Applications open in October for 2025 SCITT intake
Teaching and support staff across the country are enjoying a well-earned rest this summer – and, for some, the six-weeks holidays marks the end of teacher training and the anticipation of a new qualified teaching role in September.
It is a mixed bag of emotions amongst the 2023/24 trainees who have completed their teacher training with Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust’s School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) this summer.
From “excited” to “terrified”, they all agree that they enjoyed the training programme and “can’t wait” for the next stage in their teaching careers.
Katie Robertson, 27, from Sunderland, completed her SCITT at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Sunderland teaching Year 4 and Year 1. The former teaching assistant has secured a new Year 1 teacher role at St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, which is also part of BCCET.
“Initially, I found the SCITT programme a little difficult despite my previous experience as a TA, but I received a fantastic amount of support, in particular from my mentor, Carolyn Cummins, and the Trust’s director of teacher development, Suzanne Robbins,” said Katie.
“Carolyn was great and provides loads of helpful advice, support and resources. I ended up loving the experience and feel it is a great accomplishment. I feel terrified and excited about September. I never thought I could become a teacher. I am so glad that some of my teaching colleagues encouraged me to apply.
“Doing the SCITT within BCCET has given me some great advantages as curriculum and resources are shared and this has really helped. Plus, I have had regular meetings with the other SCITT trainees in my cohort which were invaluable to me as we could share learning and chat through our experiences.
“My advice to anyone starting a SCITT would be: Be yourself, don’t give up and you will get there.”
Former opera singer with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Rebekah McGinlay, 25, is starting a new role as a music teacher at West Grantham Church of England Secondary Academy in Lincolnshire to establish a new music curriculum following her training at St Joseph’s Catholic Academy in Hebburn.
“The SCITT programme was amazing, it was a great experience,” said Rebekah, who lives in Durham and is originally from Aberdeen.
“The hands-on training was the best bit. The level of support from everyone was fantastic including my mentor, Suzanne [Robbins] and my peers on this cohort. Sarah Malone was a wonderful mentor who helped me see things through a practical lens and provided great advice and support.
“I am excited about starting my new job. I am looking forward to it as it will be a great challenge and a wonderful opportunity. I will miss my current students who have been great to work with and we put on some wonderful performances of Oliver.
“Being able to go to other schools within the Trust for part of my placement gave me a different perspective. The Trust has a real sense of community and togetherness.
“My advice to new trainees is: Get organised and take things one step at a time. Take others’ advice and ask everyone questions.”
Tiegan English, 21, from Sunderland, has secured a new English teacher position at St Robert of Newminster Catholic School and Sixth Form College in Washington following her training at St Anthony’s Girls Catholic Academy in Sunderland.
She found the course “really beneficial” and being part of the SCITT cohort of 2023/24 was “fantastic”.
“I have built some wonderful long-lasting relationships,” she said.
“It was definitely the best course for me. My mentor was Kate Stabbing who was fantastic and really went above and beyond to support me.
“I feel nervous and excited about my new job. I am so pleased to have secured the role and look forward to starting.
“I was a student at St Anthony’s so returning to the school to do the SCITT felt like coming home. The Trust has a great ethos and it was lovely to talk regularly to peers from other schools.
“My advice to new trainees would be to stay organised and remember there will be peaks and troughs but go with the flow, you won’t regret it.”
BCCET’s one-year SCITT programme gives people hands-on experience in the classroom while they train. Trainee teachers interact every day with pupils and work as a member of teaching staff in a school local to them. The intensive and weekly training was developed in partnership with curriculum design experts at Teach First to ensure a quality research-led programme.
Their approach includes online and face-to-face training; subject and phase specific training combined with effective teaching methods; support from skilled and knowledgeable mentors; Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) on graduation.
Suzanne Robbins, BCCET’s director of teacher development, said: “We are determined to be a highly aspirational organisation with the highest quality professional development opportunities at the heart of our work.
“Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust wants to ensure that all teachers are provided with opportunities to be the best version of themselves right from the start of their career. We want to strengthen recruitment and retention to make us the employer of choice.
“I am incredibly proud not only of the trainees but of the hard work of their mentors and lead mentors. It has truly been a team effort. I am so impressed that they all have jobs, some within the Trust, but all within education. My mantra of ‘Train to Retain’ has now materialised.”
Applications for September 2025’s SCITT open in October 2024. They close in June 2025.
To find out more about the Trust’s SCITT programme, email: teach@bccet.org.uk
The Trust has 30 schools across Sunderland, South Tyneside and East Durham. For more information about BCCET, please visit www.bccet.org.uk
ENDS