
Teacher Training
The Stamford ITE Cluster Teacher Training Offer
The Stamford ITE Cluster Teacher Training Offer
At Malcolm Sargent primary School, we offer a Schools Direct route to gain a PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status, through Bishop Grosseteste University Lincoln. We offer two courses, one for the 5-11 age range, suited to applicants wishing to pursue a career in working with children from Year 1 to Year 6, and a 3-7 age range, for those who wish to train in the early years program, working with children aged 4 and 5 in the Foundation Stage. Both are unsalaried routes.
Our course details can be found on the government portal for post-graduate teacher at the weblink below, then searching by our post code PE9 2SR, or training provider ‘Stamford ITE Cluster’.
https://gov.uk/apply-for-teacher-training
The government ‘Apply’ portal is open this year from 12th October 2022, where applications for these courses can be made for a 2023/2024 training year and where further information can be found.
For further questions about our course or applying, please contact Tim Cox, the school ITE Lead or read below:
The School & Our Support For Students:
Malcolm Sargent Primary is a vibrant school in the pleasant Georgian town of Stamford, offering a tremendous team ethos, in a friendly, dynamic and supportive environment.
We have 650 pupils, organised in year groups of 90 (3 classes), well-supported by a team of teachers and teaching assistants that work closely together to plan the curriculum opportunities and day to day running of the year group. Senior Leaders and Pastoral Leads also support each year group by overseeing welfare, wellbeing and special needs.
We pride ourselves on our excellent standards of education for children, and training for staff. We have been training teachers for over 10 years, and have an excellent track record in developing trainee teachers.
Students are integrated into the whole school teaching team from their first day, as highly valued members of the school team. They work alongside their teacher mentors very closely, and are involved in all aspects of school life. Our aim is not only to ensure students have a positive and well supported experience, but also leave with the highest possible outcomes they can achieve, establishing not only the skills to teach, but also, employability and an aptitude and understanding of how to do well in this rewarding profession.
We really care about all of our trainees and aim to support them all of the way through their studies, from application to graduation. Therefore, applicants with disabilities and other needs are encouraged to apply. The School Direct Route makes the most of in-school mentoring, offering close support for trainees.
The Course
The very practical, with around two-thirds of the time spent in schools, mostly working with teachers and pupils, and around one third spent on directed study, with partnership training in the University and school.
The course is delivered through full-time training with an assigned teacher mentor on the school site, with a chosen year group and class, for the entire academic year. Each Friday is spent training off-site, at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln, where a program of basic training and support is provided. When training at school, the course is managed by the assigned mentor, and school-based lead mentor, with regular checks on progress and further support offered by the university-based mentor, at least three times a year.
By the end of the course, the trainee will need to prove that they have met all of the core teaching standards effectively, in order to lead on the planning, teaching and learning of a class of children, with support, and up to 80% of the curriculum timetable. The school also provides a comprehensive package of additional training within special training sessions, INSET and Staff Meetings, which are designed to cover all aspects of mandatory teacher training, specialist training on areas such as Pupil Premium, SEN Interventions and Running Trips and Visits. Many aspects of this training also include the development of core employ-ability skills.
How Placements Work
The Stamford ITE Cluster, consists of several local schools, and the lead school site, Malcolm Sargent Primary School, where a majority of our trainees are based. However, we are also happy to find alternative placements at other schools should our trainees have a preference, and work with the Rutland Teaching Alliance, Keystone Teaching School in Bourne and Penn Green in Corby.
The course placements are broken down into four main aspects.
The Introductory Placement is for the Autumn Term where the trainee begins to gather information about the school and begins to work with individuals and groups in the class. It builds growing confidence for the trainee to begin to teach alongside the mentor, taking responsibility for some aspects of planning and delivery of lessons.
The second aspect, is called the Developing Placement, and is for the first half of the Spring Term, spent at a different, contrasting school locality, within the cluster. During this placement, trainees continue to develop their practice and learn about how different schools operate.
The third aspect of training is called Enrichment, and is coordinated by the trainee, with the support of the lead mentor, to find enriching opportunities to explore other areas of the core teaching standards that would otherwise be difficult to fulfil at the main school setting.
The fourth aspect of training is the Extending Placement, which lasts for the Summer Term at the main school. Over this placement, the responsibility for teaching extends to 80% of the timetable, for both planning, delivery and assessment, with the full support of the mentor and teaching team.
Trainees are supported through their journey by School Based Mentors and also by University Based Mentors, regularly discussing practice and monitoring progress through lesson observations and the collecting of evidence to demonstrate meeting the Teachers’ Standards. Tutors also offer pastoral support to help trainees manage their workload and wellbeing.
Trainees should aim to develop strong subject knowledge of English, Phonics and mathematics, in particular, as well as all other areas of the primary curriculum.
The course runs for one academic year, from the first day of that year, to the last day. The UK Fees for this course, payable to Bishop Grossteste University are £9250. Bursaries are available in some cases. Please discuss this with the university finance team.
The requirements for the course are at least a 2:2 degree classification, with GCSE’s or equivalent at Grade 4 or higher in English, Maths and Science. Two weeks experience of working with children is also a requirement prior to starting the course.
Personal Attributes Ideal To The Course And To Teaching:
Teaching is an extremely rewarding and fascinating career, seeing the outcomes of the support given to children; career opportunities for future development into leadership and an attractive salary and pension scheme.
It is also a challenging career. Teachers need to be passionate about supporting and developing children, fostering excellent relationships. Teachers need be confident when working with others and need to be prepared to work hard, motivated by challenge and reward. Teachers need to have resilience and flexibility to work in a changing profession, where development of practice is a key part of the role.
ALL TRAINEE TEACHERS ARE SUBJECT TO FULL CLEARANCES INCLUDING ENHANCED DBS CHECKS PRIOR TO JOINING THE SCHOOL ON THEIR FIRST PLACEMENT.