Our Programme
Our School Led programme is specifically designed to give trainees the maximum amount of time within the school environment so you can become fully immersed in school life. Teaching is a ‘craft’ and the very best way to develop that craft is to practice it in a supportive environment with great coaches to give you the feedback you need to progress. You will spend 25 days of the year at Sunderland University receiving face to face training in in generic professional knowledge and skills such as Safeguarding, Behaviour Management and SEND. Subject Specific training is delivered by Mentors in your host schools. This ensures that you become immersed in the curriculum of your host school whilst getting lots of opportunity to apply your professional learning in a supportive environment.
You will be in your placement schools each week of the school year for 36 weeks. From 3 days per week for the first few weeks this will build so you are full time by October half term. You will have two contrasting school placements during the year; around 28 weeks in your main placement school in two block, with a shorter, second placement of 6 weeks in the Spring Term. On placement, you will be supported by a dedicated 1 to 1 mentor for 3 hours per fortnight, in addition to a professional tutor. Your mentor will be a subject specialist from your department who has specialist training in developing trainee teachers. They will be your ‘go to’ person who will help you settle into the school, arrange your timetable and provide feedback on your lessons. At Whitburn we believe in keeping our numbers of ITT students small each so that they can benefit from bespoke support and training that addresses their learning needs to help them progress.
All School Led Trainee teachers are assessed against the Teachers’ Standards in order to be recommended for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). In your placement schools you will build up an on line evidence file of lesson observations, feedback, training and professional reflections which will be used to evidence your progress against the Teacher Standards. This will help you towards completion of a written assignment for the University which is assessed at Masters level and give you 30 credits towards a Masters in Education. You will also have a dialogical (verbal) assessment at the end of the course. ITT Students who pass both assessment methods will receive a Post Graduate Certificate of Education degree which awards you Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which you need to be able to teach in any state maintained school in England and Wales.
