Welcome to our SCITT website, we hope that the information here is helpful to you as you start to consider joining our fantastic profession. As a SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training provider) we are accredited by the Department for Education to train teachers who can teach in primary, nursery and special schools and across all secondary subjects.
When we started the SCITT in 2013 we had no idea how much our organisation would grow and develop and we are incredibly proud of that fact that we have now trained hundreds of brilliant teachers and school leaders who are working across our region and making a difference every day to the children and young people in the communities where they are based.
What we did know in 2013 was that we wanted to develop new ways of preparing people to be great teachers. We wanted to move the focus away from the lecture theatre and instead draw on the enormous wealth of expertise and knowledge that exists within the school system. Our courses are therefore designed and led by practising teachers and school leaders – people who walk the walk as well as talk the talk. What better way to prepare for a career in teaching, than from people who are still regularly in the classroom themselves? We are incredibly proud to be school-centred and, like the fantastic partnership schools that we work with, we are constantly innovating and improving.
“Innovations come about as part of leaders’ tireless passion and deep commitment to training teachers as the lifeline of the wider sector. This provider is at the cutting edge of this work.” Ofsted Inspection Report
As someone who started their career as a teacher in the 1990s and has had experience as a senior leader in both primary and secondary settings, I have seen many changes in the education sector. What remains absolutely central is the vital role that teachers have in the lives of the children and young people that they work with, and in society more generally. Our courses are therefore built around a carefully designed integrated curriculum which inspires, supports and motivates our Associate Teachers (the name we use for trainees) to ensure that when you train with us, you are fully equipped to carry out this most important of roles. The richness of this integrated curriculum has a strong research base and has subject expertise as a central feature, alongside essential skills like behaviour management, lesson design, assessment and workload management.
“Leaders’ longstanding and ongoing collaboration with partners to create and deliver a highly integrated curriculum has been a resounding success. Whether full time or part time, trainees benefit from a truly exceptional training programme at all levels… The programme’s clear focus is not limited to trainees achieving QTS, but that they should be well positioned for long and illustrious careers.” Ofsted Inspection Report
Your journey with OTT SCITT starts as soon as you make contact with us, we run regular events, workshops and school experience days, and we would be delighted to see you at an event with us soon. And the journey doesn’t conclude when you complete your ITT course, we work closely with our local Teaching School Hubs to provide you with strong first steps into your teaching career as an Early Career Teacher (ECT), and we are committed to ensuring that you are well prepared and supported to be a effective and fulfilled professional.
The partnership schools in our diverse network are incredibly keen to work with us and offer placements. This means that we can ensure that the exceptional training is matched by the quality of support and mentoring that you will receive in your placement schools. These are selected very carefully to make sure that they are accessible and highly supportive.
We have exceptionally high completion, employment and satisfaction rates and wellbeing is one of our core areas. All our courses lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) – the professional qualification for being a teacher in this country and have the option of a master’s level Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). We have a wide range of full-time and part-time courses in a variety of primary course options and secondary course options, which are all delivered by our fantastic team across our seven Hub locations in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire.
I am incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional team of colleagues who bring a wealth of expertise and an array of invaluable skills that sustain the incredible network of support for each Associate Teacher who trains with us and we are all looking forward to meeting you!
Mr Patrick Garton
OTT SCITT Director
The OTT SCITT programme is very well-structured with support from both the central team and school mentors. I highly recommend it to future trainee teachers who want to take up the challenge of getting immersed in a school environment from the first day of the programme!
I really appreciated the design of the programme meaning we were in placement schools from the beginning of September, including INSET, days. This really gave us the chance to feel a bit more settled when students arrived. I also think that starting to teach classes from the 3rd week has been really beneficial- there was less time to overthink it and more time to actually get in there and practise it! My subject specialists clearly knew what was covered in the central sessions, and designed subject sessions to further my knowledge, in each area, as it related to RE. The only thing I didn’t like about my first placement was having to leave!
The art session that this picture was taken from spent time looking at all the different ways children can explore their artistic imagination! I really enjoy the colaboration and creativity that these sessions allow. I’ve made some good friendships thanks to the course and these Subject Specialist Sessions are the main reason for it!
Embarking on the part-time route into teaching has been transformative for me. The well-structured course, with its thoughtful scheduling and two placements, allowed me to seamlessly integrate my training with my existing commitments. The relationships formed during training days, alongside both part-time and full-time Associate Teachers, have been invaluable. I wholeheartedly recommend this option to anyone seeking a career in teaching who may, for whatever reason, feel the part-time option is better suited to them.
The part-time route into teaching was an unforgettable experience. I enjoyed every aspect of it, learning all about teaching strategies such as behaviour and planning. I also really appreciate how well thought through the placements are. It was amazing.
The part-time route was the only viable option for me with very young children. Training part-time allowed me to balance both home and my teaching journey, preparing me well for a fulfilling career in education. I would not have gone into teaching at this time in my life had it not been for the part time programme – I am incredibly grateful. I am now beginning my career as a part-time teacher in one of my placement schools.
OTT SCITT is the Initial Teacher Training arm of The Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance (OTSA). OTSA is one of the biggest and most successful teaching school networks in the country and so as someone who has started their career within OTSA, you will also be part of that network from day one and supported as you move through each stage. Schools in our partnership are incredibly keen on recruiting our Associate Teachers and so the vast majority of people who train with us gain employment locally in an OTSA school.
OTT SCITT is part of the River Learning Trust (RLT). The River Learning Trust is a multi-academy trust which comprises a growing number of primary and secondary schools, as well as the SCITT.
Partner Schools
Our dynamic and diverse partnership of schools covers the whole of Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire. We work with great and diverse schools and so are able to offer lots of flexibility in arranging appropriate placements in terms of geographical location, quality of support and contrasting experiences. We recognise that travelling significant distances to your placement school is not always possible or appropriate and so we work hard with our partnership schools to ensure that you have a manageable travel time and supportive school environment when you arrive.
