The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
School Direct Recruitment Event
Wednesday 6th November 2013.
14.00 -16.00
Lead School:
Newlands Spring Primary School
Academy Trust.
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
Why Train with us?
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance, (CTSA) is an alliance of 15 primary, 10
secondary and one special school based in and around Chelmsford in Essex. The
alliance is led by Newlands Spring Primary School Academy Trust and is offering nonsalaried School direct places in the primary sector for 2014.
Working in partnership with our Accredited Provider, Essex Primary SCITT, CTSA
offers high quality training for graduates wishing to teach in primary schools through
its one-year full time School Direct route leading to Qualified Teacher Status. (QTS)
Initially, training places are being offered at 9 schools although other schools in our
alliance may take trainees for second placements.
Our partnership schools have a well-established history of supporting trainee
teachers through a range of routes including PGCE, GTP and School Direct. Many
alliance schools will continue to offer places on alternative routes in 2014 as well.
We work successfully with partnership schools across our area with the aim to
produce confident, highly skilled, enthusiastic and innovative practitioners, able to
teach across the primary age range to meet the needs of our local context.
What will the programme cover?
Training covers the effective teaching of all Core and Foundation subjects, the wider
curriculum and other current educational issues as well as developing trainees' ICT
skills.
We work in partnership with other local primary providers to offer a specialist
training in Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), English, Maths, Science,
ICT, Drama, MfL, PE and EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage).
The Course
Trainees attend a pre-course induction day with their host school mentor in July and
a second induction day prior to taking up their main placement and we encourage
trainees to spend time in their host school prior to starting the course if possible.
The course is structured so that trainees gain hands on experience in their host
schools from the very beginning. Trainees spend approximately three days a week in
school and two days a week on our taught course for the first 2 terms. During this
time there are also opportunities to visit other partnership schools to further
develop practice.
In the final term there are two block teaching practices, one in a second placement
school and a final assessed teaching practice back in the main placement school.
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
Training days are mainly based at Moulsham Infant School in Chelmsford although
some training days are also held in other partnership schools.
Support throughout the course.
Each trainee is assigned a mentor in each school and an external mentor who will
support and guide them through their professional development.
Throughout the year trainees complete directed tasks and assignments which build
up their Professional Portfolio of evidence. This is a core requirement for the
successful completion of the course and is matched to the Teachers' Standards.
Entry Requirements
What do we require? Entrants must hold a degree from a UK higher education
institution or equivalent qualification and also have GCSE Grade C or equivalent in
Mathematics, English Language and Science. Our Accredited Provider, Essex Primary
SCITT, adheres to the Government recommendation that the degree should be a 2:2
or above.
Skills Tests: Anyone applying for an initial teacher training (ITT) placement is required
to have passed the skills tests before starting the course. Once an applicant has
submitted an application form for an ITT course, he or she will be eligible to book
skills tests via the DfE website.
What are we looking for?
Who should apply? Entrants will be expected to have had recent and relevant
experience with primary aged children in an educational environment. They must
demonstrate an ability to communicate clearly and accurately in Standard English.
The qualities we are looking for: We are looking for people with the potential to
become outstanding practitioners who possess the ability to make a positive
contribution to the lives of our students and the ethos of our alliance schools.
In particular we are seeking those with a commitment to:
 helping our students achieve their best whatever their ability, social
background or disposition.
 being responsible for their own learning and development. In particular
having the drive to keep up to date with current educational research and
policies.
 being open to coaching, support and advice from mentors and other
professionals.
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
How we select our trainees.
You can expect a fair but thorough interview process which will include:
 Careful scrutiny of your application and qualifications.
 A formal interview with a panel made up of both school staff and accrediting
staff.
 An observed teaching activity.
 A 5 minute presentation focused on a current educational issue affecting
Primary teaching.
 A written task.
 A maths test. (If the QTS Maths has not yet been taken.)
About this training provider
Accommodation: Newlands Spring Primary School was founded in 1981 and is
situated on a modern housing estate near to the centre of Chelmsford. The school is
well maintained and situated in a bright, modern and airy building. It shares a site
with the local library and is conveniently close to a large supermarket.
Child Care: Applicants would be expected to make their own child care
arrangements whilst on placement.
Broomfield Primary school does have the Sunrise private nursery on site, which
provides day care from the age of 2.
Disability: All schools in the alliance have disabled access.
Public transport: Chelmsford has good transport links. There is a busy railway
station with connections to Liverpool Street and to the East coast. The local Bus
service is very comprehensive and large parts of the city are served by cycle paths
and pedestrian footpaths.
Special Features: Newlands Spring has a mission statement, 'Working together
towards success for all' and through early assessment and identification and a range
of teaching strategies and interventions, aims to provide appropriate levels of
support both academically and socially for each individual child in order to enable
them to fulfil their potential and to prepare them for secondary school and adult life.
