Training Course:            Postgraduate Teaching Apprentice Leading to QTS

Training Provider:          OTT SCITT (The School of Teaching & Learning) - RLT

Contract Type:                Fixed Term
Duration of placement:  12 months

Salary:                              UQ1 (£22,601 p/annum)

Hours per week:             Full time

Delivery Model:

• On-the-job training, through work-based experience, as an unqualified teacher

• Off-the-job training, through weekly attendance at curriculum sessions with OTT SCITT to complete the ITT course (combination of online and in-person) and completion of a second placement in the spring term

• End Point Assessment to be completed following the award of QTS in July 2027

About this role:

The OTT SCITT Apprenticeship Route to QTS offers an excellent opportunity for experienced school colleagues to earn their Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) while continuing to work in a school setting. This full-time, apprenticeship training programme is designed to develop teaching skills through a blend of in-school experience and structured curriculum learning (off-the- job training). 

While training on the PGTA route, you will combine teaching as an unqualified teacher in your employing school with training sessions with the SCITT. You are paid a salary throughout and your course fee is paid via the apprenticeship levy, so there is no cost to individual applicants on this route.

Programme Overview:

Start Date:                                                                    1st September 2026

QTS Completion:                                                          1st July 2027

Final Apprenticeship End-Point Assessment (EPA):    July 2027

The SCITT apprenticeship program includes structured developmental phases designed to support your journey to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and complete the apprenticeship requirements. Starting with an induction period in July, you will engage in school-based activities and two days of SCITT induction to prepare for their classroom in September. You will complete a series of supportive and interactive online modules over August to ensure that you are well prepared for the year ahead. 

You can view full details of the OTT SCITT PGTA at this link: https://ott-scitt.org.uk/apprenticeship/

What skills / experience are required 

In order to be able to meet the teaching expectations of the PGTA, this route is only suitable for applicants who have experience in the education sector, such as as a Teaching Assistant or a Cover Supervisor.   Having the ability to teach computing, chemistry, physics, biology, MFL, Geography or DT / Design would be desirable but not essential.

Applicants will need to meet the OTT SCITT PGTA Person Specification in order to apply for this role, which can be viewed at this link:

https://ott-scitt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PGTA-Person-Specification.pdf

What we can offer / about our school

We are a high performing and oversubscribed comprehensive school in Oxford  with approximately 2,000 students on roll, including 680 in the Sixth Form. We are delighted that we were judged ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted (October 2022), as we feel this is a fair reflection of the school, not least as we recognize that we have the capacity to develop and improve further.  We consider ourselves to be a school which has at its heart “kindness, opportunity, responsibility, excellence” and we aim to make this a deeper reality for all of our students and staff in the years to come.

Our aims are supported by our designation as a National Teaching School and as a School Centred Initial Teacher Training provider.  We are committed to the professional learning and career development of our staff and work in conjunction with the River Learning Trust to continue to raise standards. 

We value the wellbeing of our staff and aim to support colleagues throughout their working lives.  Staff report high levels of wellbeing and attribute this to factors such as:

• Well designed, sequenced and resourced curricula which are centralised

• Feedback and marking approaches which are carefully considered for impact and workload

• Clear, centralised Behaviour for Learning System; pastoral teams supported by non-teaching deputy year leaders

• Lower than typical contact hours for classroom teachers and middle leaders

• Excellent in-house and external CPD opportunities and regular opportunities for career development within the school and trust

Education has the power to change lives, communities and society for the better. At RLT we believe that we can achieve more for our pupils, trainees, staff and communities by working together rather than alone. Schools in RLT are united by a common belief in the benefits of working together, and by our commitment to shared principles.

OUR VISION is for our schools and SCITT to improve rapidly, continuously and sustainably: to be better faster together.

OUR ‘WHY?’ is that children and young people ‘only get one go’ in school and therefore as part of RLT we aim to ensure the best possible ‘go’ for our pupils.

OUR ‘HOW?’ is through the highest support and challenge for our schools and each other, underpinned by our principles.

Our employees benefit from a wide variety of support including extensive  continuing professional learning and development opportunities, wellbeing and staff networks and access to Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (TPS and LGPS) for all staff. For more information on what it is like to work for the Trust, and the benefits you could access, please see our “Working in RLT” guide.

This role includes regulated activity relevant to children. 

The River Learning Trust and The Cherwell School are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and preventing extremism.   The Trust is required to conduct a variety of checks and online searches about you as part of their recruitment process in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. It is an offence to apply for certain roles within schools if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

For all RLT Safer Recruitment Documentation candidates should click on the following link RLT Safer Recruitment Documents for Candidates. Please see our website for up to date policies including our Child Protection and Behaviour Policies. 

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. For further guidance for applicants click on this link List of offences that are not filtered

Successful Applicants will be invited to complete an interview and teaching task at The Cherwell School, in order to demonstrate readiness for this route.