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School Based Teacher Training
Training to teach with on the School-based route into Initial Teacher Education
Start Date: September 2025
As part of the Advanced Partnership, working in conjunction with a number of local schools and the University of Hertfordshire, Watford Grammar School for Boys offers a school-based route into teacher training.
Ever thought about Teaching?
Are you...
Passionate about your subject?
Seeking a rewarding career?
Qualified to degree level? (Degree needs to be in a relevant subject, 2:2 or above)
Looking for a new challenge?
We are seeking to appoint well-qualified applicants to train as teachers through school-based routes (salaried (non PGCE) or unsalaried (PGCE)) for the academic year 2025-26.
Places are offered in a range of subjects but we are particularly interested in: Mathematics, PE, Physics, Design Technology, English and Computer Science. Working in partnership with the University of Hertfordshire, we are a wonderful place to train, work and learn and we offer a high quality and comprehensive training programme.
Watford Grammar School for Boys has a proven track record in providing a stimulating and supportive environment for teacher training and we are passionate about the training and development of new staff; we believe that it takes a whole school to train a teacher and nurture their development.
The initial application can be made to Watford Grammar School for Girls as the Lead School, or to Watford Grammar School for Boys directly.
Application is made through Department for Education from October 2024. Early expressions of interest can also be made directly to schools in the consortium.
For any further information and an application form to apply to Watford Grammar School for Boys, please contact Catherine Netscher, Professional Lead for school-based routes at Watford Grammar School for Boys in the first instance:
Email Catherine Netscher
For more information from the University of Hertfordshire please follow the link below:
University of Hertfordshire School-based Training Information
For more information about the partnership, please see link below:
Advanced Partnership
Why train on the school based route with the Advanced Partnership?
Watford Grammar School for Girls is the lead school of a group of schools in Hertfordshire and North London, known as the Advanced Partnership, who have worked very closely over many years to train teachers via the School-based route.
We have developed a clear and distinctive ethos.
Initial enquiries can be made to Director of Teaching & Learning, Kevin Coetzee: k.coetzee@watfordgirls.herts.sch.uk or via any of the schools in the group. We very much welcome enquiries prior to application and aim to offer a bespoke service of consultation.
The Schools in our partnership are wonderful places to train, work and learn. Working in Partnership with 7 Schools in South West Hertfordshire and North London we offer training in a diverse range of schools including a number of schools listed in the top 100 best achieving state schools in the country.
We can also offer experiences in single sex, mixed, selective and community schools. As a consortium we have worked together for many years and have trained well over 100 teachers in partnership with Hertfordshire University.
Our schools are passionate about training and development of new staff; we believe that it takes a whole school to train a teacher and nurture their development.
All the schools in the consortium have substantial numbers of former trainees working in their schools, some of whom are now in middle and senior leadership roles. Whilst employment in the training school cannot be guaranteed, we have an excellent record of our trainees finding employment in a post which suits them.
We pride ourselves that our teachers are inspiring, enthusiastic and experts in their field and as such are excellent role models and mentors for our trainees.
Our training is based on supporting trainees to develop their academic subject knowledge as well as their understanding of pedagogy in a supportive atmosphere tailoring experiences to the needs and prior experience of the individual. All trainees are viewed as individuals and placement school, courses of study, choice of mentor and speed of progression is all devised with individual needs in mind.
What do we offer?
PGCE Secondary
This route leads to the PGCE qualification which comprises 60 Masters’ level credits and Qualified Teacher Status.
A wide range of subjects are offered.
Students are appointed as supernumerary (an additional member staff to the class teacher) and must not be in receipt of a salary from the training school.
Students will be registered as full-time students of the University of Hertfordshire.
Students will train to teach in the secondary age phase and will train within a designated age-range: either 11-16; or 14-19 depending on subject specialism
This route is recognised as ‘supervised teaching practice’ in many international countries.
Students pay course fees, currently £9250.
All students following the PGCE route must undertake a consecutive 6-week Second School Teaching Experience (SSTE).
The opportunity to observe lessons before application.
Several of the schools offer the opportunity to work as an LSA or Cover Supervisor ahead of application.
You will be based at school for 4 days a week and spend one day of the week at university.
You will be introduced to the principles and theories of secondary teaching through both subject studies and a developing professional practice course. Tutor led sessions at university which will include lectures, seminars and workshops and where active participation is encouraged.
In School trainees are supported by both a subject (teacher) mentor and a professional lead mentor with weekly meetings to support the individual needs of the trainee. There are a wide range of opportunities for observation, training, and complementary experiences within our consortium.
For information on aspects of the masters credits please consult the University of Hertfordshire website.
You could be eligible for a bursary (limited to certain subjects)
A smaller range of employment based training posts may also be offered leading to QTS.
Course requirements
Honours degree (2.2 or higher), awarded by a UK university or an overseas award recognised as equivalent by UK ENIC. We require the degree to have a minimum 50% content of the subject in which the applicant is applying.
GCSE English (or equivalent) at Grade 4 or above (Grade C or above under the old grading structure). GCSE Mathematics (or equivalent) Grade 4 or above (Grade C or above under the old grading structure).
Applicants from non-majority English speaking countries may require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS Academic score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band. This must be no more than two years old at the point of application. Please note: an applicant does not require an IELTS Academic Test if they have GCSE English language at grade 4 or above – or when ENIC specifically indicate their English Language qualification is comparable (i.e. with English studied as a first language)
International qualifications GCSE equivalent qualifications achieved overseas must be recognised as comparable to grades 4/C or above by UK ENIC.
How to apply
All postgraduate applications for Initial Teacher Education courses are managed through DfE Apply.
Find postgraduate teacher training courses (DfE “Find”) Open from 1st October 2024.
A service (for prospective student teachers) to find postgraduate teaching courses in England if applicants want to teach in a state school.
https://www.gov.uk/find-postgraduate-teacher-training-courses
Apply for teacher training (DfE “Apply”) Open from 8th October 2024.
A service (for prospective student teachers) to apply for a postgraduate teacher training course to teach in a state school.