Getting with the programme.
The Blackpool Teaching School Alliance offers 2 School Direct courses both leading to a Post Graduate Certificate in Education with QTS: Primary and Primary with SEND.
Our School Direct programmes are so successful because they immerse you into life in a primary or special school. You will become part of the staff team, observing, supporting and team teaching alongside highly skilled practitioners. You experience first-hand the wider professional responsibilities of a teacher as you become involved in after school clubs, CPD events and a range of whole school events.
Alongside this you will receive one day per week of high quality training around pedagogy and practice delivered by practicing teachers. A further one day per week will be spent studying the PGCE module element of the programme at level 7 , which is delivered by the University of Cumbria within an alliance school based in Blackpool.
Opportunities for trainees to work or study collaboratively will be a focus of our training programme. Trainees who accept an offer to undertake their training with BTSA will be given the opportunity to spend time in school before the programme starts in September 2018.
Placements.
There are 3 formal assessed placements as part of the programme. A four weeks assessed placement in November/December, a 5 week placement in the spring term and a 10 week placement in the summer term. You will be required to teach in 2 different age phases and in a minimum of 2 different school settings.
Students undertaking the Primary with SEND programme will be hosted in an SEND setting and can undertake up to 2 assessed placements in a Special School with the additional placement in a mainstream setting.
Students undertaking our Primary Programme will be hosted in a mainstream school and undertake a minimum of 2 placements within mainstream schools. However a unique feature of our Primary programme is the opportunity to undertake an assessed placement and/or an experiential placement in a special school setting whilst being hosted in a mainstream setting.
Our trainees have full access to additional student facilities through such as library access, student support services and reflective study facilities through the University of Cumbria.