Secondary
At IFT we passionately believe that the best place for trainee teachers to learn how to become excellent classroom practitioners is in a school. On all our programmes you will be placed in a school from day one and will be fully immersed in the school community. This approach to training allows you to put theory into practice on a daily basis and to benefit from the expertise and support of expert current practitioners to support your development.
At Secondary level the vast majority of our programmes are focused on teaching students aged 11-16 which covers KS3 and 4 but we do have a very limited number of places available which focus on the 14-19 age range - these are only in subjects not taught at KS3 such as Business Studies and Psychology and are subject to school placement availability. You will find the courses available in your local area on each of the hub pages. It is worth noting that the age range in which you train does not limit your teaching career moving forward, once you have been awarded QTS you are qualified to teach in any Key Stage.
Secondary Fee Funded route
This course provides school-led training which offers you a gradual introduction to teaching with extensive opportunities for lesson observation and co-teaching, as you begin to develop your teaching expertise.
On a fee-funded programme you will not be expected to teach from day 1 and you will have a qualified teacher in the classroom with you for the duration of the training programme to offer support and feedback to aid your development.
You will gradually build your teaching timetable across the three terms. This starts with a carefully planned programme of observations with expert guidance to support you to break down what you are observing, this will enable you to see the techniques and strategies that are behind a successful lesson.
You will then start to plan and deliver parts of lessons, co-teaching in partnership with expert practitioners. By Christmas, you can expect to be teaching around 4-6 lessons a week, this increases to around 10 lessons a week by Easter and by the end of the programme you will be teaching a 4-day timetable and will be more than ready to take on an Early Career Qualified Teacher position.
"School-based training has been great as you are on the job from day 1 and are immersed in the school environment from the get-go. I learnt SO much from mentors and colleagues from so early on, and so when I started teaching, I already felt comfortable being in the classroom. Having so many supportive colleagues around from the beginning also makes such a difference and really makes you feel part of the team".
Bohunt Education Trust School Direct Trainee
Secondary Salaried Route
Places on the Salaried route are limited and are not offered in all our partnership schools. Generally speaking they tend to be offered in shortage subject areas, for more information about salaried training places in your local area please visit our hub pages.
This is an employment-based route open to high quality graduates, typically with a minimum of 1 year of experience within the education system supported by references. You will be employed by a school as an unqualified teacher whilst you complete your training programme.
As a Salaried employee, you could be expected to plan and teach up to 80% of a 4-day Early Career Teacher's timetable (around 16 lessons per week). You will still benefit from a wide network of support and will be regularly observed by your mentor to ensure you are receiving high quality feedback to aid your development. However, this route is not right for everyone and your local hubs will require you to demonstrate specific attributes to be considered.
Information about salaries can be found on our fees and finance page, it is worth mentioning that trainees on a salaried programme are not eligible for bursaries, scholarships or student finance.