TWO MILE ASH ITT PARTNERSHIP
TMA ITT Partnership is currently the only primary based accredited teacher training provider directly offering school based teacher training serving Milton Keynes. This will be our seventh year of providing successful teacher training for the 21 graduates who gain places on our scheme. We are committed to recruiting and training skilled, competent teachers who, as far as possible, are from within the local community. Under-represented groups are encouraged to take up places on our GTP programme both in support of TDA targets and local needs.
Overall Aims
- To provide high quality initial teacher training which ensures a practical and relevant training experience for a career as a teacher in the primary age range
- For the trainees to demonstrate good classroom practice, professional skills and knowledge in order to achieve Qualified Teacher Status
- To ensure that trainees demonstrate their ability to teach the core subjects of English, mathematics and science competently and independently, in order to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
- To enable GTPs to become creative, confident, committed and reflective practitioners
- To provide rich and supportive environments for individuals to develop their teaching abilities
- For trainees to have the highest expectations of both their own learning and the learning of their pupils
The Partnership
Two Mile Ash School, as the lead organisation, co-ordinates training with eleven partner schools as well as associate schools. All schools have undergone successful Ofsted inspections, have many individual strengths and demonstrate a commitment to school based initial teacher training. Almost all of our partner schools are based within Milton Keynes, however, we have also made use of excellent existing partnerships with two schools outside of the local area which have supported meeting our allocated targets.
The schools exhibit many individual strengths but together share a commitment to reflective practice, continuing professional development and to promote school improvement. This supports a strong partnership profile and forms a positive, rich and diverse training bed for our GTP Trainees, representative of the local area.
TMA ITT Partnership Schools (2008-9)
Partner schools provide a home-school base for the entire training year. In many cases, though not always, schools will provide two GTP placements, which offers both peer support to trainees and helps schools with practical issues.
Two Mile Ash School
Bradwell Village School
Southwood School
Loughton School
Tickford Park Primary School
Portfields Combined School
Brooksward Combined School
Olney Infants School
Loughton Manor First School
Glastonbury Thorn School
Nicholas Hawksmoor School, Northants
TMA ITT Partnership Associate Schools
Our associate schools are selected in the same way as partner schools and are involved by offering a cross key stage placement for our trainees for six weeks in the Spring Term.
Allocation
Our programme is centred on Key Stages 1 and 2 (ages 5 -11)
We have 21 places for the 2008/9 training year, nominally broken down as follows:
Priority B Primary 7 places
Priority C Under-represented 7 places
Priority E Teaching assistants 7 places
For all trainees, the programme follows the school academic year from September through to the end of June. Successful completion of the programme leads to the award of QTS.
Infrastructure Supporting the Partnership
- Established partnerships with LEA and HEIs
- Established networks with national teacher training institutions as well as working groups within the TTA
- External Assessors
- Dedicated ITT team based at Two Mile Ash School
- Administrative structures – Training Room with interactive whiteboard, teacher training library, access to broadband internet, dedicated admin staff
- Support from Training School activities
- A network of trained, experienced mentors across schools with regular mentor training
- A dedicated ITT partnership website providing a means of communication and support to Heads, mentors and trainees as well as providing detailed information to prospective trainees.
- Comprehensive documentation for Heads, mentors and trainees
- 3 Tier training programme linked to the Standards, including a comprehensive core training programme, partner school- based training provision and training tailored to individual trainee needs
- High quality practitioners and advisers contributing to core training from within and outside of the partnership
- Regular partnership meetings and Quality Assurance activities
- Constant evaluation as well as a creative and flexible approach to enable continual improvement to the standard of our provision.
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RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCEDURES
The TDA and TMA websites, as well as promotion events and local adverts, generate enquiries about GTP training throughout the year. Applications are received and acknowledged and a long list drawn for preliminary interview in March. Applications received after this will be held on a reserve list. Interview days at Partner Schools take place in April / May for those that have been shortlisted. If some places remain unfilled, then we will look to applicants held on the reserve list.
