If you’re thinking about training as a teacher after you graduate, it’s important to realise that there have been some major changes
recently in the training routes available and the application process. It’s not
simply a case of saying ‘I’ll apply for a PGCE’…. in fact in future less and
less people will be training via this route. The current government is trying
to shift the emphasis from training via a one year full-time course with
placements, to employment based training options such as School Direct, School
Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) and Teach First.
From the 1st November applications for all
training routes apart from Teach First will be made through a single portal,
UCAS Teaching Training www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/teacher-training and applicants will be able to include a mix
of PGCEs through Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), School Direct or SCITT.
It’s going to be crucial that you thoroughly research the options open to you
before applying, given the variation in the style of training offered, which
could be exclusively school based in-service delivery, or through attendance at
an HEI, or a combination of these two. There will also be differences in what
you gain through your training - whether you simply get Qualified Teacher
Status (QTS) or also a Postgraduate or Professional Certificate in Education
(PGCE) and credits at masters level as well. In addition the Teach First
programme also offers a leadership development programme and the opportunity to
undertake industry placements during the vacations.
A good place to start is to familiarise yourself with the different training routes by using the Department for Education website www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching as well as looking at the advice for applicants on the UCAS website.
There will be two stages to the application process – Apply 1 which runs from 1st November until the end of September the following year and Apply 2 which runs from 1st January each year until the end of October. Initial applications should be made through Apply 1; you can make up to 3 choices. If unsuccessful in obtaining a training place, then you can proceed to Apply 2 where one choice at a time can be selected.
If this all seems terribly confusing don’t worry, the Careers Service is here to help! We’ll be delivering a couple of talks in the autumn which should help simplify things for you:
‘Routes into Teaching’ – Tuesday 8th October
‘Applying for Teacher Training’ – Tuesday 15th
October
For further details look at our ‘What’s On’ Diary www.shef.ac.uk/careers/students/events
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