Trainee teachers are top of the class
Even the Covid-19 pandemic couldn’t stop another group of new teachers completing their training with us.
Over 50 more people are moving into local schools as newly qualified teachers thanks to the successful work of Kirklees and Calderdale School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT).
The SCITT training programme is renowned for giving its trainees excellent support and a fantastic opportunity to inspire children and young people.
People who join SCITT benefit from working in a school right from the start, training with experienced teachers instead of being based in a Higher Education setting.
Despite schools being closed since March to the majority of pupils, this year’s trainees have completed their courses either in the classroom itself or via their school’s online learning platforms.
Councillor Carole Pattison, Cabinet member for Learning, Aspiration and Communities, said:
“We are very proud of the council’s teacher training programme, which has a track record of developing high-quality teachers.
“Over the years more than 700 people have successfully gone on to work in primary and secondary schools, making a real difference in young lives and helping children to achieve the best possible outcomes.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has been incredibly difficult for schools staff, but they have done wonderful work in supporting pupils and families. I know our trainees have played a big part in that.
“SCITT produces confident teachers who already have the benefit of classroom experience. This year’s group have risen to a unique challenge in an inspirational way.”
The trainees marked their status as newly qualified teachers by holding a virtual celebration. One of them, Georgia Ottewell (pictured), said:
“Teaching makes me feel wonderful because the children look up to you as their role model and you can help children be proud and believe in themselves.
“I chose SCITT because I did not want to spend weeks in a lecture room learning about theories. I wanted real-life experience with children in a classroom each week. I would 100 per cent recommend the route to anyone, especially those who do not have much experience working within a school.”
Kirklees and Calderdale SCITT is so popular that the training programme for 2020/21 is already full. However, details about the following year will appear soon on the SCITT website.