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Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) (Primary/Early Years/Secondary)

Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) (Primary/Early Years/Secondary)

The Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) offers an employment-based route to qualifying as a teacher, allowing you to work while you train to teach in a school.

Overview
Content
Additional information
How to apply
Fees and funding

Course level

Postgraduate

Modes of study

Full time

Attendance

Two or three terms depending upon experience.

Location

Park Campus

Entry requirements

You must:

Have worked or observed in a primary or secondary school for at least several weeks
Have prior experience or knowledge of ICT
A good first degree or the equivalent. For those wishing to train as secondary teachers, this should typically comprise at least 50% of the subject for which they wish to train to teach.
Have GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in Mathematics and English
Have (for primary training only) GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in Science

The professional attributes of the trainee, their level of subject knowledge and prior experience and ability to work both independently and collaboratively are the main considerations when selecting trainees at interview. Interviews involve literacy and numeracy tests. Enhanced CRB checks are undertaken by employing schools.

School

School of Education

Course content

The Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) offers an employment-based route to qualifying as a teacher, allowing you to work while you train to teach in a school. The training leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which will equip you to teach in any maintained school in the UK. This Employment-Based ITT (EBITT) route to teaching is aimed at attracting people into teaching who already have some experience of teaching, training and/or working with children and young people. The course aims to prepare committed and creative teachers who are able to teach effectively across two key stages.

The University of Northampton is the lead partner in the Northamptonshire, Leicester and Milton Keynes (NLMK) Consortium, an accredited provider for the GTP, and offers training on behalf of the Department for Education (Teaching Agency) for the early years and primary (three to seven or five to 11) phases and the secondary (11-16) phase in English, Mathematics, Science and Design and Technology.

The geographical area covered by the EBITT includes Northamptonshire, Leicester and Milton Keynes. The EBITT allocates Teaching Agency funded salary and training grants to suitable candidates placed in established partnership schools with a proven track record in Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Self-funded places are also available.

GTP trainees are employed by the school, paid as unqualified teachers while they train and attend sessions at The University of Northampton one day per week. Sessions are delivered by University tutors, Local Authority Education Advisers/consultants and experienced primary and secondary practitioners from schools exemplifying good practice.

The taught course begins with an induction programme and then focuses on specialist subjects for secondary trainees and core and foundation subjects for primary trainees alongside professional issues relevant to the standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.

Trainees usually remain in the same school for the entire training period apart from a shorter placement in a second school, which provides a contrasting environment and further teaching experience across the age and ability range.

Schools plays a key role in training Graduate Teachers and provide weekly mentoring sessions according to the trainee's specific needs. On passing their final assessment, trainees are recommended for QTS to the appropriate body.

In general the GTP route is designed for mature candidates switching from other careers, those with significant school experience or for others who have worked with children and young people in another capacity.

Many trainees have considerable experience of children and young people in school through working as Teaching Assistants, or in a paid or voluntary capacity in other related occupations. Others have experience of working in industry and commerce or the public sector and bring to teaching their own perspective and body of skills and knowledge. All GTP trainees need to be confident, proactive and self-motivated in managing their own development alongside professional, experienced teachers.

Special course features

School-based training
Salary and training grants for suitable candidates
Teaching developed in two partner schools
Highly experienced and supportive University and school-based training teams
Excellent employment opportunities

Reading list

Reading lists will be supplied at the start of the course.

The GTP is run by the NLMK Consortium, a Teaching Agency-accredited body for the provision of Employment-Based ITT (EBITT). NLMK is one of over 100 EBITTs throughout the country. Most EBITTs are partnerships between schools, Local Authorities (LAs) and accredited providers of Initial Teacher Training (ITT).

The NLMK EBITT is led by The University of Northampton and its core partners:

Northamptonshire LA
Headlands Primary School, Northampton
Studfall Infant School, Corby
Studfall Junior School, Corby
Whitehills Nursery School, Northampton
Brooke Weston City Technology College, Corby
Kingsthorpe Community College, Northampton
Lodge Park Technology College, Corby
The Royal Latin School, Buckingham
Abbeyfield School, Northampton
The Robert Smyth School, Market Harborough

In addition, NLMK will place trainees in further 'associate' partner schools with a proven track record and extensive experience and expertise in ITT. Such schools are selected against rigorous quality assurance (QA) criteria, set out in full in a Partnership Agreement.

