Josie Thirkell Institute of Education Primary (SEND) (F848)

Postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) with qualified teacher status (QTS)

• Accredited body: Exceed SCITT
• Financial support: Student finance if you’re eligible
• Qualification:
  PGCE with QTS

  A postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) with qualified teacher status (QTS) will allow you to teach in state schools in England and may allow you to teach in other parts of the UK.

  It may also allow you to teach overseas, though you should always check what qualifications are needed in the country you’d like to teach in.

  Many PGCE courses include credits that count toward a Master’s degree.

• Age range: 5 to 11
• Course length: 1 year - full time
• Date you can apply from: 11 October 2022
• Date course starts: September 2023
• Website: http://www.jtioe.org.uk

Contents

Course summary

This unique programme maximises your time in school and classrooms. Even the PGCE is drawn directly from your work in school and is not a separate taught course.

We aim to match you with a home school in our partnership that matches your particular interest in SEND and/or suits your geographical location where this is possible.

You will start the course with an introduction at your home school. This is followed by an assessed placement for either Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2 in a mainstream primary school.

This full-time course includes both school-based experience and sessions at the university with a strong focus on integrating theory and practice. At least 120 days will be based in schools. School placements are carefully structured to ensure the gradual development of your confidence as an effective teacher through building up experiences working with university-based mentors and school-based mentors.

It is an integrated academic and professional preparation for teaching, combining study at either postgraduate or professional level with practical training to meet the Teachers’ Standards. The goal is that you should become a reflective practitioner – a teacher who thinks about their experiences and learns from them in order to improve their practice.

The course will include lectures, seminars, workshops, independent study, tutorials, school-based training and will recommend you for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The university-based sessions are very much a starting point for the training undertaken in schools through observation and working alongside experienced teachers.

School placements

We work with Primary, Special and Alternate Provision Schools across the region. You will become part of the team allowing you to train alongside experienced and specialist teachers.

You will spend the majority of your course in one of our partner schools, supported by experienced and supportive staff, one of whom will be assigned as your host mentor. You will undertake a second contrasting placement in another of our partner schools in the first half of the Spring Term.

Locations

You can select one of the following locations to indicate a preferred placement when you apply.

Location	Vacancies
Green Meadows Academy Back Lane , Leeds, West Yorkshire , LS20 8LS	Yes
Penny Field School Tongue Lane , Meanwood, Leeds , West Yorkshire, LS6 4QD	Yes
Springwell Leeds Academy East Site Brooklands View, Seacroft, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS14 6XR	Yes
Springwell Leeds Academy North Site Woodnook Drive, Tinshill, Leeds, West Yorkshire , LS16 6DY	Yes
Springwell Leeds Academy South Site Middleton Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire , LS10 3JA	Yes

Entry requirements

Qualifications needed

An undergraduate degree at class 2:2 or above, or equivalent.

Grade 4 (C) or above in English, maths and science, or equivalent qualification.

We’ll consider candidates with pending GCSEs.

We’ll consider candidates who need to take a GCSE equivalency test in English, maths or science.

Personal qualities

We are looking for ambitious trainee teachers who are passionate and enthusiastic about working with children, with a desire to share that with children of all abilities.

We also want our teachers to be able to effectively meet the learning needs of pupils who may have a diverse range of educational needs. Experience of working with children of this age range would be very helpful, particularly if in a school setting through previous employment or voluntary work.

Other requirements

Experience is not required however, we recommend that you gain some experience in order for you to become aware of what a career in teaching entails.

A Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) will need to be completed. This is a requirement before commencement on the course.

Fees and financial support

The course fees for UK students in 2023 to 2024 are £9,250.

About the training provider

Josie Thirkell Institute of Education offers teacher training across the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire region

We are a values driven alliance and we believe relationships do make a difference. Through School Direct, we recruit, nurture and develop new and exciting talent to the profession as part of our drive to promote outstanding teaching and learning in our schools.

Our Alliance comprises of a range of Primary, Secondary and Special School partners including PRU provisions. Therefore, we can offer you a wide and contrasting range of teaching and training opportunities. We are committed to ensuring that your training experience provides you with tailored support, thereby maximising your chances for success. Many of our trainees have gone on to secure employment in our schools.

