What we offer
Exeter Consortium represents the schools in Exeter and offers School Direct Initial Teacher Training in its Primary and Secondary Schools in partnership with South West Teacher Training SCITT and Bath Spa University.
There is tremendous expertise in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in the city, and our routes towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) provide a personalised programme with placements chosen to meet the needs of each individual. The training is based in exceptional schools across our partnership, working with outstanding practitioners. The recent Ofsted Inspection, carried out under the new framework, noted that our trainees speak highly of their training with this partnership and our newly qualified teachers are well prepared for their first teaching post. 97% of our 2022 cohort were employed in schools by September 2022.
There is tremendous expertise in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in the city, and our routes towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) provide a personalised programme with placements chosen to meet the needs of each individual. The training is based in exceptional schools across our partnership, working with outstanding practitioners. The recent Ofsted Inspection, carried out under the new framework, noted that our trainees speak highly of their training with this partnership and our newly qualified teachers are well prepared for their first teaching post. 97% of our 2022 cohort were employed in schools by September 2022.
More than 60 very different schools belong to our organisation, large and small, inner city, suburban and rural. Together they present a wide range of settings that offer the exciting challenges on which excellence in teacher education thrives!
The qualification we offer is a PGCE with South West Teacher Training (SWTT) (accredited by Bath Spa University, rated as Outstanding by Ofsted for Teacher Training). These routes to the PGCE will provide you with the opportunity to work with like-minded trainees on an exciting programme designed by us to address individuals’ needs and based exclusively in local schools.
Taster sessions for our Primary (3-7) and Primary (5-11) PGCE programmes are usually held in member schools, but to keep everyone safe during the pandemic, are currently held over Zoom. You are warmly invited to join us at one of our information events to find out more about us and how we run our training programmes. These events take place on a regular basis so please contact us for more information. Alternatively, pick up the phone at any time for an informal chat to see how we can help you.
The qualification we offer is a PGCE with South West Teacher Training (SWTT) (accredited by Bath Spa University, rated as Outstanding by Ofsted for Teacher Training). These routes to the PGCE will provide you with the opportunity to work with like-minded trainees on an exciting programme designed by us to address individuals’ needs and based exclusively in local schools.
Taster sessions for our Primary (3-7) and Primary (5-11) PGCE programmes are usually held in member schools, but to keep everyone safe during the pandemic, are currently held over Zoom. You are warmly invited to join us at one of our information events to find out more about us and how we run our training programmes. These events take place on a regular basis so please contact us for more information. Alternatively, pick up the phone at any time for an informal chat to see how we can help you.
Primary Initial Teacher Training Programmes
Primary (3-7)
Primary (3-7) School Direct PGCE Programme
Programme code 2TXN
This is a school-based PGCE course designed for those wishing to specialise in the Early Years which spans nursery/pre-school, reception and Key Stage 1. Trainees are immersed in the Early Years with a placement in EYFS and another in KS1. Trainees have specific off-site training that is focused on the Foundation Stage, however to complement this, there is an enhanced programme of study where the trainees train alongside the 5-11 cohort covering the general professional studies programme (GPS) and the curriculum across Key Stages one and two. As such, all those training on the Primary (3-7) course qualify to teach across the primary age range (5-11)
Programme code 2TXN
This is a school-based PGCE course designed for those wishing to specialise in the Early Years which spans nursery/pre-school, reception and Key Stage 1. Trainees are immersed in the Early Years with a placement in EYFS and another in KS1. Trainees have specific off-site training that is focused on the Foundation Stage, however to complement this, there is an enhanced programme of study where the trainees train alongside the 5-11 cohort covering the general professional studies programme (GPS) and the curriculum across Key Stages one and two. As such, all those training on the Primary (3-7) course qualify to teach across the primary age range (5-11)
Primary (5-11)
Primary (5-11) School Direct PGCE Programme
Programme code 2BKV
This is a school-based PGCE course designed for those wishing to teach across the Primary age range. Trainees are immersed in either Key Stage One or Key Stage Two in their main placement and have specific off-site training that is focused on Key Stage One & Key Stage Two. However, to complement this there is an enhanced programme of study where the trainees train alongside the 3-7 cohort covering the general professional studies programme (GPS) and elements of the Foundation Stage curriculum
Programme code 2BKV
This is a school-based PGCE course designed for those wishing to teach across the Primary age range. Trainees are immersed in either Key Stage One or Key Stage Two in their main placement and have specific off-site training that is focused on Key Stage One & Key Stage Two. However, to complement this there is an enhanced programme of study where the trainees train alongside the 3-7 cohort covering the general professional studies programme (GPS) and elements of the Foundation Stage curriculum
The entire team at Exeter Consortium are absolutely incredible. They did everything possible to ensure that we were all prepared for our first placement and have not stopped supporting us since. The structure of the course is wonderful. It allows us to gain as much in school experience as possible whilst providing us with plenty of time to work on assignments and continue our social lives! I could not recommend training with Exeter Consortium enough.
