South West Teacher Training offers a School-Centred Initial Teacher Training experience. This means that:

• Our programme and training is entirely practitioner-led. 
• Our course is designed and run by excellent schools and teachers from within our wide partnership. 
• By training with us, new teachers are learning about the profession from current practitioners who are keen to share their knowledge and expertise. 
• We are proud that our partners see this route as a recruitment pipeline of excellent new teachers and so take care to ensure the training is as up-to-date and relevant as possible.

• The award of Qualified Teacher Status at age ranges 11-16 
• The qualification of a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education. The PGCE element of our course is led by University of Exeter, a provider with a long tradition of training highly regarded teachers.

We work closely with the University to design a course that integrates up-to-date and relevant research, with a practitioner-led training curriculum.

Our programme plan includes teaching experience from Week 2 of the course, alongside regular General Professional Studies Training, intensive Subject Professional Studies tutoring and a variety of other experiences, including:

• an initial induction programme
• a placement in a local primary school
• a visit to a Special School
• post-16 experience
• ongoing lesson observation and feedback
• individual and small group training from SWTT Course Tutors
• collaborative and team teaching with experienced staff
• whole group/class teaching experience
• regular individual support and guidance from a designated Mentor
• regular General Professional Studies sessions
• regular Subject Professional Studies sessions
• study periods for research and reflection
• subject specialism KS3 and 4 self-audit against the National Curriculum requirements
• involvement in school departmental meetings, pastoral work, parental consultations, staff meetings, extra-curricular activities
• teacher training experience in at least two contrasting schools
• preparation for first teaching post
• ability to observe and work alongside outstanding practitioners.
• final assessment against the Teaching Standards.