GRADUATE TEACHER PROGRAMME

MAKING AN APPLICATION

The number of places available to LoNoCo for Graduate Teachers for the academic year 2011/12 will be advertised here, once allocations for providers are announced by the TDA.   We intend to allocate all our places for September 2011 and for January 2012, following interviews in February and March 2011.

The TDA is currently developing a standard application form for all entrants to GTP which is likely to become available, some time in September 2010.  We expect to be able to take applications for GTP to start in September 2011, once this form becomes available through the TDA website.

If your application meets initial LoNoCo criteria for selection, you will be asked to supply further information about your background and experience and your sponsoring school, as well as  evidence of your qualifications, by providing original certificates.

LoNoCo will continue to accept applications only from candidates who are sponsored by state schools in the Consortium’s geographical area.  We are unable to support those intending to work in schools outside the North London area and unable to consider applicants, who do not have a school that is willing to employ them as a Graduate Teacher.

Interviews will take place from February 2011 and places will be offered to candidates who meet the selection criteria.  At the time of writing, the number of available places and the funding for GTP for 2011/12 is not known.

The current application status for these places is set out in the following information.  This page will be updated when application status changes occur. Please ensure that you read the information for your phase and/or subject.

Primary Applications:
We are closed for applications for September 2010 and January 2011.

Secondary Applications in Priority* Subjects:
We are closed for applications for September 2010 and January 2011.

Secondary Applications in Non Priority Subjects:
We are closed for applications for September 2010 and January 2011.

Application Procedure – September 2011 and January 2012
(Subject to change, pending the introduction of TDA’s application process)

• We will continue to accept applications while places remain. When the number of applications for any subject or phase exceeds the number of interview places available, we will close for applications in that subject or phase. Closing dates will therefore be advertised with very little notice.
• You are strongly advised to submit your application at the earliest point, as demand for places is high. Depending on level of demand, we may be open to receive applications for a short time only.
• A new form is prepared for each new round of applications, to take account of changes to procedures and new regulations. Any submission made on an old version of the GTP application form will not be processed and will be returned to the candidate.
• All applicants are required to register for the new version of the GTP application form, which will only be valid for the current application round. The application form for 2011/12 will be available once the TDA application process has been confirmed.
• Any GTP application submitted to the Consortium before the application process has begun will not be processed and will be returned to the candidate.
• Incomplete applications will be returned to the candidate, with details of the missing items. Complete applications can be resubmitted, while we are still open to receive applications.
• Interviews will be held throughout the spring term for those who have submitted a complete application and places will be allocated to suitable applicants when all interviews have taken place.
  In order to take account of those who turn down the offer of a place and those who do not meet the required standard at interview, the number of candidates interviewed is likely to exceed the number of places available. Some of those candidates who attend a Consortium interview may therefore be offered a place on a waiting list.
• It is your responsibility to check this website regularly for updates, as any changes to the programme, procedures and application status will be posted here.
• Lonoco accepts GCSE equivalency certificates from a limited number of testing agencies.  Please see our GCSE Equivalents section for details.
• In the interests of equality, all applications are subject to the same processes and constraints.
• Please also refer to the General Notes on Making an Application.

 

THE SCHOOL AND THE GRADUATE TEACHER PROGRAMME

The Graduate Teacher Programme is an employment based route to Qualified Teacher Status. It depends on schools to provide placements for serving members of its support staff, or for mature people who want to change career. By offering training through this programme the school will bring into teaching people who might otherwise never become teachers.

All candidates are interviewed prior to acceptance on the GTP. The LoNoCo interview tests literacy, numeracy, the ability to communicate in standard English (which are all statutory requirements) as well as the ability to demonstrate their teaching skills, by making a presentation to a group. Headteachers must ensure that their candidates are properly prepared for interview and encouraged to declare any disability which may affect their performance. If we receive evidence of disability in advance of the interview, (a doctor’s letter, a pre-employment assessment, a dyslexia assessment, etc) LoNoCo will consider appropriate adjustments to the interview and the programme.

What sort of experience should a Graduate Teacher get?

In the primary sector, a novice should aim for 20% whole class teaching in term one, 50% in term 2, 80% in term 3. In secondary, novice GTs should start with 50% of contact time, rising to 80%. More experienced practitioners should progress to 80% more quickly. GTs should not be used for cover, deployed as support assistants, or used as supply teachers.

GTs are required to attend centrally provided training sessions.  Groups of up to forty GTs from across the Consortium area meet on alternate Thursdays throughout the school year and training sessions take place between 09.00 and 16.30.  (Venues and timetables will be communicated to GTs before the programme commences.)

