Our bespoke training focuses on developing and nurturing creative teachers who inspire young learners.
The North West SCITT programme is focused on producing highly effective, fully qualified teachers. Our year-long innovative school-led model will give you the skills and experience needed to find a teaching position in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 or specialist provision for children with SEN/D.
Through our excellent partnership with 24 schools across the North West region, we're able to provide students with effective mentorship and real world experience that translates into real success.
"Trainees become skillful teachers through carefully designed and well delivered school placement experiences." Ofsted Feb 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
A SCITT an organisation or an alliance of schools who are accredited by the DfE to train student teachers. At the end of their period of training, the SCITT can then recommend them to the DfE for award of Qualified Teacher Status (if they meet the necessary standards).
QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) is awarded by the DfE to students who have undertaken an Initial Teacher Training programme via a SCITT or HEI and is the required status to teach in England and Wales.
A PGCE is a postgraduate qualification, awarded by a Higher Education Institution to students who study at postgraduate level. A PGCE is not a qualification to enable you to teach, it is a qualification to demonstrate academic study at L7.
At North West SCITT, all students are enrolled on an ITT programme towards the award of QTS. Those interested in a PGCE may undertake this via our partnership with Cumbria University.
What are the Academic Entry Requirements?
GCSE – Standard equivalent to grade 4 (C) in English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject. Alternatively, an Equivalency from a recognised HEI for entry to ITT.
Note – Key and Functional skills at Level 2 are not equivalent to GCSEs
Degree – A first degree from a UK Higher Education institution. The first degree can be classification of first, 2:1, 2:2 or a degree comprising of 300 HE credit points of which 60 must be at level 6 of the QCF. For those who wish to be considered for a PGCE, you must hold a first or 2:1 in a National Curriculum subject, and for SEN with PGCE you must hold a first or 2:1 in a SEND related subject.
What are the Professional Entry Requirements?
All successful candidates are required to meet the following conditions of offer by the programme start date:
- Clear Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal records check including children’s barred list information;
- Clear Prohibition order check;
- Clear Health and physical capacity to train to teach through an external occupational health check;
- Clear criminal record checks for overseas applicants;
- Clear criminal records checks for applicants who have lived or worked abroad 3 months or more in the last 10 years;
- 2 Professional references.
Applicants with Disabilities or Special Educational Needs:
We comply with equality legislation and ensure that the interview procedures promote equality of opportunity and avoid discrimination.
Applicants with disabilities are under no obligation to disclose their disabilities. However, where information is provided we can make adjustments to promote equality of access for disabled applicants.
Your study will focus on exploring how children learn; planning teaching and assessment strategies; national statutory frameworks, for example Primary National Curriculum (and EYFS for those on the Early Years/Primary route) and theories in relation to behaviour for learning.
You will be trained in how subjects are taught in schools, how teachers monitor progress and outcomes across Key Stages, effective use of computing in classrooms and using the environment to inspire and challenge children.
We will develop your theoretical and practical understanding of how to meet the needs of all children, including those with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability), EAL (English as an Additional Language), challenging behaviours, children from minority ethnic backgrounds, children with disabilities as well as children who are able and talented.
For those who wish to undertake the additional element of PGCE, your study will focus on modules as identified within the modular options available by Cumbria University to link to your personal needs/interests.
For those following the QTS pathway you will study in a range of interrelated ways across the duration of the training period including:
- Centre-based training led by experts in their field/subject;
- Completion of nationally accredited modules and online learning;
- Participation in collaborative learning experiences in pedagogy tutorials;
- Participation of focused observations of classroom teaching and learning, delivered by experienced, qualified teachers;
- Engagement in school-based training, guided and supported by age phase expert mentors;
- Deconstruction of learning in school-based training experiences delivered by school-based experts;
- Personalised coaching including instructional and solution-focused coaching, to support the development of your personal competencies;
- Completion of directed or self-directed reading or research which is linked to aspects of your training;
- Undertaking personal research and preparation for your own curriculum delivery or competency development in the classroom.
For those who wish to undertake the additional element of PGCE, you will study this through the Cumbria University virtual learning platforms as well as be supported in your academic writing by academic study tutors.
Training 'on the job' and 'in situ' is the backbone of our programme and you will train in schools for the equivalent of 4 days each week. You will be engaged in training experiences for the equivalent of 1 day each week.
You will complete two x 18 week professional training placements in at least two contrasting schools. This allows all trainees to gain sustained, long term teaching experience in each of the two identified key stages, preparing you to be classroom ready in what ever key stage you secure your first post in!
In addition you will complete Enhancement Placements in either 0-3 or KS3 to develop your knowledge of curriculum progression and transition.
Further opportunities may be provided for you to gain invaluable experience in special educational needs schools, schools with a high percentage of children with EAL or small rural schools.
You will be assessed in an ongoing manner in a number of ways including:
- Initial assessment during the selection process, to establish your 'suitability to teach' with post-interview targets to support a smooth transition to your ITT programme;
- Initial assessment during the pre-programme period of your Fundamental Skills in English and Mathematics;
- Formatively during the pre-programme period, by completion of programme preparation tasks linked to national statutory frameworks;
- Summatively at the end of the induction period to ensure you have completed all core Safeguarding and Child Protection training and you are classroom ready;
- Formatively (generally each week) by mentors of your growing knowledge and skills in classroom-based contexts via reviews of your teaching and children's learning;
- Formatively (generally monthly) via collaboration between mentors and programme team in relation to the development of your knowledge and classroom skills (know about and know how to);
- Summatively, at the end of the first period of training, your Fundamental Skills in Mathematics and English;
- Summative Milestone and Progress Review at the conclusion of Training Placement 1 and Training Placement 2
- Summatively at the end of the ITT programme, against the Teachers' Standards and entry to ECT framework.
On successful completion of the programme you will gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling you to to take up a teaching post in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2.
For the Primary route your training age phase will be 5-11.
For the Early Years/Primary route your training age phase will be 3-7.
Applications are made through the Department of Education website. Recruitment begins in October and continues until all places are filled. If you need any help regarding your application, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.