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We offer two courses – Secondary Physical Education and Primary with a Physical Education specialism.

 

Secondary Physical  Education 

Secondary trainees are trained to teach physical education across the 11-16 age range with enhancement opportunities at post-16. They are also provided with opportunities to teach in a second subject (English, maths or science).

 

Primary Education with a Physical Education Specialism

Primary trainees are trained to be primary school teachers and develop a physical education specialism across the 5-11 age range.

 

Click on each heading below to hear views from our trainees and ex trainees about both courses.

INTRODUCTION

The course is delivered by a consortium of over forty local secondary schools covering ten local authorities in the north east of England. We work with schools as far north as Alnwick in Northumberland and as far south as Nunthorpe in Middlesbrough. John Spence Community High School, a Specialist Sports College in North Tyneside, is the lead school. Churchill Community College in North Tyneside and King Edward VI Academy in Northumberland act as associate lead schools and support the leadership and management of the programme. Northumbria University is the awarding body for the PGCE.

 

The course is full-time and lasts for forty weeks from September to July; in addition there are some compulsory sessions during the last two weeks of August, prior to the start of the course. The course is structured to ensure that all trainees develop the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding required to teach the range of activities outlined in the Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 national curriculum for physical education and to teach examination physical education at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. Trainees are encouraged to experiment with a variety of teaching styles and strategies and to reflect upon their practice in order to achieve high professional standards and develop into outstanding trainee teachers. All aspects of the curriculum are underpinned by evidence based research and best practice.

 

Trainees spend the majority of the year working in two contrasting placement schools. They also visit two other schools to gain experience of working with children who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and English as an additional language (EAL). Trainees also gain experience of working in a primary setting and are provided with opportunities to teach a second subject. In addition, they visit a number of good and outstanding physical education departments to receive subject-specific training prior to placements. On average, trainees spend time in ten different schools over the course of the year –  something we believe makes us unique.

 

Placement performance is assessed against trainees’ mastery of the ITT curriculum and the Teachers’ Standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Two coursework assignments and an action research project provide further evidence of suitability to enter the teaching profession. Two of the three modules are assessed at Masters level and if successfully completed count as sixty credits towards a Masters qualification and the award of a PGCE. Successful trainees exit the course with QTS (awarded by Durham SCITT) plus a PGCE from Northumbria University.

 

For 2024/25 we will offer 30 secondary physical education places.

  • North East Partnership SCITT – Physical Education – Course code 2LFK

MODULES AND ASSESSMENT

The programme is made up of four inter-related modules.

 

Professional Placements

All trainees gain teaching experience in two contrasting placement schools in the north east of England. Professional placement one starts almost immediately in September with two serial days each week followed by an observation and planning period then a six-week block between November and December. Professional placement two starts in January with two serial days each week followed by an observation and planning period then a twelve-week block between February and June. Trainees progress from observation to collaboration to independence. They also progress from a 60 percent timetable to an 80 percent timetable by the end of their second placement. By the end of the two placements all trainees will have had teaching experience in all areas of the national curriculum, all secondary key stages and in both core and examination physical education. They will also have had some experience of teaching a second subject and some experience as a form tutor. They will develop into reflective, creative and highly effective practitioners who meet the Teachers’ Standards to a high level for a trainee teacher. This module is formally assessed on a pass/fail basis against trainees’ mastery of the ITT curriculum and the Teachers’ Standards.

 

Curriculum Studies

In this module, trainees begin to develop their subject-specific knowledge. They gain practical and theoretical experience relating to all six areas of activity outlined in the physical education national curriculum and of examination courses at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. They learn about the importance of ICT to enhance learning in physical education and how literacy and numeracy can be incorporated into physical education lessons to support whole school priorities. They also learn about the national curriculum for physical education, the current landscape for physical education, a range of pedagogical theories to support their classroom practice, planning lessons and writing units of work, how children learn, producing creative resources, adaptive practice, monitoring and measuring progress, and how to work safely. The sessions that make up this module are delivered by outstanding, expert practitioners from partnership schools. Assessment of this module is by an extended written assignment.