All trainees must provide evidence of meeting the standards in at least two different “settings”. A school employing a GT will be required to offer a placement to another GT, training in the same phase or subject. Second Setting schools must provide a planned training experience for the GT. If the GT has evidence that they have taught successfully in another school, in early years or in F.E., etc, it is allowable as evidence for a second setting. The Consortium requires a second setting of at least three weeks in duration. GTs must teach and collect evidence of achievement of the QTS standards in a second setting, which may be a block placement, or a number of day visits, over a period of time.

All GTs must gain experience across the age and ability range in which they wish to qualify. Qualification must take place in at least two consecutive age ranges. The Consortium offers the following age ranges for qualification: 3 to 7, 5 to 9, 7 to 11, 11 to 16, or 14 to 19. Secondary GTs would typically qualify by teaching a range of classes in KS 3 & 4, or KS 4 & 5. Primary GTs may qualify in Foundation and KS1 or in KS2. Primary teachers can be based mainly with one year group, but must provide evidence of teaching across the age ranges. This may involve using a period of time, each week to teach in different year groups, or using a block of time to gain experience.

20% to 30% of contact time must be spent in the second age range. It is possible for a GT to qualify in more than two age ranges. However, they must provide the same quality and quantity of evidence, for the extra age ranges and the school must provide the extra training and development opportunities which will be required.

Trainees must also gain “out of phase” experience – for example, a secondary trainee visiting a primary school, in order to satisfy the requirement that they are aware of expectations, typical curricula and teaching arrangements in the Key Stages or phases before and after the ones they are trained to teach. GTs must not be employed to take over a teacher’s timetable – they are entitled to planned training to support their development as professionals. GTs need time during the course of the school week, in order to meet the requirements of the programme and they will be unavailable to work in their employing school for at least forty days, during the school year.

What is the school’s involvement?

The school is responsible for employing the trainee, providing a training placement and managing the salary grant of at least £14,200 per annum.

The grant is a contribution to the salary of the trainee, who must be paid according to the teachers’ pay and conditions document as either an unqualified or a qualified teacher.

The funding is paid directly into the school’s bank account via BACS, on a termly basis. The full salary grant is paid for a Graduate Teacher on a full time contract on at least the minimum point of the unqualified teachers· pay scale. If the trainee is undertaking a one or two term programme, the salary grant is paid pro-rata.

The Consortium does not usually consider part time applications. However, a trainee who is being paid on a part time basis will attract a salary grant in proportion to their salary. (For example, a 0.8 contract will receive 80% of the salary grant.)

The salary grant is payable for trainees who are supernumerary. Although a GT may have been originally employed to fill a vacancy, he/she must be given appropriate training opportunities and released from teaching responsibilities in order to complete the requirements of the programme. The school must appoint a mentor – an experienced teacher, who is responsible for organising the training opportunities for the GT, in the school. Mentors should meet weekly with trainees to discuss progress, set targets, or observe and provide feed back. Written records of mentor meetings must be kept. The mentor must also complete end of term and end of programme reports, which are returned to the Consortium for monitoring purposes. The Consortium pays £300 per term, to facilitate mentor release, following satisfactory completion of these mentoring tasks.

What are the benefits to the school?

The school will extend its role as a learning organisation, by using the expertise within the school to develop the potential of the trainee. The school may wish to establish or develop links with Initial Teacher Training Partnerships, which may strengthen other areas of professional development.

When appointing a Graduate Teacher, many schools make a temporary appointment for up to twelve months. If the appointment is made prior to the Consortium interview, the offer should be conditional on success in that interview. At the end of the training period, the GT expects to join the jobs market as an NQT. The majority of GTs remain at the school in which they have trained, as the school has developed an effective teacher, who understands the process, structures and systems in the school and is known to pupils, parents and staff. By forward planning, a school can start to address potential staffing problems before they occur.

Where can the school find a Graduate Teacher?

Most Graduate Teachers are already known to the school where they have been accepted as a potential trainee. They may have worked there as a support assistant, learning mentor or technician, or have been involved in voluntary work at the school. When a potential trainee is new to the school, asking them to work in a support role for a short time (for example, two weeks of their holiday entitlement) will enable the head teacher and the staff to make an assessment of the individual’s abilities and potential.

Points to consider

• Secondary graduate teachers must have a degree in the subject they wish to teach.
• Schools in special measures can not be considered as lead schools and can not receive a salary grant.
• Applications for part time places will be considered after those for full time places.
• Candidates who have previously withdrawn from an Initial Teacher Training course must be able to provide written confirmation of extenuating circumstances from the original Initial Teacher Training provider.
• It is not possible to train as a teacher in a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). Any applicant working in a PRU must be seconded to a mainstream state school, in order to meet TDA regulations.
• Special schools cannot usually offer the range of experience required by the QTS standards. Any applicant working in special education must have access to a placement in a mainstream state school, which will comprise at least sixty per cent of their training experience.
• The process is competitive, and places are limited.

