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Teacher Training

Coffee, Cake & Chat Sessions

For those who want to learn more about our programme, we host small-group or individual ‘Coffee, Cake & Chat’ sessions at Great Baddow High School every Monday and Tuesday between 9am and 10am. (We can arrange other times on request.)

To arrange a drop-in just email gbn@gbhs.co.uk

About Essex Schools ITT Essex Schools ITT - our Teacher Training Partnership

Essex Schools ITT has a long tradition of successful teacher training and were centrally involved in the ‘pilot’ year 2012-13 when the Government launched the programme.

On our 2022-23 programme, we had 53 trainees across 24 secondary and 5 primary schools
We provide a very special, school-based training experience in partnership with Tes Institute, who have a reputation for innovative on-line learning materials, especially in shortage subjects, with its Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses
In recent years, we've had class leading results - our completion rate is an average of 97%, which is well above average for Initial Teacher Training programmes. From our current cohort, 89% found teaching jobs before the end of the course, and 74% of these were in our partnership schools, which shows the strength of our teacher training network
Our programmes are accredited by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) and provide a blend of online learning and in-school experience leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and an option to add a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
Our programmes are offered on a training, unsalaried basis with government bursaries being available for shortage subjects. (Bursaries will be confirmed in October.) Only those with significant prior teaching experience (ie; on an unqualified basis) would be considered for a salaried training place (and only then on a school's recommendation)
The PGCE is accredited by our partner university (UEL) and is subject to annual review
Tes Institute is committed to supporting school-based teacher training, helping schools to create great teachers. Through our team of highly experienced Pathway Tutors working in partnership with schools and trainees, Tes combines the best of in-person and online learning to deliver truly flexible teacher training. Starting with just 2 partnerships and 27 trainees in 2013-14, Tes have trained thousands of teachers since, and have expanded further with 7 partnerships, from Essex into Suffolk and Kent. Tes schools work in partnership to share best practice and develop and deliver high quality teacher training
Find out more about Tes Institute
There are 24 schools in the Essex Schools ITT Partnership, and our trainees are managed from our base at the Lead School, Davenant Foundation School in Loughton
We work with organisations in Harlow and Chelmsford, such as TeachHarlow and The Chelmsford Learning Partnership (CLP)
Our unique blended learning programme combines school-based training, online learning materials, a network of experienced subject specialists to deliver pedagogy and subject knowledge and a number of off-site visits to special schools, primary schools and Leading Teacher days
The Directors of Essex Schools ITT have been involved in teacher training locally for many decades and have been working in partnership with TES for the last 5+ years. The collaboration and cooperation between the schools is well established and is a strength of the partnership
Each Partner School provides a fully trained Mentor for each trainee, supported by a Pathway Tutor from Tes, who visits each half-term.

WHY TRAIN WITH US?

Trainee PE Teacher GBHS

With Essex Schools ITT, you will be in safe hands. We are a highly experienced provider with a long tradition of successful teacher training.

Working in partnership with over 20 Partner Schools

Based at Davenant Foundation School (Loughton, Essex), we work as a partnership with over 20 other schools in West Essex, Harlow, Chelmsford and Havering to provide both primary and secondary initial teacher training.

We work in partnership with TES Institute

We provide a very special, school based training experience in partnership with Tes Institute, who have a reputation for innovative on-line learning materials, especially in shortage subjects, with its Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses.

Committed To Working Together

All our partnership schools are committed to working together with our provider Tes Institute to offer the very best of school-based teacher training programmes.

Face-2-Face Studies

Our in-person programme will seek to maximise time spent in the classroom by ensuring that the our Face-2-Face workshop programme is of the highest quality and delivered within our locality by highly qualified teachers who know our schools and our learners. (No distant lecturers who haven’t taught regularly in schools for years.)

Achieve Your Full Potential

We are committed to attracting, training and developing both graduates and career changers to enable all schools within our area to reach the same level of excellence and quality of provision thus ensuring that all our trainees achieve their full potential.

OUR PROGRAMMES

Trainee Teacher in Classroom GBHS

If you would like to join a profession which will engage you in the most challenging and interesting way with the clear worth and the moral objective of educating the future of our locality, Essex Schools ITT will provide the very highest opportunity to be an outstanding practitioner.

As soon as the new application window opens in Oct 2023, our programmes will be shown in full on the DfE 'Find Postgraduate Teacher Training' site.

course
Art and Design PGCE with QTS full time
Biology PGCE with QTS full time
Business Studies PGCE with QTS full time
Chemistry PGCE with QTS full time
Computing PGCE with QTS full time
Design and Technology PGCE with QTS full time
Drama PGCE with QTS full time
English PGCE with QTS full time
Geography PGCE with QTS full time
History PGCE with QTS full time
Modern Languages PGCE with QTS full time
Music PGCE with QTS full time
Physical Education PGCE with QTS full time
Physical Education (with Ebacc) PGCE with QTS full time
Physics PGCE with QTS full time
Primary PGCE with QTS full time
Primary with Maths (5-11) PGCE with QTS full time
Religious Education (2VSZ)
Part-time

THE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

Trainee Music Teacher GBHS

Having some school experience is always beneficial and trainees would find it valuable. Applicants may wish to contact us to arrange some observation experience for you or you can contact one of our partnerships schools local to you directly.

Please note that having no school experience will NOT preclude you from applying.

To arrange some School experience contact us by email teach@essexschoolsitt.com

Every thought of a year as a Teaching Assistant?