The school is at the forefront in Educational Research and Development, including
being involved in the 'Grow' project which seeks to re-engage children who are in
danger of being excluded from other primary schools and the 'Closing the Gap'
research with the National College for Teaching and Leadership. (NCTL)
Student Life: We have supported ITT at Newlands Spring for a number of years and
we also regularly support pre-ITT placements. We have some very experienced
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
student mentors on the staff who have undergone training and have recently
supported new entrants to the teaching profession extremely ably. The Headteacher
and Deputy Headteacher also actively support these programmes.
Study Facilities: Each Trainee will be assigned a Mentor at their placement school as
well as an external mentor.
Where to find us: Newlands Spring, the lead school, is found at:
Dickens Place
Chelmsford
CM14UU
Telephone - 01245 442031
Visits to the Lead School would be welcome at our Recruitment Event on Wednesday
November 6th between 2.00pm and 4.00pm.
Contact: Mrs Beverley Gardener, CTSA Manager, for further details.
01245 512338
E mail bgardener@chelmer.essex.sch.uk
Essex Primary SCITT is found at:
Moulsham Infant School,
Princes Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM2 9DG
www.essexteachertraining.co.uk
Our Partner Schools
Newlands Spring Primary School (2 General SD places) is the lead school for the
Chelmsford Teaching School Alliance and offers a learning environment
characterised by excellent and conscientious teachers who are also very supportive
and good fun! Newlands Spring is a two-form entry school encompassing Foundation
Stage - Year 6 children (Aged 4-11).
The school is situated on a modern housing estate near to the centre of Chelmsford.
The school is over-subscribed; there are waiting lists for each year group and we are
over capacity at 408 children.
Our mission statement is, 'Working together towards success for all' and through
early assessment and identification and a range of teaching strategies and
interventions, we aim to provide appropriate levels of support both academically
and socially for each individual child, in order to enable them to fulfil their potential
and to prepare them for secondary school and adult life.
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
We have supported ITT at Newlands Spring for a number of years and we also
regularly support pre-ITT placements. We have some very experienced student
mentors on the staff who have undergone training and have recently supported new
entrants to the teaching profession extremely ably. The Headteacher and Deputy
Headteacher also actively support these programmes.
Newlands Spring has been judged as Outstanding by OFSTED and internal monitoring
and data analysis suggest that this continues to be the case.
Great Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1 General SD
place) is a village school 4 miles from Chelmsford. We serve the local community and
we also have a proportion of out of catchment pupils. We take students from
Foundation Stage to Year 6 (4-11 years) and our current role is 160.
Our school mission statement, 'Working together for the success of all',
encompasses our whole school philosophy; our dedicated team of teachers, support
staff and governors aim to provide a safe and secure learning environment, where
high expectations of achievement, behaviour and support for each other are
paramount. Our Christian faith and ethos guides all we do throughout the school.
We are a small school where trainee teachers would quickly get to know all the staff
and pupils and benefit from high quality advice and support. We pride ourselves on
providing a welcoming and encouraging environment with:
Experienced teaching staff across the curriculum
Links to church and community
Mixed age group teaching (which can greatly increase
confidence levels)
Pastoral care and PSHE
Wide ranging extra-curricular activities for a small school
Excellent support staff
A strong SEN department.
Writtle Junior School (2 General SD places) was opened in 1963 as a primary school
to serve the picturesque village of Writtle. We cater for Key Stage 2 students (7-11
years) and there are currently 217 on roll.
The school is situated in a lovely rural location next to open farmland, and close to
Hylands Park. There are eight classrooms, each with internet access and interactive
whiteboards, providing a light, airy and well equipped environment for the children
to learn in. We have a spacious playground and extensive playing fields with two
climbing frames, a fenced off quiet area, outdoor seating and picnic benches and a
large wildlife area. We have recently installed an outside classroom.
A popular early morning and after school club is held in the school hall, run by
Chelmsford YMCA and is available to infant and junior school pupils.
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
Our vision is to create a caring, challenging environment where children can develop
socially, intellectually and spiritually in preparation for the role they will play in
society. We aim to develop confidence and self-esteem throughout our school
community by celebrating personal achievement and setting high expectations for
all.
We work closely with both the local and wider community to ensure our children
become active and responsible members of society. We have a cross curricular
approach to learning and enjoy many partnerships with outside providers that
further enrich our curriculum. We are a Comenius school and have links with schools
all over Europe and have achieved our International Schools Award to an
outstanding level.
We have supported student teachers for many years at Writtle Junior School,
providing experienced mentors and a supportive, caring environment in which they
can develop. Numerous SCITT students have gone on to be employed by our school
and are now enjoying successful careers.
Broomfield Primary School (1 General SD place) is a happy and successful school
comprising of 11 classes, with 315 pupils on role. Broomfield is a large village,
situated adjacent to the City of Chelmsford. As a primary school we have pupils from
Foundation Stage to Year 6. With an intake of 45 pupils each year, we organise our
classes commencing with two Foundation Stage classes, then KS1, Lower KS2 and
Upper KS2 have three mixed age range classes each. Also on site we have Sunrise
private nursery, which provides day care from the age of 2.
