Teach First collaboration with the University of Bristol The University’s School of Education has teamed up with the University of Bristol and educational charity Teach First to train 40 new trainee teachers in the South West to become outstanding teachers of the future.
The new recruits will teach in low-income areas in Bristol, Gloucester and Swindon, helping to break the link be-
tween poverty and low academic attainment. Bath Spa will lead on educating primary teachers and the University of Bristol will lead on educating secondary teachers. The prospective teachers have begun their two-year journey to becoming outstanding teachers and are currently at the Regional Summer Institute, an intensive six-week residential where they will work and live with their fellow Teach First participants. They will develop their knowledge gained in their degree so that they can transfer this into teaching, and learn how to prepare and implement lesson plans in their chosen subject. In September, the recruits will then be placed in schools across the South West region where they will begin their employment-based training. At the end of their first year’s training, the trainees will gain their PGCE qualification. Following a summer project to further develop their leadership skills and experience, they will begin their second year as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) whilst simultaneously studying towards a Masters qualification. This is specifically designed to develop their ability to be an effective leader in school and demonstrate their skills and knowledge as outstanding teachers. Teach First is a charity that works to ensure that all children, regardless of their family income, receive a first class education. The charity partners with some of the country’s leading universities to train inspirational primary and secondary school teachers, including Bath Spa University and the University of Bristol. They recruit, train and support graduates as teachers to work in schools in low income communities. Professor Robert Barratt, Director of Education in the School of Education at Bath Spa University, commented: “Bath Spa University is delighted to be working with Teach First and the University of Bristol Graduate School on this prestigious route into teaching. “We offer one of the most sought after teacher training courses in the country and are looking forward to helping train these new participants to become outstanding teachers of the future, who will be doing such important work in areas of poverty and poor achievement.”
SPACE JULY 2013
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