Poole SCITT – Excellence In Education
‘To inspire, motivate and educate future teachers to have a lifelong commitment to raising standards in schools by unlocking every learner’s potential’
Poole SCITT is a ‘Schools-Centered Initial Teacher Training Course’ leading to a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status. Created through partnerships between the participating primary schools, Borough of Poole Local Education Authority and Kingston University, to offer initial teacher training, at primary school level, for 31 suitably qualified graduates.
Accredited by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) as an official provider of initial teacher training, it has been recently graded by OFSTED as Outstanding in all areas (2014). It is validated by Kingston University for PGCE and carries ‘M’ credits towards a Masters degree.
Who’s who?
Poole SCITT is managed through a ‘Lead School’- Ad Astra Infant School which is part of the TEACH Multi AcademyTrust.
SCITT Management Board
The Board is chaired by the CEO Head of the TEACH Multi Academy Trust, Mrs Val Arbon, and is attended by representatives from all committees and other stakeholders.
Professional Co-ordinator – Mrs Georgina Verrinder
The Professional Co-ordinator has overall responsibility for the day to day running of the SCITT. She oversees the course and is responsible for its development.
Administration Manager – Mrs Helen Best
The Administration Manager assists the Professional Co-ordinator in the day to day administration of the course.
Finance Manager – Mrs Jackie Read
The Finance Manager is responsible for running the SCITT’s finances.
Professional tutors
The professional tutors are responsible for allocating trainees to schools and for supporting and mentoring schools new to SCITT. They work with the Professional Co-ordinator and liaise with the other members of the team. They take responsibility for a group of students at each practice, ensuring support for trainees and school mentors, as well as providing a valuable moderating role.
Partnership Schools
The schools provide senior members of staff to sit on the SCITT Management Board and committees. Placements are offered for school practices and appropriate members of staff are delegated to become supportive Class teachers and School Based Tutors who are always keen to attend our regular professional development days.
“Mentors are highly skilled practitioners and many have first hand experience of the taught programme, being ex SCITT trainees themselves.”
“We have had a very positive experience and greatly value SCITT and its role in training future colleagues.”
Poole school
Kingston University – current validating University
The validating University offers support for our course and has encouraged a useful liaison programme through regular communication and official meetings. Internal and external examiners are accessed through the university who produce reports and keep a QA monitoring brief on all aspects of Poole SCITT. Rigorous reviews are undertaken every five years as the standard Quinquennial Review of all university courses.