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What is School Direct?

Do you want to make a real difference to the outcomes of children and young people living in the capital?

Do you have the skills and abilities that would make you an outstanding teacher?

Are you interested in finding out more about training ‘on the job’ in high performing schools?

We are looking for exceptional candidates to train with the Harrow Collegiate  Alliance as part of the School Direct Programme. To join us you will need to have a passion for your subject grounded in academic achievement as well as a deep commitment to working with young people to transform their lives through education.

School Direct is a national teacher training initiative, which offers an exciting opportunity to train alongside outstanding practitioners, gaining valuable knowledge, skills and professional attitudes that will enable you to start your personal journey towards becoming an excellent teacher.

Train to Teach with the HCTSA

What are the training routes available to me?

See Routes to QTS by clicking here or on the left-hand menu.


Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship

The Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship is an employment-based route offering you a way to qualify as a teacher while based mainly in a school. This course runs from June to the following July.

This programme is closely aligned to our PGCE and School Direct routes, meaning you benefit from high-quality central training, delivered by research-leaders and academics. You will have the opportunity to gain a postgraduate qualification, the [PGCert Teaching] (https://www.mdx.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/teaching-pgcert), which can be used towards a Masters award in the future, enabling you to develop your skills for teaching and for understanding the interrelationship between learning and teaching, as you develop into a critically reflective practitioner.

From the beginning, you will be treated like a member of the teaching staff by fellow professionals. Your subject mentors are expert colleagues and undertake rigorous training to develop their mentoring skills to support your teacher training. Your time in school provides you with the opportunity to develop your teaching expertise and relationships with young people in a familiar environment.

During your first half-term you follow an initial programme of observations and research. This allows you to become familiar with the organisation and working of the school and department (e.g. student groups and pastoral systems, curriculum, methods of teaching, lesson planning etc.). You will co-teach elements of certain lessons, enabling you to become ready to take sole responsibility for a number of classes from September.

Your training will be predominantly based at your host/employing school other than:

* every other Monday you will be at the university throughout the year

* your second placement at another school for approx. 6 weeks in the second term

Your shorter second teaching placement is intended for you to apply and develop your teaching whilst also widening your experience of the school system in a new context. You return to your host school after this placement.

While in your host school and during your second placement, your university tutor will visit to monitor your progress and discuss your development with you and your mentors. You will maintain close links with your host school throughout the programme.

For more information, please visit:

 https://www.mdx.ac.uk/courses/degree-apprenticeships/postgraduate-teacher-apprenticeship-qts

https://www.mdx.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/teaching-pgcert


School Direct Salaried

Your training will be predominantly based at the host school, your employing school other than:

* every other Monday you will be at the university throughout the year

* your second placement at another school for approx. 6 weeks in the second term, i.e. after Christmas.

Through an initial programme of observations and research you will become familiar with the organisation and working of the school and department (pupil groups and pastoral systems, staffing, curriculum, resources, facilities, methods of teaching, lesson planning, and assessment).

From the beginning, you will be treated like a member of the teaching staff by fellow professionals. With your departmental mentor, other expert colleagues and Professional Coordinating Mentor (PCM), you will feel supported as you progress and become ready to teach as the placement progresses. Our mentors are experienced teachers and undertake rigorous training to develop their mentoring skills to support your development as a teacher. Your time in school provides you with the opportunity to develop your teaching expertise and relationships with children and young people in a familiar environment.

Your shorter second teaching placement is intended for you to apply and develop your teaching skills whilst also widening your experience of the school system in a new context. We would endeavour to ensure that this second school is one of our HCA partner schools but cannot absolutely guarantee this. Please be assured that the quality of the training will be quality assured by the HCA and the university. You return to your host school after this placement.

While in your main host school and during your second placement, your university tutor will visit to monitor your progress and discuss your development with you and your mentors. You will maintain close links with your host school throughout the programme.

https://www.mdx.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/school-direct-qts


Schools Direct PGCE

This ambitious school-led training programme has been designed in partnership with Middlesex University. We emphasise the importance of developing strong subject knowledge and an understanding of associated theory and pedagogy for teaching. Your training comprises an integration of centre-based training at Middlesex University with school-based training within the alliance schools. You will have an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills required to demonstrate that you are meeting the Teachers’ Standards by the end of the training programme.

Training is designed to support trainee development in 5 core areas – behaviour management, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and professional behaviours.

Trainees will be supported by mentors, university tutors and expert colleagues throughout their training to support their development.

In addition, you will be able to study for a postgraduate award, PGCE providing access to an ambitious curriculum for developing teachers.

You will undertake your training across two contrasting schools. Starting in ‘School A’ your first placement lasts from September until early January, then you move to ‘School B’ in early February through to late April, returning to ‘School A’ in early May, completing your training in late June.

Your training will be predominantly based at the two host schools, other than one day a week when you will be at the university (throughout most of the year).

Through an initial programme of observations and research you will become familiar with the organisation and working of the school and department (pupil groups and pastoral systems, staffing, curriculum, resources, facilities, methods of teaching, lesson planning, and assessment).

From the beginning, you will be treated like a member of the teaching staff by fellow professionals. With your departmental mentor, other expert colleagues and Professional Coordinating Mentor (PCM), you will feel supported as you progress and become ready to teach. Our mentors are experienced teachers and undertake rigorous training to develop their mentoring skills to support your development as a teacher.

Your time in school provides you with the opportunity to develop your teaching expertise and relationships with children and young people in a familiar environment.

Your university tutor will visit you regularly throughout your training year to monitor your progress and discuss your development with you and your mentors and you will maintain close links with other trainees in your subject across the Harrow Collegiate, through networking and subject development days.

https://www.mdx.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/school-direct-qts