Frequently Asked Questions

SCITT stands for School-Centred Initial Teacher Training. We have government accreditation to run our own teacher training courses and design our own curriculum. This means we are able to design and adapt our training programmes and utilise the vast knowledge of and work of our partnership and Multi-Academy Trust schools to provide the best outcomes for trainee teachers.

There are a number of ways you can meet our team to find out more about us, our courses, and whether we are the right fit for you. Check out our Events page and book onto a one-to-one session, see our school experience days, or meet us face-to-face at the next Get Into Teaching event!

The entry requirements for our courses are: A UK Bachelor's degree qualification or a recognised equivalent qualification. See our individual courses for more information about minimum grade requirements. 3 GCSE grades A-C (Grade 4 or above) in English, Mathematics and Science (or equivalent). International qualifications Applicants with international qualifications must provide a Statement of Comparability. These can be obtained from the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC).

Don't panic! If you do not currently have the required GCSE grades, you still have options available to you. Before you start the course, you can sit an equivalency test in the subjects you currently do not have the required GCSE grade in. These can be completed at various institutions, including Prestolee SCITT. More information about our equivalency testing programme can be found on our Equivalency Testing page. If you are required to complete an equivalency test, any offer from us will be conditional on the successful completion of an equivalency to the minimum level prior to commencement of the course, alongside our other mandatory conditions.

For overseas qualifications, we will require a statement of comparability. This is to evidence that your qualification meets the minimum entry requirements. To start this process, you can contact ENIC to find out whether your qualifications are considered equivalent to a GCSE or honours degree. A good place to start is by getting in touch with the Get Into Teaching team, who can help you with this process.

School experience is not essential in order to apply for one of our courses. However, you may find it beneficial to have some school experience for the interview process where you will be asked to deliver a ‘mini-teach’ – a short lesson to a small group of pupils. You may also be asked questions which relate to the classroom. If you feel you would like some school experience before you apply, have a look our School Experience Mornings, with more details available under our Events tab. Alternatively, you can also register for school experience via the DfE's School Experience programme.

Once applications are received, they undergo a careful screening process to determine suitability for interview. Consideration is given to: academic qualifications (or predictions for pending degrees) suitability to teach & personal qualities quality of the personal statement in terms of grammar and spelling. Successfully shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview day at one of our Trust schools. Where applicants cannot make the specified date, an alternative date can be arranged depending on the availability of places.

Put simply, we are looking for potential! You should be personable, empathetic, and passionate about teaching. You should be driven by providing high-quality education for all, wanting to make a difference within their local community and contribute to a positive school culture. Teachers are role models, so honesty, integrity and ethical conduct are vital. You should have strong communication skills, be organised, and have a positive 'can-do' attitude towards your own learning. Teaching is a life-long learning experience, so you should be resilient and dedicated to your own continued professional development. Whether you are a career changer with valuable work experience or a student in the final year of your first degree, we welcome applications from anyone with a passion for teaching!

Prestolee SCITT is committed to safeguarding. As such, there are certain checks that we undertake on all successful applicants before commencing the course. enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check barred list check prohibition check occupational health screening check (fitness to teach) In addition to this, you will be required to provide a form of photographic ID to verify your identity alongside two satisfactory references. These references must derive from work-based or academic email addresses for verification purposes. Online checks will also be completed prior to the start of the course. We will require at least two satisfactory references in addition to these checks. These must be from verifiable email addresses (i.e. an academic or work-based email, not a personal email address). You will provide potential referees at application stage, however no reference requests will be sent until you accept an offer. In line with safer recruitment, we will request to see original certificates (not copies) for any necessary entry requirements. We will routinely check with education providers to verify authenticity. If you cannot locate your original certificates, can order duplicates from the exam board if needed. For more information, see our Apply and Safeguarding pages.

A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) are two different things, and there is a common misconception that you need both to teach in England. In order to teach in maintained schools in England, you need to have QTS, as this is the legal requirement of most teachers in England. Successful completion of either of our courses leads to this qualification. On the other hand, a PGCE is an internationally recognised qualification that can allow you to teach abroad in certain countries. It is worth checking with a country that you are interested in teaching in whether you need a PGCE in order to qualify for teaching. Additionally, a PGCE provides you with 60 Masters credits that you can use to contribute to a full Masters degree with further study. In terms of our courses, the PGCE with QTS course contains an additional two modules delivered in four teaching days by Sheffield Hallam University. Each of these modules have an assignment to complete and submit. If you are unsure which course may be most suitable for you, you can contact us to discuss your options.

Both our PGCE with QTS and QTS Only courses are full-time courses. They last for nine months, starting in September 2024 until July 2025. During our courses, you will be training five days a week, Monday to Friday.

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