‘It is amazing; even better than I expected’ – SCITT trainee Rukhsar Hussain
Could you shape the minds of future generations and nurture children and young people into resilient adults equipped with the education and tools they need?
Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, which has 25 primary schools and five secondaries across South Tyneside, East Durham and Sunderland, is looking for the next cohort of ambitious, caring and committed teachers as it launches its SCITT programme for September 2025.
Last year’s intake on the SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) course at BCCET all secured teaching jobs after the completion of the course.
Rukhsaar Hussain, 26, from Newcastle, started on this academic year’s course in September 2024. Prior to being accepted onto the course, Rukhsaar worked in Noah’s Ark nursery in Hebburn as a nursery practitioner.
“I really enjoyed working with the children and wanted to find a career where I could use my passion for education to support pupils and the wider community,” she says.
“The SCITT is a professional development opportunity for me to become a teacher. I am passionate about reducing the educational attainment gap for children, having seen this firsthand during my role at the nursery and when studying for my Level 6 qualification in early childhood studies. When researching providers of SCITT programmes, BCCET really stood out to me as having values I could relate to. The delivery of the programme and the course structure reassured me that it would support me to be a great teacher.”
Rukhsaar’s placement is at St Aloysius Catholic Federation working with Reception pupils.
“It is amazing, even better than I expected,” she says. “I feel really supported and genuinely excited every day. I am really enjoying getting to know the children and building a rapport with them and the staff.”
The trainee teacher is also benefitting from studying and working alongside a group of trainees working across the Trust’s schools.
“It is a fantastic support network – and so far, I have had a fantastic experience,” she adds.
Ryan Gooch’s original career path saw him on a scholarship at Sunderland AFC Academy until he was 18 and his ambition was to be a professional footballer. Unfortunately, he sustained an injury which ended his career as a footballer, so he went to Sunderland University to study a BSc in sport and exercise science. It was on a university placement at his former school, St Bede’s Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form College in Peterlee, that his former PE teacher suggested teaching as a career.
“I successfully applied for teaching assistant roles at the school via an agency and it was while doing this role and chatting to colleagues, I found out about the Trust’s SCITT programme,” says Ryan, 21, from Peterlee.
“It is a great programme and I thought it would be the best option for me to access a career in teaching.”
Ryan has returned to St Bede’s for his teacher training placement and says the support he has been given is “amazing”.
“Suzanne (director of teacher development) is always available if you need anything,” he adds.
“It is reassuring to know I can reach out for support and guidance at any time. The Trust has lots of schools and this made me feel confident that I would find a role. It is great that the Trust trains teachers so they can retain the talent they create.
“To anyone considering a SCITT, I would say it is definitely worth it. From my very first day, I have not looked back. I have had nothing but positive experiences since I started and that is testament to the excellent programme and supportive Trust staff.”
Following the programme, Ryan hopes to secure an ECT (Early Career Teaching) post within the Trust.
BCCET partners with Teach First to provide a one-year SCITT programme which 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.
The courses on offer are Primary (4-11), Primary (3-7) and Secondary (maths, English, biology, chemistry, physics, history, geography, RE, music, PE, business studies, DT and modern foreign languages).
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.”
For more information about the SCITT course, please visit www.bccet.org.uk/teach-first-partnership or email: email: teach@bccet.org.uk
Closing date is June 30, 2025.
ENDS
Photo captions: SCITT trainees Rukhsaar Hussain and Ryan Gooch.
Suzanne Robbins, BCCET’s director of teacher development.
Video link: Cultivate Curious Minds
Press release issued by SASS media on behalf of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust. For more information, contact Sarah Dale on 07814 976582.