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Ormiston Teacher Training

From September 2024, our approach to teacher education is evolving as we enter into a new partnership with the National Institute of Teaching.

Ormiston Teacher Training – our school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) – will deliver high-quality teacher education across four regional campuses situated in Norfolk, Staffordshire, Suffolk and the West Midlands.

Ormiston Teacher Training logo

At Ormiston Teacher Training, we have a commitment to high quality, evidence-informed teacher education and we are on a mission to improve the quality of teacher development across the system.

Our initial teacher training (ITT) programme, in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), is a fully immersive school-centred programme – aspiring teachers will be in the classroom from the very start. Our trainees are fully supported; they each have a dedicated mentor and core training once a week with the Ormiston Teacher Training team.

As an Associate College of the NIoT, we are in the privileged position of being able to offer our aspiring teachers a programme that is rooted in national research whilst reflecting the local contexts of the schools and communities in which they will work. Our future teachers will learn from established experts, including teachers, teacher educators, and experts in teacher professional development, all of whom are specialists in their fields.

Watch our “Meet the Teachers” video, to find out about their stories.

By training to teach with us, you’ll have the confidence of knowing that you are participating in a programme that was designed by some of the most experienced teachers and leaders in the country, drawn from four leading school trusts with decades of teacher-training between them. We also know from experience what headteachers look for in new teachers – so we will ensure that you develop the skills necessary for finding an early career teacher (ECT) role. All our teacher training courses lead to QTS (Qualified Teacher Status), a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) and 60 master’s level credits.

We’re recruiting now!

Ormiston Teacher Training is now recruiting for its September 2024 cohort. If you’re considering a career in teaching, read on to find out what we offer.

Your weekly core training will be based at one of our four Ormiston Teacher Training study sites (our campuses), these are located in Norfollk, Staffordshire, Sufolk and the West Midlands. Each is situated on-site at one of our Ormiston academies, which means that examples of great teaching and learning are just moments away!

Norfolk campus

Train with us at: Ormiston Venture Academy
Oriel Avenue, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 7JJ

Staffordshire campus

Train with us at: Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy
Beaconsfield Drive, Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 3JD

Suffolk campus

Train with us at: Ormiston Endeavour Academy
Defoe Road, Ipswich, IP1 6SG

West Midlands campus

Train with us at: Ormiston NEW Academy
Marsh Lane, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, WV10 6SE

Your school placements will take place in any of our OAT and non-OAT partnership schools.

SubjectFunding typeCourse code
Art and designFee-payingB695
BiologyFee-paying2KGW
ChemistryFee-paying2KGZ
ComputingFee-paying2T3F
Design and technologyFee-paying2KG7
EnglishFee-paying2KG2
GeographyFee-paying2KH8
HistoryFee-paying2KH6
MathematicsFee-paying2B67
Modern languagesFee-paying2B66
PhysicsFee-paying2KH3
Physical educationFee-paying2VHD
Religious educationFee-paying3F7V
Structure
  • Pre-autumn term: Flying start – a one-week programme for all new NIoT trainees, when we’ll ensure that you have the basic tools necessary to prepare you for entering the classroom.
  • Autumn term: You will have one main placement for the whole of this term. The course is fully immersive, which means that you’ll be teaching from the very start – but your timetable will be very small to begin with, increasing as the year progresses. You will be in your placement school four days a week and training in your campus one day a week. This means that you’ll be able to learn new techniques, practise them and then apply them in school immediately.
  • Spring term: You will spend six weeks of this term in a contrasting school placement. The aim is to broaden your experience and field of reference. This placement will be organised for you.
  • Second half of spring term, and summer term: You will return to your main placement school. This will help you to strengthen existing relationships and to deepen your teaching knowledge, as well as providing continuity for your learners.
What you’ll learn
  • Subject and curriculum knowledge: We’ll support you with the fundamentals: why you’re teaching an aspect of the curriculum, what’s the best way to teach it, and how you can do it most successfully.
  • Planning for progress: How to plan effective, objective-driven lessons by observing expert colleagues, conceptualising and sequencing pupil progress over time, and creating opportunities for deeper learning and challenge.
  • Behaviour and relationships: How to nurture a culture of mutual trust and respect. How to create an inclusive and ambitious climate for learning, helping young people to achieve consistently high standards. How to provide a positive, predictable and safe environment for all pupils.
  • How students learn – inclusive pedagogy: How to ensure all our pupils experience success at the highest level by teaching new content, building on their pre-existing knowledge, using explanations and modelling and diagnosing and implementing strategies for all. How to provide opportunities for practice and retrieval, so as to maximise the chances that pupils will retain new information. How to avoid overloading young people with information.
  • Assessment and responsive teaching: How to draw on the different forms of assessment, in order to check for learner misconceptions and measure the depth of their understanding. How to use data effectively to support the needs of the pupils in your class.
  • Professional behaviours: How to step into the role of a teacher. What will your professional obligations be? How can you look after your own wellbeing? How to reflect on your own teaching practice and make use of the support around you. How to use wider networks and communities in order to strengthen your own knowledge
  • A direct route to employment: At Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), we are constantly on the lookout for talented individuals to come and work for our family. We view initial teacher training as a fantastic opportunity for you to experience life within our schools with the possibility of future employment once your training is complete.
  • Fully immersive: NIoT trainees are given 39 weeks of professional learning and teaching practice in a placement school.
  • Learning applied quickly: You’ll learn something on a Thursday (at core training) and apply it the next day.
  • Fully supported: We care about the wellbeing of our trainees, so you’ll have mentors who know you well, support your progress and cheer your successes.
  • Advice on tap: Trainees who have concerns about any area of teaching – from classroom behaviour to workload management – are offered detailed support and guidance either locally or nationally.
  • Spiral curriculum: Our curriculum is deliberately structured in order to reinforce previous learning. Your classroom practice will become more sophisticated as your knowledge builds.
  • Research-informed: Our researchers are continually examining what works best in teacher training and using these insights to shape the programmes we offer.
  • National cohort: You will belong to a network of like-minded individuals across the country.
QTS (Qualified Teacher Status)