Being a TA (or LSA) is a perfect way to gain first hand experience of working in a school, while you prepare to make your teacher training application. Being a TA for a year is a choice favoured by many recent graduates and career changers.

For opportunities within our partnership, please visit the website of the relevant schools.

HOW TO APPLY

Making your application

Once the new cycle opens on 10th Oct, you can APPLY for our programmes by hitting the green Apply Now button above or by visiting Find Postgraduate Teacher Training Programmes
In the 'Find courses by location or by training provider' option, find us by entering Essex Schools ITT into the 3rd circle shown or our code 1OS (that's 1-Oscar-Sierra with a letter O, not a zero!)
The list of teacher training programmes that we offer is available to view on Our Programmes page
It is highly recommended that applicants contact us for an initial, informal conversation or visit so we can find out more about you (and vice versa!). Complete our Contact Form and one of our Directors will be in touch with you.

School Experience

Having some school or teaching experience prior to, or during the process of your application, is always useful. However, please note that having no such experience will NOT preclude you from applying.

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS)

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) is required for entry to Initial Teacher Training. Tes and ourselves will carry one out for you once you hold a conditional offer from us. We ask applicants to confirm that they agree to a check by the Disclosure and Barring Service. You do not need to carry out a DBS for yourself prior to applying (some government websites do suggest this).

Entry requirements

To qualify for our school-centred route, you MUST have English Language & Maths GCSE (or equivalent) at Grade 4/C or above AND a degree preferably in the subject you want to teach. (Primary candidates must also have a Grade 4/C in GCSE Science.)
If you need to sit an English Language, Maths or Science GCSE equivalent, please do so before you apply. There are several organizations through which you can sit a recognized GCSE equivalency - usually on an online basis. These are Birmingham City University and also A Star Equivalency
If you have a degree that is not directly relevant to the subject that you want to teach do not be put off! Every year we successfully train people to become outstanding teachers with a wide variety of degrees – we do this using the Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses provided by Tes. For example, you may have a degree in Accounting and want to train to teach Maths, or perhaps a degree in Engineering and want to teach Physics. An SKE will help equip you with the relevant knowledge of the curriculum to do so, and will help to refresh your subject knowledge if your degree is from a few years back!
If you cannot evidence your GCSEs or degree by way of a certificate, you must find or re-order them asap. Entry to the teaching profession will not be permitted without verified academic certificates. If you can't find them, visit this page to reorder
If you hold overseas qualifications, we will need to see your NARIC/ENIC statement of equivalence for BOTH your degree AND your high school Maths and English GCSE exams. We will also need to see the original certificates to which the statement relates. If you can't find the certificates (or can't reorder them), you must be prepared to sit an equivalence exam, with one of the companies outlined above.
How to contact UK ENIC.

Not sure if you're suited to teacher training?

There are a lot of unique personal qualities that all providers look for in a trainee teacher. Are you suitable for life in the classroom? Look at this typical person specification for teacher training and see how you match up!

Fundamental Maths and English assessments

People entering the teaching profession are no longer required to sit the professional skills tests for Maths and English, which proved to be a barrier for many.

However, we still require a high level of competency in both Maths and English language from all of our trainees, as you would expect for anyone entering a profession such as teaching.

Once we make you an offer, you will be invited along to sit a fundamental Maths and English assessment, which will show any areas you need to develop before the award for QTS is made. We will help prepare you for these assessments by providing you with revision tips and websites. The vast majority of offer holders find the assessments very accessible - resits are possible if need be.

Time will be given to trainees during their training year to address any gaps in their fundamental English and Maths competencies.

How we select:

The partnership will review applications for eligibility (meeting the criteria) and will decide (with the applicant and partner schools) which schools might be suitable.
The interview process will either be in-person or remote, depending on the subject and the preferences of the interviewing school. In-person interviews may involve an observation of the candidate teaching a class for around 15-20 minutes, with advance notice of the topic, year group and ability of the children that they will be teaching. Some interviews won't require a teaching element, but will require the candidate to present a lesson plan. This will be followed by a formal interview lasting 30 minutes. Remote interviews will entail the applicant preparing a full lesson plan as if they were going to teach a live class, plus an explanation for their planning, followed by a formal interview. Applicants should be prepared to undertake either type of interview.
Staff from participating schools and Tes Institute will be involved in the interview process, which will be coordinated by Davenant Foundation School as the ‘Lead School’.

Checks, certifications and proof of ID

All applicants must present:

Their original degree certificate AND GCSE certificates (or UK ENIC equivalent) showing Grade C/4 or above in English, Maths and Science (for Primary)
Proof of ID and residency (this will normally be your birth certificate, current/in-date passport or driving licence and a bank statement or utility bill)
You must have two references from professional sources. References from friends or relatives, or people with a non-professional email address (for example, ...@gmail.com) will not be accepted.
During the application process, we may carry out a check of your 'online footprint' (including any social media accounts) as part of our commitment to safeguarding
All overseas qualifications will need to submitted by you to UK ENIC and a Statement of Equivalency obtained
If you have lived, been educated or worked outside of the UK after the age of 18, you must produce a Certificate of Good Conduct from the relevant country/countries. Instructions on how to obtain one can be found on the gov.co.uk site where countries are listed A-Z.
Once we're in receipt of all your IDs and qualifications, we will submit them to Tes Institute, who will carry out fitness to practice and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

The Department of Education's website

https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/ will also provide you with more information and guidance about how to write an application and you can also find more information about the different phases eg primary or secondary that are of interest to you.