As we approach the end of the academic year, there is much to celebrate at GORSE SCITT. Our lead mentors have now completed their final round of observations, and our trainees are firmly on the path to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

This month marked the end of our central training sessions, which concluded with an inspiring presentation from the team at Virtual Schools, who shared insights into their invaluable work with children looked after. Trainees also attended their final subject sessions and are now in school full time for the final stage of their training.

A major focus this month has been on employment, and we’re thrilled to share that the majority of our cohort have now secured teaching roles for September, testament to their hard work and dedication.

We have also been running our Early Career Teacher Ready webinars, featuring a fantastic line up of experienced colleagues delivering sessions on topics including SEND, Preparing to Become an ECT, and Building Resilience; all aimed at preparing our trainees for the next step in their careers.

Another highlight this month was our Professional Mentor Conference, which brought together our Professional Mentors from across our partnership to discuss upcoming developments in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and share best practice for supporting trainees in school. Professional Mentors play a crucial role in ensuring high-quality support across all placements, an area we are incredibly proud of. Recent feedback from our trainee voice reflects the strength of this support:

“My mentor and Professional Mentor were phenomenal! The progress I was able to make in my teaching practice was largely due to the environment they created. They supported me in feeling confident and able to try new things. I could clearly see my mentor (who had been teaching for 25 years) was still continuing to develop and improve her teaching practice which was inspiring to see. My Professional Mentor was a continual support through my placement, and I am so grateful.”

We would like to thank all our mentors and Professional Mentors for their unwavering support of our trainees. We look forward to sharing our final update of the year next month!