Embarking on a teaching career is an extremely exciting and rewarding experience. However, at times, we know it can be challenging.   Ashmead School fully supports all trainees through the whole process.  

An important aspect of our training programme is the regular support offered from a training manager. These visits take place within school, enabling both the trainee and their teacher tutor to be well-supported. The same training manager will respond quickly to any queries that arise in between visits, helping to maintain outstanding communication.

Trainees will be given: 

• An experienced teacher tutor, providing daily support and coaching
• A school-based mentor giving additional professional and personal support
• Regular opportunities to observe outstanding practice in all subjects
• A gradually increasing timetable, enabling them to take on more classroom responsibility and teaching as their confidence and skill level increases
• A comprehensive programme of core training sessions, covering all areas in the National Curriculum and pedagogical knowledge and understanding. 
• Opportunities to plan and teach collaboratively with their teacher tutor and other colleagues
• Regular and constructive feedback following lesson observations
• Support when completing their self evaluations and setting developmental targets to ensure future progress

Personalised learning

In the early stages of the course trainees are encouraged to complete a Needs Analysis in which they identify their existing knowledge and skillset and areas for future development. Building on this initial assessment, training managers continue to work alongside trainees, and their teacher tutor, to address these areas for development  and set individualised developmental targets. The progress of each trainee will be reviewed informally by the teacher tutor and training manager at the fortnightly meetings and new developmental targets will be set when appropriate.

The training managers will be responsible for providing additional support and guidance to help the trainees address any gaps to ensure outstanding progress is made.  This may involve them creating opportunities for the trainee to observe outstanding practice in the skill or subject that they wish to develop further.  Such observations may take place in a range of schools across the partnership.