teacher training courses at windsor academy trust
  1. Home
  2. Professional Learning
  3. Teacher Training

Teacher Training

If you want to become an outstanding teacher, our teacher training courses can get you there. 

On our courses, you will learn from experience by teaching in the classroom and be supported by a professional development programme developed by practising expert teachers. Upon successful completion of the course, you gain Qualified Teacher Status to start a rich and rewarding career in teaching. 

Whether you are fast tracking through to early leadership or honing your teaching craft, you will find you are fully supported with a variety of roles open to you across the primary and secondary schools in our Trust.

School Direct teacher training in partnership with the University of Birmingham

We offer the School Direct teacher training in partnership with the University of Birmingham.

We work with the University in recruiting and selecting trainees and provide an outstanding training teacher training programme. Our programme leads to the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) at Primary level and PGDipEd with QTS at Secondary level. 

Secondary teacher training and primary teacher training courses

On our secondary teacher training course, you will undertake the Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). You can train to teach the following subjects:

  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • English
  • Geography
  • History
  • Maths
  • Modern Foreign Languages
  • Physics

The course will provide 120 credits contributing to Master's level enabling you to progress on to an MA in Teaching Studies if you wish. You will undertake two main school placements within our family of schools as part of your course.

On our primary teacher training course, you will undertake a Postgraduate Certificate in Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). This will provide 60 credits contributing to Master's level and offers progression to a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Studies and then the MA in Teaching Studies.  You will undertake three main school placements within our family of schools as part of your course.

School placements

Our teacher training programmes require you to gain experience teaching in the classroom within our family of schools as part of your school placements. This means that you can normally expect to undertake placements in some of the following schools:

Primary schools

  • Colley Lane Primary Academy (Halesowen)
  • Goldsmith Primary Academy (Walsall)
  • Manor Way Primary Academy (Halesowen)
  • Rivers Primary Academy (Walsall)
  • Tenterfields Primary Academy (Halesowen)

Secondary Schools

  • Cheslyn Hay Academy (Walsall)
  • Great Wyrley Academy (Walsall)
  • Kingswinford Academy (Dudley)
  • Windsor High School and Sixth Form (Halesowen)

Training to teach with Windsor Academy Trust is the first step in a worthwhile and rewarding career. At WAT we are proud to support and nurture all of our staff to learn and develop throughout their careers; we offer excellent training at every stage, from delivering our Early Career Framework with the University of Birmingham to the National Professional Qualifications for teachers, senior leaders and headteachers. When you join Windsor Academy Trust you can be sure that you will be supported to your next stage of development and beyond.

Should you be thinking about relocating, the West Midlands has lots to offer. With excellent public transport links to Birminghman city centre, there is much to see and explore from the National Indoor Arena to BullRing Centre; for lovers of the outdoors the nearby Malvern Hills are not to be missed. With a rich and diverse cultural history alongside sensible housing prices, this area is not to be missed.

How to Apply for Teacher Training

The way to apply for postgraduate teacher training in England has changed. All applications are now made via the gov.uk teacher training service.

Apply

Teacher training partners

As well as our own School Direct teacher training course, we work closely with three strategic partners to offer school placements as part of their training programmes. These partners are:

Supporting and developing trainee teachers

All of our trainee teachers are supported by a wide range of staff in the Trust. Our lead for early career teaching has overall responsibility for trainees and each school has a lead mentor who supports trainees on their placement.

All trainees are assigned a trained mentor within their chosen subject at each of their school placements. All the training is led by experienced facilitators with a wealth of current experience ensuring high quality professional and pastoral support that takes account of your wellbeing in your important training year.

Your initial teacher training year is important for giving you a solid foundation in teaching and creating a network of like-minded teachers. These people will be colleagues and friends for the future, supporting you and growing together.

The principles which underpin our programme are captured well by Judith Little’s quote: “You know you are in a good school when:

  • teachers talk about teaching
  • teachers observe each other teach
  • teachers plan, organise and evaluate together
  • teachers teach each other"

We are committed to providing each trainee with the following:

  • A supportive environment which offers a fair, consistent approach to the professional support and assessment of all trainees
  • Time management which takes account of individual training needs
  • A wide range of experiences and development opportunities in the classroom and across Windsor Academy Trust appropriate to their programme
  • A secure foundation for entry to the profession through facilitating the observation of a range of good practice and the opportunity to practice acquired skills themselves
  • A graduated timetable, allowing increased teaching responsibility
  • A programme of induction with a focus on the WAT Teaching and Learning Cycle
  • The opportunity to attend our WAT ECT Conference focussing on managing low level disruption
  • The opportunity to attend Windsor Academy Trust conference which involves all staff from across our family of schools and a range of guest speakers
  • The opportunity to observe examples of excellent practice in all areas of the teaching process
  • The support of peers who share their successes

Alongside this, dedicated mentor support will include:

  • regular meetings to set and review targets
  • guidance for successfully meeting the standards for Qualified Teacher Status
  • informal lesson observations and discussion about good practice
  • formal lesson observations with written feedback and the opportunity for discussion and reflection

Find out more about teacher training at Windsor Academy Trust

To find out more about our teacher training course and our Trust, get in touch at teachertraining@windsoracademytrust.org.uk

Gaining school experience prior to your application

If you are looking for a school placement and experience prior to your teaching training application, contact teachertraining@windsoracademytrust.org.uk