Broomfield Primary Staff are very forward thinking in their approach to education
and are always keen to trial new initiatives in order to provide a stimulating and
exciting curriculum for all their pupils. In the past we have supported a number of
students working alongside local Teacher Training Providers, together with offering
placements for GTP and SCITT Students.
Broomfield Primary School provides children with a caring and stimulating
environment in which to grow. Our aim is for all our pupils to achieve their full
potential in every aspect of their learning, whilst developing their confidence and
independence. There are many opportunities open to the children and a wide range
of extra curricular activities for the children to enjoy, during their primary years.
Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1 General SD
place) is a smaller than average school with five classes ranging from foundation
stage to year 6. Set in a small village on the outskirts of Chelmsford we have
beautiful grounds for the pupils' to enjoy and extend their learning. As a church
school we provide a caring environment based on Christian values which allow
children to reach their full academic, social, moral and physical potential.
We are committed to providing children with the very best opportunities for
learning; an integral part of that is ensuring that all adults in school consistently seek
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
to develop and enhance their own practice. The strong links we have with colleagues
in other schools enable the sharing of expertise across a range of settings benefitting
both teachers and pupils. Our supportive, good humoured team will empower you to
achieve your goal.
Moulsham Infants School (1 Gereral & 1 FS/KS1 SD place) is a larger than average
urban infant school in Chelmsford. We have a unique setting as we share a large site
with both Moulsham Junior School and Moulsham High School. We are all standalone academies but work closely with each other in a variety of ways.
We are a three form entry school with 271 on our role at present (usually 270)
catering for children from EYFS (aged 4) to year 2 (aged 7).
We believe very much in a creative curriculum and have spent a lot of time adapting
the curriculum to cater for the needs of our children to ensure that “Learning is fun”,
which is our school motto. Moulsham has been described by prospective parents as
a 'warm and friendly place where children visibly enjoy their work.'
Over the past 10 years Moulsham has been heavily involved with ITT and our
current Deputy Headteacher is the lead mentor for the Essex SCITT. She works very
closely with Fiona Willet, the SCITT Manager, the key mentors and the trainees to
ensure that the programme runs smoothly and effectively. Fiona has an office at
Moulsham and is regularly working on site, tying these days up with days when the
trainees are training in the school's community room. Over the years that we have
been linked to the SCITT programme we have employed 5 of the trainees that have
trained with us on their main placement and would have happily employed others if
there had been vacancies at that time.
Great Leighs Primary School (1 General SD place) is located in a very rural setting to
the North of Chelmsford. We make the most of using our lovely outdoor spaces for
learning whenever possible.
Through hands-on experiences we strive to enable each child to do their best in all
their learning. Whilst seeking to develop excellent literacy and numeracy skills we
believe in valuing the whole child and enabling our pupils to extend their skills in all
areas of the curriculum. We establish clear values with our pupils so they learn to
respect each other for their similarities and differences, and encourage the
development of key life skills such as organisation and independence in our teaching.
Great Leighs is a unique and exciting place to work in, with a very supportive team of
staff, parents and governors. We have a strong sense of community where everyone
feels valued and supported. Currently we have 225 pupils on roll; eight discrete
classes ranging from Foundation Stage through to Year 6.
We have supported many SCITT students - including three year BA students, PGCE
students and trainees on the Graduate Teacher Programme - who found their time
with us very rewarding and enjoyable.
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
Boreham Primary School (1 SD place) is a village school with 220 children on roll. We
pride ourselves on working together with parents and children to ensure a happy
learning relationship for all pupils.
Our staff, pupils and governors make Boreham Primary School a pleasure to be part
of, with shared principles of friendship, trust and mutual respect leading to high
achievement.
School security is a priority and the grounds are a very safe place for children to
learn and play. We are a school that cares about all those in our community. All the
staff of the school, both teaching and non-teaching, are very conscious of their
pastoral responsibilities. High expectations and the happiness and wellbeing of the
children are at the centre of our vision.
Standards of achievement are very important to us. We place great importance in
hard work, caring attitudes, honesty, truthfulness, loyalty and pride in ourselves as
well as in our school.
Boreham Primary School is currently supporting the ITT programme and values the
part that trainee teachers make to our school.
Working together to be better together.
The Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance
Category
School
General
Boreham
Newlands Spring
Little Waltham
Great Leighs
Great Waltham Primary
Broomfield
Moulsham
Tyrrells
Writtle
FS/KS 1
Boreham
Moulsham
Category
School
General
Boreham
Newlands Spring
Little Waltham
Great Leighs
Great Waltham Primary
Broomfield
Moulsham
Tyrrells
Writtle
FS/KS 1
Boreham
Moulsham
Salaried
Salaried
Working together to be better together.
NonSalaried
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
Total 12
1
1
NonSalaried
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
Total 12
1
1