STAGE ONE – INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING (SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER)
University-based training
You'll spend your first five weeks at university, with several days in your placement school, taking part in seminars and workshops that prepare you for your school-based training. These will focus on three main elements:
Professional Learning and Teaching for 21st Century Teachers
You'll learn research-informed techniques and strategies to tackle issues that you will face in your training placements. These strategies will help to develop your understanding of teaching and learning, the secondary curriculum and educational policy.
Subject Knowledge and Applied Pedagogy
In these sessions, our subject teacher experts will give you a good understanding of what it means to teach your subject. You will study the school curriculum, and understand how other expert teachers have taught it successfully. You will also learn how to plan sequences of learning that address the needs of your pupils so that you can develop your practice and have a positive impact on their learning.
School-based training
After you've completed your first five weeks, you'll start your first placement which will last for eight weeks. This will give you the chance to put into practice what you've learnt so far in a collaborative working environment. You'll work closely with your subject mentor based in your school.
STAGE TWO – DEVELOPING YOUR TEACHING PRACTICE (DECEMBER TO MARCH)
University-based training
Your university-based training will comprise the same elements as stage one, but you'll focus on building on the knowledge you've already developed to prepare for your next school-based training block. You'll spend one week at university.
Preparation week
Before your second placement, you'll again spend time in a school for one week to observe and familiarise yourself with the routine and teaching practice.
School-based training
After Christmas, you'll complete a second placement in a different school. This will give you the chance to deepen your knowledge of how students learn, and extend your practice in helping that learning, in a new context. This long placement, which is split across stages two and three from January until June, gives you the chance to develop your practice in a school and with pupils that you will get to know really well. This gives you a very good opportunity to make a positive impact on progress in that school.
During your second placement, you'll spend a minimum of nine weeks in a new school, teaching more lessons and ensuring that you're teaching classes from both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. At this point, you'll become more of an independent practitioner.
STAGE THREE – PREPARING FOR YOUR TEACHING CAREER (MARCH TO JUNE)
University-based training
Having developed and applied your subject and curriculum knowledge, you'll spend several days at university during your placement, consolidating your practice and completing activities that will prepare for your teaching career. We also run a one-week conference for all trainees.
School-based training
You'll stay in the same school for a further nine weeks, teaching more classes from both Key Stage three and Key Stage four, as well as the chance to observe and sometimes teach at Key Stage five. Having extended experience in the same placement means that you will be able to really develop your practice well, and show that you are having a positive impact on the pupils you teach. At the end of this placement you'll present evidence on this impact, which will inform your final grade.
