TMAITTP Trailblazing with a brand-new undergraduate QTS pathway

As the most established Primary Education Initial Teacher Training and Ofsted ranked ‘Outstanding’ provider in Milton Keynes, Two Mile Ash Initial Teacher Training Partnership (TMA ITTP) is leading the way and expanding their teacher training programmes to help address the teacher shortage in Milton Keynes and surrounding areas.

Delivered in central Milton Keynes, and in partnership with Birmingham City University, TMA ITTP is the first School Centred Initial Teacher Training Provider (SCITT) in the country to offer this brand-new undergraduate, school centred pathway into teaching.

This course offers trainee teachers the opportunity to get a real hands-on experience in the classroom from the outset, putting research into practice and constantly and quickly applying the theory they have been taught. This approach creates a very effective way of learning.

Sarah Hand, Head of Teaching School and System Leadership said:

“We have always been an innovative teaching school, driving change and working to address local sector needs. Ranked in the top 5 SCITT’s in the country in 2015, we are excited to be working with local Headteachers and embedding valuable skills into trainees for a lifetime career in the teaching profession, which will have a positive impact on the generations of the future.”

School and college leavers now have an alternative option to the traditional university degree pathway and in addition to this, there are many exceptional teaching assistants and staff employed within schools who would be outstanding teachers but haven’t got degrees and aren’t able to step out of employment to gain a degree and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Therefore, this new pathway enables these quality individuals to achieve their degree and QTS whilst remaining employed and for Headteachers to retain their staff.

There is much excitement within the new cohort of students starting their teacher training journey. Leandra Browne, part of the first cohort commented:

15 years ago, I fell in love with education and have worked in schools since then.  Along the way I have extended my personal development through NVQs and have been a Higher-Level Teaching Assistant for several years now. The next obvious step was to gain a full teaching qualification but without a degree I would have to leave employment to become a full-time student or study part time for a protracted period, neither of which (in my 40’s) were realistic options. I was stuck. The new school based 3-year undergraduate course with QTS allows me to continue to work alongside my studies. Delighted – extremely. Excited – definitely. Nervous – I can’t wait to start!

Over the next three years this new course is anticipated to contribute approximately 80-90 new teachers to the Milton Keynes area, where there is a significant shortage of teachers in one of the UK’s fastest growing towns.

Emma Hollis, Executive Director – The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, NASBTT commented: “This is an exciting programme of school-led provision blended seamlessly with academic study, giving student teachers an opportunity to learn in a highly effective way, applying their learning directly to classroom situations.  By allowing aspiring teachers who do not yet hold a degree to learn alongside experienced, practising teachers, this trailblazing programme opens the door to a new cohort of future teachers, benefiting local schools by addressing supply and giving them the opportunity to ‘grow their own’ – literally from the roots up.” 

At TMA ITTP we focus on a more personalised approach to teacher training, ‘hard wiring’ well-being into trainees’ teaching practice, developing resilience, and preparing trainees for a lifetime career in the profession.