About the course
We pride ourselves in a highly personalised approach and our course is tailored to your individual training needs. We recognise that our students come from a wide range of different starting points and the training is well tailored to cater for this. Some students come along with experience of working within schools already whilst others have spent very little time in school prior to starting. Training commences on the first week in September and ends at the end of June.
You will train across at least two school phases in at least two different schools throughout the year. In a typical week, you will spend four days in your 'home' school learning from outstanding, inspiring and supportive mentors, teachers and leaders. Once a week, you will attend a theory based session (40 days throughout the year) delivered by subject specialists from within our school partnership at Bransgore Primary in our learning centre or at the University of Winchester to enable you to develop into a competent and confident Primary School teacher by the end of the course.
During the first term, the ‘formative placement’ is an ideal opportunity to gather lots of experience without it being formally assessed. Your time teaching is balanced with time out of class which may include observing other teachers, planning alongside teachers, planning individually, visiting other classes/schools and having time to work on University assignments and research. After Christmas students partake in an assessed 6 week placement in a contrasting school before returning to their host school for a final assessed school experience. There is also opportunity to spend time in a KS3 or Early Years settings in the summer term. Whilst our assessed placements are not in Early Years, a number of our students go onto be successful Early Years teachers.
Partnership with the University of Winchester
Our Primary School Direct program is delivered over the course of an academic year in partnership with the University of Winchester. Successful completion of the course leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and credits towards a Master’s Degree awarded by the University of Winchester. The University is rated as outstanding by Ofsted for its Initial Teacher Training provision.
Our partnership spans the areas of Hampshire, Dorset and Bournemouth. Many of our trainees find employment within the partnership and often go on to become school-based mentors or contributors to the taught course. A distinctive feature of our partnership schools is their commitment to providing high quality provision, reflected by nationally recognised awards and inspection reports. The schools serve diverse communities including rural and urban catchments.
Our School Led ITT Partner schools
(click on each one to visit their website)
- Hordle CE (VA) Primary School
- Highcliffe St Mark Primary School
- Poulner Infant School
- William Gilpin CE Primary (Lymington)
- Christchurch Junior School
- Fordingbridge infants School
- St Katharine's C of E Primary School (Bournemouth)
- Beaulieu Primary School
- The Priory Primary School
- Lymington Infants School
- Ringwood C of E Infant School
- South Baddesley primary school
- Wimborne First school
- Brockenhurst Primary
The five themes based upon the ITT CCF are:
- Professional behaviours
- High expectations and managing behaviour
- Pedagogy
- Curriculum
- Assessment
Trainees enjoy experiences across the primary curriculum.
We offer cross key stage experience.
Preparing you for life in a primary classroom.