Assessment is ongoing throughout the year and includes observation of your practice and evidence of your success from mentors, tutors and yourself. Trainees are assessed against the NIoT ITT curriculum as the year progresses, and against the Teachers’ Standards at the end of the programme.

PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education)

Assessment is by three master’s level assignments, which are both academically robust and grounded in your day-to-day practice.

NIoT works in partnership with the University of Birmingham. The University of Birmingham is the validating university and has responsibility for awarding the PGCE element of the programme.

Full-time option
  • Five days per week (four days in school, one day at our local campus).
Part-time options
  • Four days per week, with the course finishing at the end of the autumn term of year two. All academic work would be completed during year one. Training day (Thursday) not negotiable.
  • Three days per week, with the course finishing at Easter of year two. All academic work would be completed during year one. Training day (Thursday) not negotiable.
  • A bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with a 2:2 or above
  • GCSEs grade 4/C or above in English and maths, or equivalent
  • Your degree or A-levels will need to be relevant to the subject/phase you wish to teach

If you have any questions about your eligibility, please contact us:

Telephone: 01782 733130
Email: [email protected]

You can also read more about eligibility on the government’s Get Into Teaching website.

Do you have what it takes to be a good teacher? Read more here.

How to become a teacher with Ormiston Teacher Training
  1. Visit the DfE Apply website and find us by typing the following codes into the provider box:
    – NIoT@OrmistonTeacherTraining North (24P)
    – NIoT@OrmistonTeacherTraining East (3P4)
    – NIoT@OrmistonTeacherTraining West (2P4)
  2. Once you’ve selected the course you want to apply for, submit your application to train to teach with us.
  3. Attend an in-person or remote interview in the region you’d like to teach.
  4. Accept your offer to secure your training place.
  5. Start preparing for your career in teaching. Your offer will be subject to meeting certain conditions and safeguarding checks.
Fee-paying – no salary
  • The cost of training to teach is £9,250 for full-time study. Student finance and maintenance loans will be available.
  • The cost of training to teach, part-time, is £6,935 for year one and then another £6,935 pro rata according to how much of the second year is needed. Student finance and maintenance loans will be available.
  • Tax-free bursaries are available from the DfE, for some subjects. This changes annually.
  • NIoT scholarships and support might be available for some subjects and phases (this varies from school to school).
Bursaries and scholarships

Click here to find out about bursaries and scholarships.

If you have any questions, please contact the team at [email protected].

For more information

For further information about what we offer at Ormiston Teacher Training or how to apply, you can contact us by one of the following methods:

Telephone: 01782 733130
Email: [email protected]

You can also follow us on social media: