The training I received from the Oxfordshire Teacher Training, School Centred Initial Teacher Training (OTT SCITT) was second to none. I completely understand that when looking for places to complete your teacher training it is about the quality of the provision, but training through the OTT SCITT provides you with so much more. You have guidance through the whole process by an experienced and supportive team; your opinions, ideas and backgrounds are valued; you are in a school almost from day one and treated as an equal member of staff and the assessment process is clear. I finished my training year not only with a teaching qualification, but also, with friends for life. You work so closely with both staff and peers that you become a family on the journey together and I feel this is an environment conducive to success. I learnt not only how to teach but also the theory around my practice and how to be self-reflective allowing me continual improvement, well beyond the end of the course.
I was lucky enough to have a job offer from my placement school. I see this as one of the main advantages that puts the school direct route above other teacher training pathways. I was on a year-long interview where my school was able to see me teach, interact with staff and pupils, improve and respond to feedback as well as taking on extra responsibilities. This puts you at a huge advantage against other NQTs who are interviewing alongside you. When the time came for my teaching job interview, I was a Form Tutor, Head of House and Deputy Lead of Duke of Edinburgh. This trust was given to me because I was able to demonstrate all the values they were looking for whilst working at the school. The skills I learnt doing these roles were invaluable.
The staff at the OTT SCITT are a family – they continue to support you throughout your NQT year and beyond. I am now in my NQT+1 year and am still in contact with members of the team as well as many people that I trained alongside.
I now work at an all-girls academy in Oxford teaching music and have a middle leadership role as Head of Year 8, monitoring the behaviour, safeguarding and attendance of 300 girls. This is a job that I would never have imagined I would be doing in my second year of teaching. This sums up the impressive reputation the OTT SCITT has and how highly regarded it is as a training programme and institution. Not only this, but the programme gave me the skills, knowledge and confidence to successfully apply for the job.
I loved every minute of my training with the OTT SCITT and this is something I am incredibly proud to be associated with.