Initial Teacher Training
Lead Alliance Partner ITT (accredited partner – University of Roehampton)
Avenue Primary Academy is an outstanding, large primary school based in Sutton and is a member of Cirrus Primary Academy Trust. We recognise and develop the potential of each and every person, empowering them and giving them the confidence to play a positive role in society as responsible citizens. We aim high and believe we can succeed.
A commitment to development attracts the best staff to work at Avenue. Because of our size and work with other schools in the local area, teachers have career progression and promotion opportunities within the school and across the Trust. We believe this is crucial to the success of our school.
Avenue was a Teaching School from 2012 – 2021 and the lead school for the Sutton Primary Teaching School Alliance, provide CPD for NQTs and experienced teachers across the borough.
The teaching school has been successfully training teachers through school-based training for 7 years and Avenue Primary will continue to offer this ITT route as a lead partner school from September 2024.. Many of our school-based trainees have continued to work at their host schools or within Cirrus Primary Academy Trust. We also successfully mentor, support and assess a number of core ITT students from University of Roehampton each year.
If you are interested in becoming a part our thriving and successful teaching community, we offer teacher training places in conjunction with our university provider, the University of Roehampton. Please contact us to find out more.
About Your Accredited Provider
The School of Education at Roehampton is one of the principal providers of teacher training in the UK. As a student here, you will enjoy high quality teaching, equipping you for a successful career with a competitive starting salary. Your employment prospects will be excellent: 99% of our teacher training graduates are in work or further study six months after leaving us.
Based in south-west London, close to Putney and Hammersmith, our school is ranked third in London for the quality of our research in the field of education (Research Excellence Framework 2014), reflecting the world-class expertise of staff.
About this course
As a lead partner school, Avenue Primary Academy will be offering up to 6 primary tuition fee places. This will be a school-based training programme which will also offer PGCE, in partnership with the University of Roehampton. For 2024 - 2025, training places will be across Cirrus Primary Academy Trust. Some contrasting placements may take place in other schools in Sutton who have hosted school-based ITT students in previous years. This PGCE programme will effectively prepare you for a position as a primary teacher.
Graduates of this programme are qualified to teach children across the full primary age range, but with a specialism in the Early Years/Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 (3 - 7 year old children) or Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 (7 - 11 year old children).
Length of programme: 39 weeks full-time
Time spent in schools: 120 days minimum across the programme in total
The practical placements in school provide substantial classroom experience appropriately staged throughout the year. You will undertake block school experiences for sustained periods of time in schools, working in at least two schools for a minimum of 120 days during the programme. Placements will be in either EYFS and KS1 or KS1 and KS2. Trainees will be given the choice of the key stages they will based in for each placement.
Assessment
During the school placements, you progress from participant observer, via support teacher and sharing teacher, to lead teacher. The assessment of professional development takes place at regular intervals during placements and is a collaborative exercise involving you, your class teacher and your university tutor. The assessment is based on criteria set out in a profile of professional development, taking into account the Teachers' Standards for the award of QTS.
You will also be required to complete three 20 credit assignments for the modules above at either Postgraduate (M level) or Professional (P) level.
To gain QTS you are required to pass both the PGCE programme and to have met the Teachers' Standards.
Interview process
Details of the interview day will be given to applicants invited to attend and will include:
- A 20-30 minute individual interview that will include questions about current educational issues.
- a short written English task to determine your ability to work effectively in the primary classroom.
- an online grammar test
- an online mathematics test
- a 30 minute teaching activity based around a story with 30 pupils, the class teacher will also be present. This is to observe how the candidate relates to pupils and to help determine their potential to teach. Candidates are not expected to teach at the standard expected of a trainee or student, as for many, this will be their first experience of teaching a whole class.
How school placements work
Candidates will be assigned a host school, where they will receive substantial classroom experience. As this is a school-based programme, trainees will be immersed in the life of the school, attending school INSET and professional development meetings as well as weekly planning sessions with the class teacher. This additional time in schools enables trainees to observe subject leaders teaching their specialist subjects as well as lessons in a range of year groups. Some Trust schools have attached SEND bases, allowing trainees to observe teaching strategies and resources used to support pupils with these specific needs.
All placement schools are in the London Borough of Sutton. Consideration is given to the transport available to each trainee when placement schools are assigned.
Fees
Tuition fees of £9250 are payable to the University of Roehampton.
Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan:
To help fund your training and cover tuition fees, you could receive Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan, which is up to:
£9,250 Tuition Fee Loan to pay for your course
£11,354 Maintenance Loan to pay living costs
2. Additional financial support
If you have children or a disability, extra funding is available. For instance, you could get:
- up to £164.70 a week (1 child) or up to £282.36 a week (2 or more children) Childcare Grant
- up to £1,669 per year Parents’ Learning Allowance
- Child Tax Credits
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
- Up to £2,925 per year Adult Dependants’ Grant.
Find out more information on the extra support available by visiting: getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-salary
Requirements and eligibility
Degree Qualifications
Applicants will hold an Honours degree (preferably at 2:1 and above) awarded in the UK, or equivalent awarded by an approved university outside the UK, or an acceptable equivalent qualification. Candidates with a 2:2 Honours degree will need either additional postgraduate qualifications or substantial relevant experience of working with children.
GCSE Qualifications
All those training to teach must have achieved a Grade 4 (Grade C) or above in Mathematics, English Language and a Science subject (or approved equivalents). We will only consider applicants who have already achieved two out of the three GCSEs (or approved equivalents) prior to their application.
Other requirements (optional)
All candidates will be required to disclose any criminal convictions and a health questionnaire to demonstrate that they are suitable to work with children and are fit to undertake the role of a trainee class teacher. Candidates with disabilities or special educational needs should inform the school if special arrangements are necessary in order to ensure equal opportunities for candidates during the application and interview stages, as well as during the delivery of the course or for placements.
How to Apply
To find out how to apply for Teacher Training , please visit:
https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/
Further Information
If you require any further information or advice, please contact Britt Brooke