How should the school select a Graduate Teacher?

The head teacher’s recommendation is an important part of the selection process. Head teachers should therefore make an informed decision, based on interview and an assessment of the candidate’s potential as a teacher. The GTP is an employment based route, so the school must carry out all normal procedures (interviews, CRB Enhanced Disclosure and Fitness to Teach (FtT) checks etc.) before making an appointment. Once a potential trainee is recommended, the Consortium checks qualifications and collects necessary information from the school and the individual, before inviting the candidate to an interview, which assesses suitability for Teacher Training.

 

POTENTIAL TRAINEES AND THE GRADUATE TEACHER PROGRAMME

The programme offers you a way to qualify as a teacher while you work. You can follow an individual training programme leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). With QTS, you can work as a qualified teacher in any maintained school in England. The programme suits people who want to change to a teaching career and need to continue earning their living while they train. Everyone’s programme can be tailored to suit their individual needs.

Do I have the right qualifications?

• You must be a mature graduate.
• You must already hold a bachelor degree relevant to the subject or phase (primary, secondary etc.) you want to teach.
• You must also hold GCSE grade C, or equivalent, in Mathematics and English. All primary applicants must also hold grade C, or equivalent in a science subject.
• Your previous education must provide a sound foundation for work as a teacher in the phase and subjects you want to teach.
• If you have other qualifications that provide the necessary subject knowledge for teaching, and if the universities in the partnership would accept you for a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE), you will be eligible for the programme.

GCSE equivalence and USA High School Diploma and Transcripts

Please refer to the section on GCSE equivalents for guidance on acceptance of this qualification.

What if I don’t have or can’t find my GCSEs?

Please refer to the section on GCSE equivalents for guidance on accepted GCSE equivalents and further information on GCSE Equivalency Tests.

What if my degree is not in the subject I want to teach?

All those applying for a place on the secondary programme must be able to demonstrate “Subject knowledge to the equivalent of degree level” in the single subject in which they wish to qualify.  Consortium policy is to look for relevant subject knowledge in at least 50% of your bachelor’s degree content.  Where this is not the case, we may require the candidate to take a subject audit – an interview with a subject expert – who will report to the Consortium on the candidate’s level of subject knowledge.  The subject audit costs £300 and is usually paid for by the employing school.

I have a Disability. Will this stop me getting onto the programme?

Please refer to Equality of Opportunity for further information.

Do I need to carry out CRB and FtT checks and register with ISA?

Further information on the requirements for the GTP can be found on the section CRB Enhanced Disclosure and Fitness to Teach (FtT) checks, including updates on ISA registration.

How long does the training take?

The programme will normally take a full school year (of three school terms) for new teachers. Those who want to qualify in a shorter period must show substantial evidence against the majority of the QTS standards when they apply for the scheme. It is possible to qualify in 1 or 2 terms, depending on experience and evidence of achievement.

How much will I be paid?

The school is responsible for paying your salary while you train. Regulations state that you must be paid using Teachers· pay and conditions, using either qualified or unqualified teachers· pay scales. The Training and Development Agency for Schools pays a Salary Grant to state schools, which is a contribution to the salary of the Graduate Teacher. A Training Grant of £4,000 is paid to the Consortium for training, resources and teacher release.

The Salary Grant now includes a London Weighting in order to take into account the TDA requirement for a minimum 60 days planned training for each Graduate Teacher. For Graduate Teachers commencing in September 2010 and January 2011 the Salary Grant for a three term programme for a supernumerary trainee is shown in the table below. Amounts depend upon the location of the employing school and the teaching subject.

Location of school	Secondary Physics  Secondary Chemistry	Primary Other secondary subjects
Inner London	£18,000	£17,000
Outer London	£17,000	£16,000
Fringe Areas	£15,400	£14,400
Other Areas	£14,500	£13,500

* ’Inner London’ includes LB Brent, Camden, Haringey and Islington.

Salary Grant- Points to Consider

• The salary grant is a contribution to the salary of the employee.
• GTs must be paid on at least the lowest point of the unqualified teachers’ pay scale.
• There is a cost to the school as the salary grant for a full time trainee is less than the full time salary, even before on-costs are taken into account.
• Paying a full time GT less than the full time amount on the lowest point of the unqualified teachers’ pay scale is not a legitimate use of the government grant.

What sort of people become Graduate Teachers?

The majority of Graduate Teachers are mature people who can not afford to take a full-time college course. Most are already known to the school where they have been accepted as a potential trainee. They may have worked there as a support assistant, learning mentor or technician, or have been involved in voluntary work at the school.

Will the Consortium find me a job?

No. The Consortium acts on recommendations from schools in the North London area. We can not issue forms from this website until you have a school willing to sponsor your application.