We aim to better meet the social and academic learning needs of our students, thereby enhancing and improving their life chances in society and the world of work.

About the accredited body

Exceed SCITT is part of Exceed Academies Trust in Bradford and is an accredited provider of Qualified Teacher Status, we hold an Ofsted rating of Outstanding, a recognition of the quality training we provide. We work closely with our School Direct partners in Bradford, Keighley and Leeds. Our unique programme maximises the time spent in school and access to tutors with up to date professional practice and expertise drawn from their work in schools. We have an excellent track record of supporting trainees in completing the programme for QTS and gaining employment as a Newly Qualified Teacher

Interview process

Our recruitment process is shared across the partner schools within Josie Thirkell Institute of Education.

There is an initial selection process based on how applicants meet the qualifications and experience criteria. Should you pass this ‘initial sift’ successfully, then it is likely you will be called to interview. Interviews take place in our partner schools and the panel may include representatives from Josie Thirkell and Senior Leaders from our partner schools.

The interview process is designed to enable you to show the extent to which you have the potential to become a great teacher. The interview will consist of a range of tasks designed to test your knowledge and skills in order for you to become an effective teacher.

We will inform you in advance about any pre-interview guidance for the other activities as required.

During the interview, you will have the opportunity to meet and talk to staff and children and ask questions. Although please be aware if successful you may not be placed in the school in which the interviews are taking place. However, we do organise pre-visits to designated placement schools further into the process.

International candidates

You’ll need the right to study in the UK. You already have this if, for example, you:

• are an Irish citizen
• have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (you may still be able to apply)
• have indefinite leave to remain in the UK

If you do not already have the right to study in the UK, you may need to apply for a visa. The main visa for fee-paying courses (those that you have to pay for) is the Student visa.

To apply for a Student visa, you’ll need to be sponsored by your training provider.

Sponsorship is not available for this course.

If you need a visa, filter your course search to find courses with visa sponsorship.

Alternatively, check if you’re eligible for a different type of visa, such as a Graduate or Family visa, that allows you to train to be a teacher without being sponsored.

Find out more about training to teach in England.

International qualifications

If your qualifications come from a non-UK institution, we may want to see a ‘statement of comparability’ from UK ENIC. This will show us how they compare to UK qualifications.

You can call Get Into Teaching on 0800 389 2500 for:

• guidance on the UK equivalents of your qualifications
• a free statement of comparability once you’ve submitted your application (if we ask you for this)

Training with disabilities and other needs

We have a strong track record in successfully working with trainees with a wide range of disabilities and additional needs. During our Ofsted Inspection, one of the findings was that: ‘Leaders pay close and extensive attention to the welfare of trainees. They respond rapidly and effectually to those needing support’ (Ofsted 2018). After recruitment, we ask trainees to complete a ‘Fitness to Teach’ questionnaire which asks if any adjustments are required, we also require trainees to be assessed by an occupational health specialist. If appropriate, a ‘Wellbeing Plan’ will be created which is bespoke to the trainee’s needs; this will be regularly reviewed. We will then work closely with the trainee to make adjustments where we possibly can (for example, PowerPoint presentations in advance or printed on coloured paper). Declaring any disabilities will not disadvantage trainees and their application; we make any appropriate adjustments and make sure that trainees are placed in a supportive training environment. We regularly ensure that these adjustments are maintained and re-assessed, to ensure that needs are continually met. Disability access and provision are in accordance with legal requirements in all our settings. Some settings have further specialist provision and further details can be acquired by contacting the individual setting via their website contact details.

Contact this training provider

• Email: traintoteach@jtioe.org.uk
• Telephone: 01226 720758
• Website: http://www.jtioe.org.uk
• Address: Digital Media Centre; County Way; Barnsley; South Yorkshire; S70 2JW

Support and advice

You can speak to a teacher training adviser for free, dedicated advice. They are all experienced teachers who can give you one-to-one support with your application. They can also help you get school experience, and find events where you can speak to training providers and teachers.

Call Get Into Teaching free of charge on 0800 389 2500, or chat online Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm (except public holidays).

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