 

Professional Studies

In this module trainees begin to develop their knowledge of education. The module consists of a structured programme of conference days, focusing on a range of topics that are at the forefront of education policy and practice. These include: safeguarding and child protection; pastoral care; working with parents; effective behaviour management; outstanding teaching and learning; assessment; inclusion; making learning stick; literacy and numeracy across the curriculum; equality and diversity; character education. Time is also allocated to preparing for employment. The sessions are delivered by highly skilled and experienced professionals who are experts in their field. All conference days are underpinned by recent and relevant evidence based research. These professionals engage trainees in critical and analytical debates about learning and pedagogical theories and the implications for their own learning, professional practice and personal philosophy of education. Assessment of this module is by an extended written assignment. Trainees who do not pass this module at Level 7 will have their work marked against Level 6 criteria.

 

Enquiry into Current Secondary Education Issues

This module is an independent project that is carried out during professional placement two. Each trainee negotiates a focus for their project with their school-based tutor and discusses the proposal with their assignment tutor. The project must be consistent with the trainee’s individual learning plan and provide further opportunities for the trainee to:

  • demonstrate their ability to work autonomously at Level 7 on an independent project that researches an area in depth;
  • collect evidence for meeting the Teachers’ Standards for QTS.

The project should take advantage of the specialisms within the placement school, the network of external organisations accessed throughout the programme and any developments at the forefront of physical education. Assessment is through a written project and a presentation to peers and tutors. Trainees who do not pass this module at Level 7 will have their work marked against Level 6 criteria.

INTRODUCTION

The North East Partnership SCITT is the accredited provider for a small number of school direct places allocated to primary education with a physical education specialism.   John Spence Community High School is the Lead School and works with Northumbria University and twenty four local schools to offer this innovative course which lasts for forty weeks from September to July.  In addition, there is a compulsory two week summer school at the end of August prior to the start of term and trainees will support end of year activities in their placement schools during the month of July.

 

Trainees will be trained to teach high quality physical education alongside all other areas of the primary curriculum across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. On completion of the course they will be qualified primary teachers with a specialism in physical education.   They will be able to lead high quality physical education and sport provision within primary schools, support other primary teachers to develop their skills in delivering physical education and sport and lead regional sports initiatives to improve primary physical education and sport.

 

Trainees spend the majority of the year in their Host School and have a contrasting placement in a Partner School.  They visit two other schools to gain experience of working with children who have SEND and EAL plus visit an early years setting and a secondary school.  Many of the partnership schools are involved in the delivery of the core programme.

 

Placement performance is assessed against trainees’ mastery of the ITT curriculum and the Teachers’ Standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Two coursework assignments and an action research project provide further evidence of suitability to enter the teaching profession. Two of the three modules are assessed at Masters level and if successfully completed count as sixty credits towards a Masters qualification and the award of a PGCE. Successful trainees exit the course with QTS (awarded by Durham SCITT) plus a PGCE from Northumbria University.

 

For 2024/25 we will offer 16 primary with a physical education specialism places.

  • North East Partnership SCITT – Primary with physical education –  Course code 2Q9L

MODULES AND ASSESSMENT

The programme is made up of 4 inter-related modules:

 

Professional Placements:

All trainees will gain teaching experience in two contrasting placement schools; a Host School and a Partner School. They will spend the majority of the year in their Host School teaching Key Stage 2 pupils and a six week block placement in their Partner School teaching Key Stage 1 pupils.   In addition, they will visit two other schools to gain experience of working with children who have SEND and EAL plus visit an early years setting and a secondary school.  Trainees will progress from observation through collaborative working to independence.  They will also progress from a 60% timetable to an 80% timetable by the end of the course.  Link tutors and school mentors liaise to support trainees in the development of their practical teaching. By the end of the year all trainees will have had teaching experience in all areas of the primary curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2.  They will have a specialism in physical education.  They will develop into reflective, creative and highly effective practitioners who meet the Teachers’ Standards by the end of the module. This module is assessed against trainees’ mastery of the ITT curriculum and the Teachers’ Standards.

 

Curriculum Studies:

This module is where trainees begin to develop their subject specific knowledge in physical education, the core subjects and the foundation subjects.  The sessions that make up this module are delivered by outstanding practitioners from partnership schools and experts in their field.

