-year) · Achievement rates (NARTs): 2024/25
Providers Tracked
1,110
With published NARTs data
National Avg Achievement
68.3%
2024/25 NARTs · Median: 68.6%
Total Starts
222,755
2025/26 In-Year
Trajectory
Improving / Declining (2024/25 vs prior year)
Ofsted Distribution
+37 on new report cards
New Ofsted Framework
From November 2025, Ofsted inspections use report cards with a 5-point scale: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, and Urgent improvement. This replaces the previous 4-grade system (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate). The Ofsted distribution and correlation analysis below uses the legacy grades, as the majority of current provider inspections predate the new framework. 37 providers have been inspected under the new framework so far.
Six Years of Apprenticeship Trends
National apprenticeship starts and achievement rates from 2020/21 to 2025/26. Achievement rate data is available from 2022/23 onwards. The 2025/26 figures are in-year (August to January) and will increase as the year progresses.
Ofsted Grade vs Achievement Rate
The data shows a clear correlation between Ofsted grades and learner achievement rates. Outstanding providers achieve significantly higher NARTs outcomes than those rated Inadequate — a gap of over 25 percentage points. The error bars show the interquartile range (25th to 75th percentile), revealing wide variance within each grade.
Based on 2024/25 published NARTs and legacy Ofsted grades (pre-November 2025 framework).
Requires Improvement
63.2%
123 providers · IQR 57.1%-71.1%
Outstanding
74.7%
89 providers · IQR 65.7%-85.0%
Good
68.2%
853 providers · IQR 61.1%-76.6%
Inadequate
48.3%
7 providers · IQR 34.4%-61.5%
Sector Analysis
Apprenticeship starts across all Subject Sector Areas, comparing 2025/26 (Aug-Jan in-year) against the equivalent period in 2024/25. Green indicates growing sectors, amber shows flat performance, and red highlights decline.
Business, Administration and Law
2024/25 Full Year
112,800
2025/26 Trajectory
129,459projected
Aug-Jan YoY
+14.8%
Health, Public Services and Care
2024/25 Full Year
95,380
2025/26 Trajectory
103,107projected
Aug-Jan YoY
+8.1%
Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies
2024/25 Full Year
45,320
2025/26 Trajectory
43,583projected
Aug-Jan YoY
-3.8%
Digital Technology
2024/25 Full Year
27,400
2025/26 Trajectory
34,497projected
Aug-Jan YoY
+25.9%
Retail and Commercial Enterprise
2024/25 Full Year
25,890
2025/26 Trajectory
23,422projected
Aug-Jan YoY
-9.5%
Construction, Planning and the Built Environment
2024/25 Full Year
24,600
2025/26 Trajectory
25,463projected
Aug-Jan YoY
+3.5%
Education and Training
2024/25 Full Year
10,130
2025/26 Trajectory
12,898projected
Aug-Jan YoY
+27.3%
Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care
2024/25 Full Year
6,400
2025/26 Trajectory
5,653projected
Aug-Jan YoY
-11.7%
Leisure, Travel and Tourism
2024/25 Full Year
3,710
2025/26 Trajectory
3,620projected
Aug-Jan YoY
-2.4%
Arts, Media and Publishing
2024/25 Full Year
1,480
2025/26 Trajectory
1,353projected
Aug-Jan YoY
-8.6%
Science and Mathematics
2024/25 Full Year
1,170
2025/26 Trajectory
1,181projected
Aug-Jan YoY
+1.0%
Social Sciences
2024/25 Full Year
270
2025/26 Trajectory
303projected
Aug-Jan YoY
+12.2%
History, Philosophy and Theology
2024/25 Full Year
10
2025/26 Trajectory
14projected
Aug-Jan YoY
+42.9%
Fastest Growing Standards
Standards with the highest growth in starts, 2025/26 vs 2024/25 (min 100 starts)
Safeguarding Support Officer
Care Services · Level 3 · 266 starts (Aug-Jan) · +1300% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategySpecialist Teaching Assistant
Education and Early Years · Level 4+ · 1,698 starts (Aug-Jan) · +1227% like-for-like
Digital Support Technician
Digital · Level 3 · 2,953 starts (Aug-Jan) · +868% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyEngineering and Manufacturing Support Technician
Engineering and Manufacturing · Level 3 · 674 starts (Aug-Jan) · +574% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyChartered Legal Executive Litigator and Advocate
Legal, Finance and Accounting · Level 4+ · 116 starts (Aug-Jan) · +364% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyTechnician Scientist
Health and Science · Level 4+ · 125 starts (Aug-Jan) · +303% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyMechatronics Maintenance Technician
Engineering and Manufacturing · Level 3 · 1,452 starts (Aug-Jan) · +298% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyMaritime Electrical Fitter
Engineering and Manufacturing · Level 3 · 145 starts (Aug-Jan) · +272% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyProcess Industry Manufacturing Technician
Engineering and Manufacturing · Level 3 · 107 starts (Aug-Jan) · +257% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyMaritime Mechanical Fitter
Engineering and Manufacturing · Level 3 · 165 starts (Aug-Jan) · +251% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyFastest Contracting Standards
Standards with the largest decline in starts, 2025/26 vs 2024/25 (min 100 starts)
Engineering Technician
Engineering and Manufacturing · Level 3 · 487 starts (Aug-Jan) · -86% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyAssociate Ambulance Practitioner
Health and Science · Level 4+ · 285 starts (Aug-Jan) · -54% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyBeauty Therapist
Hair and Beauty · Level 2 · 137 starts (Aug-Jan) · -46% like-for-like
Ambulance Support Worker (Emergency, Urgent and Non-Urgent)
Health and Science · Level 3 · 158 starts (Aug-Jan) · -42% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyNursing Associate (NMC 2018)
Health and Science · Level 4+ · 1,127 starts (Aug-Jan) · -42% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyBus and Coach Engineering Technician
Engineering and Manufacturing · Level 3 · 150 starts (Aug-Jan) · -32% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyNetwork Engineer
Digital · Level 4+ · 384 starts (Aug-Jan) · -30% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyEngineering Design Technician
Engineering and Manufacturing · Level 3 · 175 starts (Aug-Jan) · -30% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyRegistered Nurse Degree (NMC 2018)
Health and Science · Level 4+ · 1,209 starts (Aug-Jan) · -29% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyOperational Firefighter
Protective Services · Level 3 · 261 starts (Aug-Jan) · -29% like-for-like
Aligns to Industrial StrategyThis is public data. Imagine what your own data reveals.
This analysis uses DfE and Ofsted public datasets only. AiVII customers get this level of analysis on their own learner-level data: real-time achievement tracking, individual learner risk flags and AI-powered analysis across every programme.
Book a DemoSource: Department for Education, Ofsted, Skills England. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.