In 2008/09, the latest Ofsted inspection of NLMK reported that provision for secondary training was 'good with outstanding features', and for primary, provision was judged to be 'outstanding'.

Read about a student's experiences of the GTP on our case studies page.

Assessment

Candidates must demonstrate that they meet the QTS standards.

The portfolio of assessment evidence

Evidence of achievement against the standards is accumulated throughout the training and presented as a Portfolio of Evidence during the final assessment period in term three. The final assessment will also include an observation by a Visiting Tutor and an assessment interview.

Continuous assessment takes place throughout the programme, particularly through lesson observations by mentors and tutors. Each trainee is visited at least six times across the academic year by a Personal Tutor from the University. The tutor will observe lessons, provide feedback to both the trainee and the mentor and discuss suitable targets for the next stage of training. The Personal Tutor will make regular reviews of the individual action plan and the Portfolio, and will liaise with senior members of staff in the host school. Personal Tutors make a report which is copied to both the school and the trainee and sent to the GTP Manager. Schools provide weekly progress reviews and half-termly reports on the trainee's progress, which are discussed openly with the trainee and monitored by the GTP Manager and Personal Tutors.

All trainees compile a portfolio of evidence, as mentioned above, for which detailed guidance is provided in the course handbooks and by tutors and mentors.

QTS skills tests

In order to fulfil the requirements of the QTS standards, all trainees must pass skills tests in literacy and numeracy (ICT to be confirmed at the time of writing). Full details, including sample tests, are available on the TDA website. During the induction and training programme, trainees will receive support in completing these tests successfully.

Facilities available

The school has specialist facilities for Science and Design and Technology and a school experience area within the library which holds a highly-praised collection of books, teaching aids and resources.

Methods of study

The programme assumes a high degree of supported self-study and the ability and willingness to engage fully in professional self-development through personal target setting.

Trainees will enter the GTP with widely differing previous experiences, so individual targets are developed at the outset to identify each candidate's specific training needs. It will set out how progress towards the QTS standards is to be made and who will have responsibility for monitoring and verifying the evidence of progress and achievement. Before beginning the programme trainees will complete an audit of their professional experience, subject knowledge for the key stages they will teach, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills. This becomes part of the individual action plan and forms a key focus for discussions with tutors during the induction programme. This continues to be personalised and adapted throughout the year in response to the trainee's progress against specific targets related to the QTS standards.

Trainee support and guidance

The school provides each trainee with a Mentor who, with the help of the school's ITT co-ordinator, will provide ongoing support and guidance. A Personal Tutor will also be assigned to each trainee; visiting at least twice per term in order to monitor the training offered by the school, the progress made by the trainee and the evidence of attainment of the QTS standards. The definitions, roles and responsibilities of each of these are set out in the Partnership Agreement and in the trainees' course handbooks. Together they provide the ongoing framework for support, guidance and assessment of trainees. This is further supported by all Consortium members who also have clearly-defined roles and responsibilities within the partnership.

Training sessions

Trainees attend taught sessions and seminars arranged during the period of training. These will generally take place at the Park Campus of The University of Northampton, but occasionally in partner schools with expertise and experience in specific areas. It is therefore essential that a trainee's teaching commitment reflects the level of support required and allows that trainee sufficient time and opportunity to reflect on their teaching and to attend all the taught sessions. Unlike many EBITTs, NLMK enrols all GTP trainees as students of The University of Northampton so that they can make full use of the excellent library, equipment loan facilities and, most importantly, access to NILE. The latter is the University's Virtual Learning Environment that allows electronic access for both trainees and their mentors to course information, materials and discussion forums. Electronic communication across the partnership is a key feature of the programme as it allows trainees to remain closely in touch with colleagues and tutors for help, advice, and debate.