TRAINEE, 2020/21 COHORT
Do you have an interest in Special Needs?
At Exeter Consortium, we are committed to providing the best possible foundation for your career in teaching and have worked with headteachers and senior leaders from our partner schools across the city to create the programmes.
We prioritise the provision of SEND and inclusion training early in the training year for both our primary routes. When planning the programme, it was considered essential for trainees to have this understanding underpinning all their future training and development. We recognise that all schools have a duty to provide excellent provision for all children and that outstanding primary teachers, regardless of their setting, have an excellent understanding of SEND and how to support all children in their classes. Therefore it was felt important to embed SEND into all our programmes, rather than to see it as a separate route.
In addition to this, we have many partner schools with a large proportion of SEND within their school and can offer these schools as a placement if SEND is a special area of interest. Some of these schools have a SEND hub or other specialist provision. We also offer enrichment experiences at the hospital school and other specialist settings across Exeter.
Furthermore, we have a school based task which focuses solely on SEND as well as a PGCE assignment which is focused on SEND and inclusion.
We prioritise the provision of SEND and inclusion training early in the training year for both our primary routes. When planning the programme, it was considered essential for trainees to have this understanding underpinning all their future training and development. We recognise that all schools have a duty to provide excellent provision for all children and that outstanding primary teachers, regardless of their setting, have an excellent understanding of SEND and how to support all children in their classes. Therefore it was felt important to embed SEND into all our programmes, rather than to see it as a separate route.
In addition to this, we have many partner schools with a large proportion of SEND within their school and can offer these schools as a placement if SEND is a special area of interest. Some of these schools have a SEND hub or other specialist provision. We also offer enrichment experiences at the hospital school and other specialist settings across Exeter.
Furthermore, we have a school based task which focuses solely on SEND as well as a PGCE assignment which is focused on SEND and inclusion.
How is School Direct different?
For primary trainees, the training begins in your 'Home School' where you will be based for most of the time - and here you will develop an understanding of how schools are organised and some of the challenges they face from the start of the year. You will spend much more time in school than other trainees on conventional PGCE programmes. Secondary trainees can choose from courses in subjects offered through partnerships with South West Teacher Training (SWTT). We work in partnership with SWTT, a School Centred Initial Teacher Training Provider to deliver our School Direct Initial Teacher Training and our programmes are structured in the same way as their SCITT programmes. You can read our very recent Ofsted report here, which was carried out under the rigorous new Ofsted framework, introduced in September 2020.
Our aim is to select, train and recruit outstanding individuals who want to become part of the next generation of excellent practitioners for Exeter’s schools. We have excellent employment rates with most of our trainees going on to find employment in our local schools.
We want to provide our local schools with exceptional new teachers, trained in our own schools with a clear understanding of the nature and character of the challenges they face, prepared and equipped to further raise standards of achievement for all of the city’s children!
What are the specific benefits to you?
- More time is spent in school You’ll work across the system and develop a really good understanding of how these complicated organisations actually work!
- Placements will be in local schools and carefully chosen to suit your particular individual needs and circumstances. We know our schools really well!
- Learn from leading current practitioners, most of whom are teachers and leaders from our partner schools who are specialists in their field. Get to know key people and their schools across the region before applying for jobs.
- Be well placed to fill the vacancies which arise in our schools: a significant percentage of our trainees are much sought after and secure jobs in Exeter before finishing the programme!
- Be part of a partnership which is known for being friendly and responsive.
- Regular opportunities to engage with the very successful CPD programme provided by Exeter Consortium and our Teaching Hub SWiFT for its schools and teachers
- Access to a range of different schools where excellent practitioners will be available to work alongside
- Opportunity to join Exeter Supply Partnership, our own teacher supply service focused on developing, nurturing and retaining the best teaching talent for all of our schools and actively promoting education excellence. Our pool of supply teachers is highly regarded by member schools and many use it to recruit new teachers on full or part time contracts.