This is a three stage process:
Stage 1 - Application
Prospective trainees complete and submit TMA ITT Partnership application forms. All qualifications and minimum entrance requirements are verified by the ITT Partnership’s administrator. Trainees are required to have at least 10 days of primary school experience prior to a preliminary interview. Candidates are fully informed of the next stages of the selection process.
Stage 2 - Preliminary interview at TMA DRB.
This interview seeks to ascertain the candidate’s reasons for hoping to enter the teaching profession and determine the nature of previous experience that may contribute to their profile as a prospective teacher. A written English and a maths task will be given. Information gained will contribute to the initial needs assessment. Candidates with a good profile proceed to Stage 3.
Stage 3 – Interview days at Partner School
Candidates spend two days in the proposed placement partner school, where they are observed in a variety of contexts. They will be assessed on their abilities to communicate with children and staff. During the two days they will be asked to:
- Bring in an item as a basis for discussion with a group of pupils and will be formally observed for approximately 20/30 minutes.
- Read a story to a class.
- Observe different lessons and feedback at interview
- Engage with a variety of staff
- Take part in a formal interview with the Headteacher and mentor.
Partner school Headteachers make the final decision and will notify candidates themselves of the outcome
Appointments
For the duration of the training programme, GTP trainees are employed by the partner school under the terms and conditions stated in the contract. Places are formally offered and contracts issued by the placement school as soon as possible. All appointed trainees will be required to attend an induction day in July which will issue tasks and guidance prior to commencement of the course in September.
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STRUCTURE OF THE TRAINING YEAR
- Core Training Programme:
A programme of training, that runs throughout the year, is organised and co-ordinated by the ITT Team at TMA ITT Partnership, using expertise across the partner schools and from Milton Keynes Advisory Service, as well as links with other training providers and national speakers. This core programme for all trainees will directly contribute to the development of subject knowledge, professional knowledge and skills.
- Teaching component / developmental nature of ongoing training:
All trainees have an Individual Training Plan (ITP) which features weekly training opportunities and targets identified both from the initial needs assessment and ongoing assessment of progress. The ITP features subject and professional training.
Subject training : There will be coverage of subject training in both the core programme and ITPs. These elements will include directed reading courses and study activities designed to ensure that each trainee acquires a secure knowledge and understanding of all national curriculum subjects. There is an emphasis on ensuring that trainees have a secure knowledge and understanding of the subject content specified in the Initial Teacher Training National Curriculum for English and mathematics. Subject knowledge acquisition is followed up in teaching activities, discussions, study tasks and structured observations.
Professional training : Development of professional skills will be monitored and assessed through ongoing observation and feedback. Trainees will learn alongside experienced teachers and gradually build and develop their skills through activities including observation, coaching, group work, team teaching and sole teaching in a wide variety of contexts. Trainees will engage in professional studies each term, which focus upon the requirements specified in the Standards for QTS – planning teaching and class management; monitoring; assessment; recording; reporting and accountability.
Trainees are expected to take a proactive role in identifying training needs and feed into the ITP, in negotiation with the mentor, based on their self evaluations.
- Teaching Practices
TP 1 Autumn Second Half-term
Trainees work from existing school medium term planning and plan lessons to teach for approximately 50% of the time over a three week period.
TP 2 Spring First Half –term
This practice takes place in a different school and different key stage. The practice lasts for six weeks. The first week is largely observation based and working with groups building towards 50% teaching from Week 3 onwards. Trainees will plan full lessons drawing from medium term planning in the school.
TP 3 Final Teaching Practice – Summer Second Half-term
This is the final assessment period. At this stage it is expected that trainees demonstrate that they can fully plan an appropriate sequence of work across the full range of curriculum areas. They must demonstrate that they can sustain a satisfactory teaching standard over an 80% teaching timetable. They should prepare teaching resources and mark work and fulfil the main requirements of a classroom teacher to demonstrate their abilities in readiness for entry as a qualified teacher into the profession.
- Preparation for Career Entry
At the end of the Training Programme Mentors and Heads at Partner Schools will support those that have successfully qualified to complete their Career Entry Profile for ongoing professional development during the NQT induction year.