Sometimes a partner school will advertise a training position on this website. The site is used to advertise GTP training opportunities and to advertise posts for Newly Qualified Teachers, who have just completed the GTP. Please ensure that you are eligible for the advertised post, before making an enquiry. The site may be empty, if no school is currently advertising a position. The advertising site can be accessed via the Adverts page. Please note that all adverts are posted by school staff and all inquiries about the adverts should be addressed to the school.

You should also refer to the information on Visas and Work Permits.

How do I find a school?

In order to see a list of schools in your area, visit the Ofsted website. Ofsted inspection reports are a useful indicator of the effectiveness of a school. However, the reports may be up to five years old and the nature of the school may have changed considerably in that time.

The website for each Local Authority also has lists of schools in their area. Links to our partner Local Authorities can be found on our links section.

Alternatively, visit the advertising site which can be accessed via the Adverts page. Read the terms and conditions carefully before continuing. Schools may post adverts for potential GRTs here. If you are unable to view any postings, it means that there are no offers currently available.

The TDA publish a list of schools on their website. The list is incomplete, as some headteachers have exercised their right to remove their school’s details from the site.  The remaining schools are those that have employed a graduate, registered or overseas trained teacher, trained by London North Consortium at some point since 2001.  The fact that these schools appear on the list is not a guarantee that they will offer employment to potential trainees or that their employees will be offered training places with this organisation in the future.

Please note that in order to be eligible to employ a GT, all schools must satisfy the following criteria. They must:

• be a state school in one of the local education authorities in the Consortium area.
• be offering at least a satisfactory standard of education, according to Ofsted inspection reports. (Schools that currently require special measures, or have serious weaknesses, as defined in the latest inspection report may not be eligible for the programme).
• be able to offer whole class experience across two Age Ranges.  The Foundation Stage (age 3 to 5) and Key Stage 5 (age 16 to 19) are defined as Age Ranges for this purpose.

Head teachers will not normally consider an inquiry or an application from an unqualified person who wants to become a teacher in their school, unless they have been able to assess your potential. The majority of Graduate Teachers are known to the school and have worked there in a non-teaching role, such as volunteer, support assistant or learning mentor.

SELECTION – GRADUATE TEACHERS

The Consortium operates in the geographical area defined by its partners, in other words, the London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest.

All candidates must satisfy the minimum requirements, as set out by the TDA:

• They must be a mature graduate.
• They must have GCSE, or equivalent, in English, Mathematics and, if working in the primary phase, Science.
• They must possess a first, or bachelor’s degree · B.A., B.Sc. etc
• They must be employed by the school in which they wish to qualify.
• They must be able to communicate in Standard English.

Categories for selection, as defined by the TDA:

• Quality applications in secondary priority subjects.
• Quality applications in the primary phase.
• Quality applications in secondary non-priority subjects.

With regard to the candidate, the Consortium will take into account:

• Relevant career and teaching experience, quality and relevance of qualifications, previous record in initial teacher training.
• In order to join the Graduate Teacher Programme you must be a graduate, with a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university.
• Please note that candidates must demonstrate relevant experience in a school setting, before an application can be considered.

With regard to the school, the Consortium will take into account:

• The previous record of the school in working with the Consortium and training teachers, the availability of trained and experienced mentors, and the likely quality of the training environment. The school’s latest Ofsted report will be used to inform this part of the selection process.
• Suitable applicants from schools within the partnership area will be considered first. If places remain after this we may consider applications from schools in surrounding areas. This includes schools and candidates previously in partnership with the Urban Learning Foundation and the University of Gloucestershire.
• The school, as employer, will undertake checks about fitness to become a teacher and request clearance for each candidate from the Criminal Records Bureau.

Other points for consideration:

• Schools in special measures can not be considered as lead schools and can not receive a salary grant.
• Applications for part time places will be considered after those for full time places.
• Candidates who have previously withdrawn from an Initial Teacher Training course must be able to provide confirmation of extenuating circumstances from the original ITT provider.
• Time spent in school: There is no minimum requirement for potential Graduate Teachers in terms of the amount of experience they have gained as an adult in a school setting. Priority in selection will be given to those with substantial, recent, relevant experience.
• Candidates must attend group interviews with the Consortium as part of the application process. This interview requires high standards of communication, presentation, literacy and numeracy. Attendance at the interview is not a guarantee of a place on the programme.
• Those who wish to withdraw from another ITT course to join the Graduate Teacher Programme will not normally be considered. Potential candidates who have applied for places with other Graduate Teacher Training organisations or for a PGCE place while also making an application to the Consortium, will be considered after other places have been allocated.

In addition to the above criteria, a potential Graduate Teacher is likely to be interviewed by the school, to ascertain his/her suitability as an employee.

No offer of a place on the programme is made in advance of completion of this process.