 

Critical Professional Studies:

This module is where trainees begin to develop their knowledge about education. The module consists of a structured programme of conference days focusing on a range of topics that are at the forefront of education policy and practice.  These include; safeguarding and child protection, pastoral care, working with parents, behaviour management, memory, teaching and learning, assessment, inclusion, pupil premium, equality and diversity and literacy and numeracy across the curriculum. Time is also allocated to preparing for employment.  These sessions are delivered by experienced senior leaders in partnership schools. These professionals engage trainees in critical and analytical debates about learning and pedagogy theories and the implications for their own professional practice, learning and emerging philosophy of education. Assessment of this module is by an extended written assignment. Trainees who do not pass this module at Level 7 will have their work marked against Level 6 criteria.

 

Enquiry into Current Primary Education Issues:

This module is an independent action research project that is carried out during the final Host School placement. Each trainee negotiates a focus for their project with their mentor and discusses the proposal with their assignment tutor. Assessment is through a written project and the presentation of the ideas and findings of the project to peers and tutors. Trainees who do not pass this module at Level 7 will have their work marked against Level 6 criteria.

Both primary and secondary courses are delivered through 4 interleaved modules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professional Studies – Covering the fundamentals of teaching in a whole school setting and linked to an academic assignment as part of the PGCE

Curriculum Studies –  Developing subject knowledge of the PE curriculum and applying fundamentals of Professional Studies to a PE specific context. Linked to an academic assignment as part of the PGCE

Professional Placement – Developing mastery of the curriculum in contrasting school placements and meeting the Teachers’ Standards leading to Qualified Teacher Status

Enquiry into Education – Exploring evidence based research with a focus on one specific class and the impact made on pupil progress as part of a small scale action based research project

 

Primary Course Overview
September – October Centre Based Training (In schools)
October – December Host School Placement (Year 5 & 6)
January – February Centre Based Training (In schools)
March – April Partner School Placement (Year 1 & 2)
April – May Centre Based Training (In schools)
May – June Host School Placement (Year 3 & 4)
July Enrichment

 

Secondary Course Overview
September – October Centre Based Training (In schools)
October – December Placement 1
January – February Centre Based Training (In schools)
March – June Placement 2
July Enrichment

Placements

Support From Your Fellow Trainees

Teaching a second subject

School Based Training

The Support of Mentors

WORDS FROM OUR TRAINEES

I would highly recommend the North East Partnership SCITT to anyone wanting to pursue a career in teaching. The course allows for a true school experience while equipping you with a variety of masterclasses in teaching and learning. The support received from the SCITT team is outstanding and guaranteed to help you secure a teaching post.

Leeann Irving

My experience of the North East Partnership SCITT has enabled me to become the confident teacher I am today. The support you receive from your tutors helps to develop your planning, content and structure of lessons and how to effectively manage your class. This gives you the belief in your ability as teacher when you start your first teaching post.

Liam Blythe

I had a fantastic experience on both teaching placements, with really supportive staff. I had the opportunity to teach in very contrasting schools and across the full curriculum, including examination PE at Key Stage 4 and 5. The course gave me an excellent start for a career in teaching and has allowed me to progress into promotional opportunities

Ian Middleton

Having been a trainee and then a school based tutor on the course, it is my belief that NEP SCITT is the best teacher training provider around. The course consists of high quality training which focuses on the practical and theoretical aspects of being a physical education teacher, delivered by the best practitioners and schools in the area. Trainees are then able to develop their practice in a variety of school placements, with a strong support network of physical education teachers on hand to offer guidance and support.

Aaron White

It was a genuine privilege to train through the North East Partnership SCITT. The mix of theory and hands on teaching allowed me to develop into a reflective practitioner. An absolutely fantastic course ran by dedicated professionals.

Andrew Archibald

NEP SCITT equipped me with the necessary qualities and skills to become a successful teacher. Courses and CPD events allowed me to develop a greater understanding of monitoring and measuring progress of different ability students.

Jade Murray

After completing my PGCE and entering my first teaching job I realised the SCITT programme had set me up fantastically well. Halfway through the course I sat my first interview and got my first job. This wouldn’t have been possible without the excellent support or amazing network of people who are involved in the programme. Couldn’t recommend it enough!

Louis Lawson