What is SCITT?

School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) enables graduates to enter the teaching profession through a school-based route that offers both the conventional PGCE (Professional Graduate Certificate in Education – validated by University of Bedfordshire) and GTP (Graduate Training Programme – leading to QTS) through extensive classroom experience, all in the one year.

Who do you train?

We are a small-scale course and pride ourselves on the way trainees know and support each other. Typically, in any year, we have a good gender and ethnic mix with trainees, aged from their early twenties to their late forties.

Which subjects?

Trainees currently undertake a PGCE in one of these six subject areas:- Art & Design- English- History- Geography- Mathematics- Science. Subjects studied through the GTP programme include Media, Drama, ICT, Textiles, Food Technology, Business Studies and Modern Foreign Languages – although the actual range of subject varies from year to year, depending on the nature of our intake.

Which Schools?

Bedfordshire Schools' Training Partnership is made up of nine Upper schools and over fourteen Middle schools across the Mid and North Bedfordshire area.

What is the Course Programme?

Our trainees spend their days in school and two evenings a week studying either their subject or more general Professional Studies issues.

Am I eligible?

You need to have, or to be obtaining, a Degree or approved equivalent in one of the seven subjects or relevant to them. You also need basic (GCSE A-C) qualifications in English and Mathematics. However, we welcome enquiries from you even if you do not possess or expect to obtain formal qualifications in Maths or English before entry. We can help you here by offering our own special tests, recognised by the DfES.

What about money?

The Government presently offers several financial incentives to encourage graduates to enter the teaching profession. Please check the relevant websites, including: www.useyourhead.gov.uk.

What is my entitlement?

You are entitled to full support from the schools. This includes one hour of formal mentoring per week, access to ICT facilities and to a Higher Education library on The University Of Bedfordshire ‘s site, and teaching experience in at least two of the schools in the Partnership.