Full attendance at the taught programme is essential, unless a prior arrangement has been made as part of the ITP. This part of the programme includes background reading and research and other associated 'reflection' tasks. It provides important evidence of the wider reading and pedagogical knowledge and understanding required by teachers to demonstrate effective professional knowledge development.

Training across two key stages and in different schools

All trainees must show that they have met all the professional standards defined by the Teacher Agency (TA) and DfE (the relevant government bodies responsible for Initial Teacher Training) in order to be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status, and that they are able to teach competently across the age and ability range for which they have been trained.

Trainees must also have experience in at least two schools and this normally means spending a minimum of six weeks in a second placement school. This is organised by the Consortium and normally takes place in the second term of the programme. Previous teaching experience may be considered as fulfilling this requirement in exceptional cases, but trainees should be prepared to travel to their second school anywhere within the Consortium area.

Trainees also need to be aware of the age phases above and below those in which they are training to teach, in order to understand progression in teaching and learning. This aspect of the training will be accomplished during a placement period at the end of term one. This placement is usually organised by the trainees and their first school, but supported by guided tasks which appear in the course handbooks.

Career opportunities

The GTP makes possible a career change into teaching where trainees will continue earning a salary on at least the minimum of the Unqualified Teacher pay scale. It is often attractive to those pursuing a second career or coming to teaching later than those who choose the Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE).

FAQ

For secondary teaching, which subjects do you provide training places for?

Secondary priority subjects (Science, Mathematics, and Design and Technology), and English at Key Stages 3 and 4.

I have already identified a school that I would like to work in during my year's study. Is this possible?

The Consortium places trainees in partner and 'associate' partner schools with a proven track record and extensive experience and expertise in ITT. Such schools are selected against rigorous quality assurance (QA) criteria, set out in full in a Partnership Agreement.

Please let us know which school you have in mind, and the Course Leader will be able to talk through with the school whether they would be able to meet the QA criteria and sign up to a Partnership Agreement with us.

Application notes

All applications for 2012/13 must be made via the government's centralised, electronic system .

Notification of your application will be sent to us at The University of Northampton, we will consider it carefully and will let you know shortly after the closing date that either you will be invited to interview or that your application has been unsuccessful. If the latter should apply, the Programme Director will be glad to offer you feedback regarding our decision.

Key Dates

For September 2013 start:

Closing date for applications:
Friday 23 November 2012 (For Primary)
Friday 29 March 2013 (For Secondary)

Applications must reach the University by these dates in order to be considered.

Please note that it is essential that candidates follow very carefully the guidance given by the DfE (Teaching Agency).

Competition for places on these programmes is extremely strong, so only high quality applications supported by references from teachers at senior management level will be considered.

Primary and secondary trainees normally both begin in September of each year. However, any unfilled places may start at the beginning of either the spring or summer term, for exceptional candidates only. Please contact the University Admissions Department or the GTP Administrator if you wish to enquire about unfilled places.

Prospective trainees and their applications to the NLMK Consortium

The GTP makes possible a career change into teaching where trainees will continue earning a salary. It is often attractive to those pursuing a second career or coming to teaching later than those who choose the Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE).

Training places are allocated annually to NLMK by the DfE and candidates may apply for places for primary or secondary training at any time before the publicised deadlines. Places are normally available only for the start of the school year in September but may also be available for a January or April start for exceptional candidates offering secondary shortage subjects.

Prospective trainees should check with the GTP and Admissions Administrators before applying. Dates for the return of application forms for the 2012/13 programme are given above.

NLMK is seeking to attract trainees from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, men and women, mature candidates, and those from under-represented groups. It is recognised that such candidates bring with them a wealth of prior experience and that this will enrich the training experience, the experience of pupils, and the profession as a whole. Many applicants will already have had significant experience of working with children or young adults, possibly as Teaching Assistants or in a voluntary capacity. Applicants often come from widely differing backgrounds in the public sector, industry or commerce. They therefore bring with them a range of skills, knowledge and experience which are taken fully into account when compiling the individual action plan. NLMK's requirements are that all GTP trainees need to demonstrate the following attributes:

