Entry requirements
Compulsory Requirements Entrants must hold a good honours degree of a UK university or a recognised equivalent qualification. The entrant?s previous education must provide the necessary foundation for work as a primary school teacher. To that end, it is also a requirement that applicants have equivalent of a grade C at GCSE in Mathematics, English Language and a Science subject, but applications may be made before these qualifications are obtained. Entrants will be expected to have had at least 2 weeks recent and relevant experience of work with young children in a school early years context before attending interview. Plus one of the following: * Other: Overseas applicants should submit their application through their country?s consulate in London, along with a statement verifying that adequate financial support is available for tuition fees and maintenance. Additional Notes A policy of equal opportunities is actively pursued. We welcome applications and enquiries from people regardless of ethnic origin, colour, gender, disability, marital status or sexual orientation.
Course description
COURSE INFORMATION
The SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training) postgraduate programme provides a practical introduction to teaching, providing trainees with a professional qualification to teach children aged 3-11 years with a specialism in early years education (age 3-7)
During the year-long course, trainees gain a sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum and the National Curriculum for KS1. In addition, this school-based route offers trainees opportunities for substantial practical experience.
This highly distinctive course has been developed in response to changing priorities in the field of early years' education. It recognises the need for a new type of early years' professional with specific skills and knowledge in relation to the development and learning needs of young children and also an understanding of the wider support needs of young families. In doing so it addresses current national agendas in relation to the education of the young child, and the importance of early childhood as a discrete period of development.
The course is constructed around an innovative three-way partnership between schools in North Tyneside, North Tyneside Education and Cultural Services and Northumbria University. It is run by a consortium of North Tyneside schools, supported by the LEA Advisory team, with Northumbria University as the managing agent. This consortium brings together a strong school practice base, the expertise of the LEA advisory service and a high quality post-graduate programme for initial teacher training.
The programme is structured around four distinct but inter-related strands so that the various elements will enable trainees to meet all the standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The four strands are:
# Foundation Stage and KS1 Curriculum
# Professional issues
# Early years focus
# Placement: students will undertake two assessed placements in consortium schools in addition to their on-going school-based experience.
The Training Venue
The course is taught at the Langdale Centre in North Tyneside, a high quality training and development centre specifically designed to accommodate a wide range of training events and a variety of audiences. The centre has a good range of accommodation to meet a wide range of training contexts:
- Two meeting rooms that are used for tutorials or small support sessions
- Six training rooms that can accommodate up to thirty
- A conference hall that can accommodate up to two hundred
- An ICT suite of 32 computers.
MODULE INFORMATION
Year 1 Modules
TE0447 Becoming an Early Years Teacher (CORE, 30 Credits)
TE0448 Placements in Early Education Settings (CORE, 30 Credits)
TE0449 Core Subjects in Early Years (CORE, 40 Credits)
TE0450 Non Core Subjects in Early Years (CORE, 20 Credits)
COURSEWORK AND ASSESSMENT
The programme has no formal examinations. Instead trainees are assessed by written assignments, presentations and practical work in school. The final school placement represents a vital component of this assessment. The standards for Qualified Teacher Status require trainees to be successful in all areas, and from the outset each trainee is involved in auditing their own learning and setting targets for their own professional development.
SELECTION
Candidates invited for interview are provided with an opportunity to experience a consortium school at first hand. School staff and university tutors are members of the interviewing panels. Whilst ensuring that we can provide the conditions and training required, trainees must be prepared to demonstrate their own suitability for an offer of a place. Interview results are communicated as soon as possible after the interview takes place but any offer or acceptance of a place is conditional upon receipt of satisfactory medical report and police clearance.
