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Train to Teach in Essex with the NIoT

Overview

The NIoT’s initial teacher training is a fully immersive school-centred programme – aspiring teachers will be in the classroom from the very start. But full immersion does not mean that you will be thrown in the deep end: our trainees are mentored and have central training once a week. And you’ll have the confidence of knowing that you are participating in a programme that was designed by some of the most experienced teachers and leaders in the country, drawn from four leading school trusts with decades of teacher-training between them. We also know from experience what headteachers look for in new teachers – so we will ensure that you develop the skills necessary for finding an Early Career Teacher role.

All our teacher training courses lead to QTS (Qualified Teacher Status), a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) and 60 Master’s Level credits.

Benefits

Fully immersive: NIoT trainees are given 39 weeks of professional learning and teaching practice in a placement school.
Learning applied quickly: You'll learn something on a Thursday (at Core Training) and apply it the next day.
Fully supported: We care about the wellbeing of our trainees. So you'll have mentors who know you well, support your progress and cheer your successes.
Advice on tap: Trainees who have concerns about any area of teaching – from classroom behaviour to workload management – are offered detailed support and guidance either locally or nationally.
Spiral curriculum: Our curriculum is deliberately structured in order to reinforce previous learning. Your classroom practice will become more sophisticated as their knowledge builds.
Research-informed: Our researchers are continually examining what works best in teacher training and using these insights to shape the programmes we offer.
National cohort: You will belong to a network of like-minded individuals across the country.

Why study at the NIoT?

We are an institution dedicated to training teachers and school leaders at every stage of their careers – from trainee through to executive leader. We'll be by your side throughout your career.
We were founded by four leading school trusts, with an established record in nurturing talent, helping teachers and leaders carve out the career that is right for them and working with children in their local communities.
Our network of Associate Colleges across the country ensures that our programmes are targeted to their participants, reflecting local contexts and drawing on local expertise.
We are rooted in schools. We know the day-to-day challenges that teachers face - how unpredictable classroom life can be. Because we were set up by schools, we also know what senior leaders are looking for in a new teacher – information that will be invaluable when it comes to helping you secure a job.

Curriculum

Structure:

Pre-Autumn term: Flying start – a one-week programme for all NIoT new trainees, when we'll ensure that you have the basic tools necessary to prepare you for entering the classroom.
Autumn term: You will have one main placement for the whole of this term. The course is fully immersive, which means that you’ll be teaching from the very start – but your timetable will be very small to begin with, increasing as the year progresses. You will be in your placement school four days a week and training in your campus one day a week. This means that you'll be able to learn new techniques, practise them and then apply them in school immediately.
Spring term: You will spend four weeks of this term in a contrasting school placement. The aim is to broaden your experience and field of reference. This placement will be organised for you.
Second half of spring term and summer term: You will return to your main placement school. This will help you to strengthen existing relationships and to deepen your teaching knowledge, as well as providing continuity for your learners.

What you'll learn:

Subject and curriculum knowledge: We'll support you with the fundamentals: why you're teaching an aspect of the curriculum, what's the best way to teach it, and how you can do it most successfully.
Planning for progress: How to plan effective, objective-driven lessons by observing expert colleagues, conceptualising and sequencing pupil progress over time, and creating opportunities for deeper learning and challenge.
Behaviour and relationships: How to nurture a culture of mutual trust and respect. How to create an inclusive and ambitious climate for learning, helping young people to achieve consistently high standards. How to provide a positive, predictable and safe environment for all pupils.
How students learn – inclusive pedagogy: How to ensure all our pupils experience success at the highest level by teaching new content, building on their pre-existing knowledge, using explanations and modelling and diagnosing and implementing strategies for all. How to provide opportunities for practice and retrieval, so as to maximise the chances that pupils will retain new information. How to avoid overloading young people with information.
Assessment and responsive teaching: How to draw on the different forms of assessment, in order to check for learner misconceptions and measure the depth of their understanding. How to use data effectively to support the needs of the pupils in your class.
Professional behaviours: How to step into the role of a teacher. What will your professional obligations be? How can you look after your own wellbeing? How to reflect on your own teaching practice and make use of the support around you. How to use wider networks and communities in order to strengthen your own knowledge.

Subjects & course codes

Primary (3-7) (fee paying: Z492)
Primary (5-11) (fee paying: 28P6)
Primary with mathematics (3-7) (fee paying: E792)
Primary with mathematics (5-11) (fee paying: 3F2F)
Biology (fee paying: 2KGW or salaried: 2KGD)
Chemistry (fee paying: 2KGZ or salaried: 2KGY)
Computing (fee paying: 2T3F or salaried: 2T3G)
Design and technology (fee paying: 2KG7)
English (fee paying: 2KG2)
Geography (fee paying: 2KH8)
History (fee paying: 2KH6)
Languages - French: (fee paying: 2B66 or salaried: 2B64)
Languages - Mandarin: (fee paying: 2B66 or salaried: 2B64)
Languages - Spanish: (fee paying: 2B66 or salaried: 2B64)
Mathematics: (fee paying: 2B67 or salaried: 2B68)
Physics: (fee paying: 2KH3 or salaried: 2KH2)
RE with citizenship: (fee paying: 3F7V)

Support

At the NIoT, we believe that readily available, empathetic support is vital to ensuring that our trainee teachers have a successful training year. The support package we offer includes:

A multi-layered school support network, designed to help protect your physical and mental health and your wellbeing
Personalised support with any specific areas of the programme that might be concerning you, such as behaviour management, workload or academic writing etc.
An NIoT support network, including professional tutors, regional welfare officers, subject leads and peer discussion groups customised to your cohort
Tailored support for neurodiverse trainees
Dedicated support for trainees who are registered disabled.

Time commitment

Full-time option:

Five days per week (four days in school, one day at a campus).

Part time:

Four days per week, with the course finishing at the end of the autumn term of year two. All academic work would be completed during year one. Training day (Thursday) not negotiable.
Three days per week, with the course finishing at Easter of year two. All academic work would be completed during year one. Training day (Thursday) not negotiable.

Assessment

For QTS: Assessment is ongoing throughout the year, and includes observation of your practice and evidence of your success from mentors, tutors and yourself. Trainees are assessed against the NIoT ITT curriculum as the year progresses, and against the Teachers’ Standards at the end of the programme.

For PGCE: Assessment is by three master’s level assignments, which are both academically robust and grounded in your day-to-day practice.

NIoT works in partnership with the University of Birmingham. The University of Birmingham is the validating university and has responsibility for awarding the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) element of the programme.

Location

Chafford Hundred Teaching School Hub will be working with partners in Essex, Southend and Thurrock to host Initial Teacher Training.

For more information about eligiblity and how to apply please visit the NIoT website:

Initial Teacher Training (ITT) – The National Institute of Teaching (niot.org.uk)