Initial Teacher Training

We have had long and successful partnership with a number of Initial Teacher Training providers including the Universities of Bath, Bath Spa, Buckingham and (currently) the West of England (UWE). We're really proud that the quality of our teaching practice is such that these universities view the school as a place that can help train the teachers of tomorrow. Just as teaching hospitals are rightly places of excellent patient care, so 'teaching schools' are places not of educational risk but educational richness.

Aims

Benefits for the placement students are that they are provided with supported experience, mentors and professional development opportunities.

For us, there are a number of tangible benefits in welcoming PGCE teachers into the school. Firstly, it ensures that we are at the forefront of the best pedagogy and teaching practice as the PGCE teachers bring fresh ideas into departments. In addition, a significant proportion of those who have trained with us have been of such high quality that they have gone on to become full time members of our teaching staff; this significantly mitigates the risks around the annual recruitment process. Furthermore, with another very capable 'proto-teacher' in the room, pupils gain by significantly better adult-to-pupil ratios with the opportunity for the PGCE teachers to engage pupils in 1-1 and small group learning.

Resources

A team of motivated mentors and departmental Heads

Impact

Ongoing

Frequency

Ongoing. We are currently hosting 8 placements across multiple departments.