Do you want a career that makes a difference?

Training as a teacher might be the exciting and rewarding career you have been looking for.

Saffron Walden County High School is fortunate to have Saffron Teaching School Hub as part of its organisation. There are 87 Teaching School Hubs across the country who have been specially selected by the Department for Education to lead teacher training and development at all stages of a teacher’s career. Saffron Teaching School Hub is based at Saffron Walden County High School; we work closely together on training and development.

Saffron Walden County High School is committed to working in collaboration with Saffron Teaching School Hub to deliver high quality teacher training programmes to ensure trainee teachers have an excellent training experience and go on to work in our local schools.

Saffron Teaching School Hub, as a Lead Partner in ITT in both primary and secondary routes, offers school-led, research-engaged teacher training in a range of training venues across Essex and Cambridgeshire.

Saffron Teaching School Hub is a Lead Partner for three local Initial Teaching Training accredited providers:

• Cambridge Training Schools Network (CTSN SCITT, incorporating Essex Primary SCITT)
• Mid Essex Initial Teacher Training
• West Essex SCITT

We work with these accredited providers to deliver high quality teacher training placements in our local area. There is a range of training routes from fee-paying QTS only, QTS and PGCE routes, part-time training routes in both primary and secondary and salaried routes in some routes. 

If you choose to train with Saffron Teaching School Hub as a Lead Partner in ITT, we will introduce you to a network of training and support that might well continue way beyond your initial teacher training year.

Further details on the training routes offered by Saffron Teaching School as a Lead Partner with our three accredited Initial Teacher Training Providers can be found on Saffron’s Teaching School Hub’s website HERE.

HOW DO I APPLY?

Applications for teacher training (starting in September 2024) are now closed. Applications for teacher training (starting in September 2025) will open in October 2024.

All applications for teacher training happen through the DfE Apply service https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-teacher-training

On DfE Apply, you can search for Saffron Teaching School Hub as a Lead Partner and apply for teacher training places in either Primary or Secondary routes through our three accredited providers:

• Saffron Teaching School Hub - Cambridge Training Schools Network (CTSN SCITT, incorporating Essex Primary SCITT)
• Saffron Teaching School Hub - Mid Essex Initial Teacher Training
• Saffron Teaching School Hub - West Essex SCITT

Once you register on the DfE Apply website, you can search by Saffron Teaching School Hub, route, course and then subject. You will get course/routes at this point to help refine your search.

We find the best way to support candidates applying is to talk to them directly and find out their unique circumstances. If you would like to arrange a phone conversation to discuss your situation, please contact us. 

DIVERSITY EQUALITY AND INCLUSION

Saffron Teaching School Hub, CTSN SCITT, Mid Essex Initial Teacher Training and West Essex SCITT are committed to equality of opportunity for all and actively oppose all forms of discrimination. We have the responsibility to ensure that trainees have the health and capacity to train to teach and will not put children and young people at risk of harm, whilst meeting the expectations of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the offer of reasonable adjustments. See HERE for possible reasonable adjustments.

fURTHER Support with your application

WHERE CAN I RESEARCH ABOUT TEACHER TRAINING IN GENERAL?

The Department for Education has some excellent support on training to be a teacher. Visit their website HERE for further information on:

• How to become a teacher HERE
• Funding your training HERE
• Non-UK Teachers HERE
• Teacher pay and benefits HERE
• Book a 1:1 meeting with a Teacher Training Advisor HERE

WHAT DO I NEED TO SUPPORT MY APPLICATION FOR ANY TEACHER TRAINING ROUTE?

You will need to complete a personal statement telling us why you want to be a teacher and why you have chosen your subject or route. You will need to demonstrate to us that you are aware of the role and demands of the teacher and show us you are enthusiastic about teaching and learning. Referring to any in-school experience is vital in this part of the application. This could refer to your role in a school or any work placement or relevant work experience. 

You will need the name and contact details of two references. They can be academic or professional references. Make sure you have contacted your referees in advance to ensure they are ready to respond quickly to any reference requests, as otherwise this could hold up your application.

WHAT IF I NEED IN-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

To support your application to train to teach you can visit local schools to get unpaid experience in the classroom before you start your initial teacher training (ITT).

We strongly encourage potential teacher training candidates to take up the offer of school experience.

Visit our Getting School Experience page for details on how to request school experience.

SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE SUPPORT

If you want to teach in a subject but require additional subject knowledge support, then a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course (SKE) might be for you. These are available for some subjects free of charge when registered on an ITT course.

An EQUIVALENCY SKE can support trainees who need additional subject development and are free for some subjects. To research this further, visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/subject-knowledge-enhancement-an-introduction

SUPPORT WITH QUALIFICATION EQUIVALENCY

UK ENIC verification is required for all overseas degree and GCSE equivalent qualifications. You can check your overseas qualifications at the UK ENIC website.

SUPPORT WITH FINANCE

Student Loans Company LINK HERE