If you are accepted for a School Direct Training place you will be based in one of the Federation schools (listed on the About Us page) for the duration of your training.
This school will be your home school and will play a major part in your training. In order to meet the requirements for ITT you will also undertake a second school placement during the spring term. This will last six weeks and offer a contrast setting. As part of the training you will regularly visit other federation schools and you will also make various visits to other schools including a primary school and a special school.
In addition to your work in school developing your skills in the classroom and becoming fully immersed in the life of a teacher, you will follow a professional studies programme run by experienced teachers, lead practitioners and other staff from the federation schools. These sessions take place on a weekly basis and provide an opportunity for all trainees to get together to share their experiences as well as receive essential training on topics such as planning, behaviour management, pedagogy, curriculum and assessment.
What support will I get during my training?
Alban Federation provides a strong support network for trainees. On a day to day basis you will work closely with your subject/class mentor and other members of the department/faculty within your home school. In addition to this each school has a professional mentor who will meet with you from time to time and keep an overview of your training.
The Federation Director who manages the training programme for all trainees will also keep an overview of progress and you will be regularly observed by members of the Federation team. There is, of course, also the network of your fellow trainees and also former trainees now employed in partner schools.
If you are accepted for a School Direct Training place you will be based in one of the Federation schools (listed on the About Us page) for the duration of your training.
What hours will I work in school?
School Direct trainees are expected to be in school full time.
For both routes teaching experience will begin with a timetable suited to the trainees’ experience and needs which will gradually increase for all to 90% of an ECT timetable by approximately two thirds of the way through the training.
When you are not teaching the day is taken up with observing more experienced colleagues, preparing lessons and marking, developing subject knowledge, attending meetings and reflecting on good practice.
What hours will I work outside school?
Teaching is a challenging and demanding profession and training to teach is no exception to this. As a trainee you will find it essential to work outside of school hours, probably including weekends and during school holidays.
We recommend that anybody interested in entering the profession accrues plenty of school experience prior to application to ensure that they are aware of the reality of the demands of the profession.
