Case History
Ellie Anders
I would, without a doubt, highly recommend Portsmouth Primary SCITT for anyone that has aspirations of becoming a well-rounded, organised, proactive and inspiring primary teacher. After debating ITT for a few years, I finally decided to train to teach with Portsmouth Primary SCITT and I have never looked back. The bespoke training that Portsmouth Primary SCITT offers to every single trainee is second to none. Led by the passionate and supportive team members Emma, Hayley, Cate and James, who personally know their trainees and individually support every concern, worry or need you may face, you’ll be in great hands.
The tailored ITT programme has hugely improved my confidence, organisation and communication skills, and subject knowledge, all important attributes of a well-rounded teacher. The highly skilled and passionate mentors I have had this year have been outstanding, making my transition of working within the EYFS and KS2 incredibly rewarding. Although you do have challenging days in teaching, stress levels and work load is high, the experienced team are there every step of the way and are always on the other end of a message or call. I would highly recommend training to teach with Portsmouth Primary SCITT and I will always remember that "it is learning and not teaching" as I embark on my first ECT year in September.
Megan Farmer
My time at Portsmouth Primary SCITT has been, quite literally, life changing. The immersive experience of school-based placements that we complete are carefully allocated to us to ensure we get the best out of our involvement. SCITT provides us with all the tools, from planning and assessment to classroom management and safeguarding, which help guide us through our placements and set us up for the responsibility of our own future classrooms.
The course offers high quality, expert led classroom based learning from some of Portsmouth’s most experienced subject leads. You will become well-informed in the latest classroom technology as well as gaining an up-to-date, coherent knowledge of all areas of the Primary National Curriculum. There is appropriate balance between school-based placement and classroom-based learning. The SCITT team are great at adhering to the needs of us trainees, which can be voiced through a group of student reps or any of the numerous mediums that they offer.
Not only this, the team at SCITT are undoubtedly some the most supportive people I have ever worked with. The pastoral support we receive encourages us to take care of our mental-wellbeing, which is fundamental during teacher training. They recognise us as individuals and will strive to make each of our experiences feel personally tailored to meet the needs we may have. They will work hard to help you resolve any worries or issues you may face along the way and I am incredibly grateful for the support I have received during my time on the course.
I would highly recommend Portsmouth Primary SCITT to anybody who is thinking about taking up a career in education.
Alison Jones
As an experienced LSA, I wondered how I would feel about teacher training. SCITT has provided a wonderful balance of professional input from the best subject leads across the city and opportunities to take part in practical events at UTC Portsmouth, The Mary Rose, The Openbox Theatre Company , Portsmouth Music Hub and the school library service - to list my favourites.
The school placements offer the experience of a real class situation and all the other elements of teaching that are not easy to recreate in the SCITT classroom.
One of my biggest challenges was becoming familiar with the technology used for teaching – SMART, PowerPoint, visualisers etc. This was then supported by further tuition back in the classroom with a session. The students have a voice and the SCITT team was responsive to our needs and requests.
One of the most important points to mention is the ongoing support and professionalism of the SCITT leadership team and mentors. Whenever I had a concern, I could contact one of the team through various mediums and I received a very prompt response. You never feel alone - if you ask for help it always comes.
I can fully recommend the Portsmouth Primary SCITT whatever level of experience you have, there is so much to learn from this course and it all has a practical purpose.
Maths Expert and Mentor
In my experience, Portsmouth SCITT has a high-quality and thorough programme which fully prepares new teachers for the rewarding profession they are entering. Being both a mentor and a maths tutor, I have seen first hand the care, expert knowledge and experience they give their trainees. No other course I have worked with gives their trainees a better balance of school time and expert-led sessions to allow them to build up their understanding of teaching in the classroom and the knowledge to be taught in schools. One thing that makes Portsmouth Primary SCITT stand out is their dedication to show trainees all sides of teaching, including academic and pastoral needs of a child, which is research based and demonstrated by current classroom teachers and members of school leadership. I would highly recommend Portsmouth SCITT to anyone who was looking to enter the profession of teaching.
Anon Trainee
Joining SCITT with a learning disability was extremely daunting, and my plan was to sit in a corner and disappear. My coping strategy was to always be silent, avoid eye contact and deal with my difficulties alone. However, when first meeting Cate and Hayley for the induction I instantly felt comfortable. They listened to how I learnt, what made me comfortable and what provisions would be needed. Through-out the year, the personalised provision I experienced was outstanding, and I truly believe that without this support, even if some of it was to boost my confidence, I would not have succeeded. There was never a stupid question. There was nothing asked that was not provided. There were even times when I would receive emails or files that I had not requested, but that had already been pre-planned for me. One aspect of the course that made me feel highly anxious was the academic writing. But again, the support and assistance I received was outstanding, and both Cate and Hayley went above and beyond in assisting me. The guest speakers who were chosen were unforgettable. Their amazing experience, vast knowledge and insightful tips were exceptional and extremely useful.
I am truly pleased to have chosen Portsmouth SCITT as the provider for my teacher training, and would recommend anyone who has any form of learning disability to do the same.