Well motivated and well organised
Committed to children's and young people's achievement and well-being
Knowledgeable and realistic about the rewards and pressures of classroom teaching
Proactive yet reflective and open to coaching and mentoring
Able to take the initiative for their own professional development, be self-critical and open-minded
Responsive to advice and guidance from experienced colleagues

In addition, applicants need to have the following educational qualifications:

A good first degree or the equivalent. For those wishing to train as secondary teachers, this should typically comprise at least 50% of the National Curriculum subject for which they wish to train to teach
GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics
Primary applicants, must also have GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in a science subject
A minimum of six weeks experience, preferably spent in a subject department and preferably in more than one school to provide contrasting experience

In order to be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) trainees must demonstrate that they have met all the QTS Standards, appropriate to the key stages for which they are training. Candidates are very strongly advised to study the standards even before making an application. This is because it is not only important to understand the professional demands of the course, but also because NLMK must make a judgement based on the information given by candidates, that they have the potential to meet these standards after three terms of training.

How your application is considered

The Northamptonshire, Leicester and Milton Keynes Consortium receive large numbers of queries from prospective candidates, both primary and secondary, with a wide range of prior experience and likely training needs.

The Consortium must therefore consider each application very carefully in order to make an informed judgement about whether the GTP is likely to lead to the successful attainment of QTS by that candidate, as the pressure on training resource is considerable.

Competition for places on the Graduate Teacher Programme is strong. It is therefore important that trainees provide detailed information by completing the appropriate application forms in full, carefully following the notes of guidance. Please note that selection onto a Graduate Teacher Programme requires a good deal of scrutiny by both University and school-based tutors. It is a complex process which cannot be judged simply on criteria such as examination grades. The individual needs of each candidate must be considered even at this early stage, along with their subject knowledge background, experience in school, achievement in literacy, numeracy, science and ICT, where the candidates and partner schools are located, which schools are likely to be available to offer training places in the coming academic year and many other factors that must be considered in compiling the ITP.

From the moment an application is received, except where a candidate is clearly unsuitable or fails to meet the minimum entry qualifications, the Consortium must bear in mind the likely implications for that candidate's Individual Training Plan. Because of the limited number of training places, the comprehensive nature of the interview process, the rigorous nature of QTS training and assessment, the requirements and capacity of partner schools, and the training resources available, it is obviously important that the Consortium considers each application in detail.

For these reasons it is not always possible to respond to application forms as quickly as for more standard courses of study. Please rest assured that your application will receive very careful consideration from a number of people within the training partnership, both University and school-based. It may therefore be some time before you hear whether we wish to invite you for interview. This does not mean that you have been unsuccessful, but indicates that we are interested in your application and need time to consider it.

Interviews for GTP places

NLMK is responsible for ensuring that applicants meet the government's requirements for entry into ITT. A rigorous interview process is used to assess candidates' potential to teach effectively and to consider the individual professional development needs of each trainee.

Appropriately qualified candidates who appear to fulfil all the criteria listed above are invited for interview, which normally takes place at The University of Northampton and lasts half a day. The interview begins with an introductory session where the Graduate Teacher Programme is explained in detail and trainees have the opportunity to ask questions. Candidates must bring all original award certificates to the interview, for checking and verification. Each candidate will have an individual interview with University and school-based staff, will be required to complete written tests designed to test whether that candidate can communicate clearly and accurately in written standard English and the level of their skills in numeracy, and will give a spoken presentation.

If successful at this stage, candidates will be interviewed by the pupils and staff of one of our Core Partner schools. The interview will include the requirement to teach a group of pupils in the appropriate age range, to interact with them and engage them in learning. This interaction will be observed by school-based NLMK Partnership staff and will be followed by feedback and questions to the candidate.

Interviewers, whether at the University or in school will wish to ask questions which explore issues such as the candidate's motivation for wanting to teach, the skills they feel they can bring to bear on pupils' learning, their perception of good classroom practice particularly with respect to behaviour management and Special Educational Needs (SEN), the varied roles of a teacher, their knowledge of the National Curriculum for the age group they wish to teach, and their personal subject knowledge strengths and weaknesses.