We are very pleased to be working alongside the Prince Henry's Teaching School in Evesham and the Bromsgrove Primary Alliance to deliver the SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) Primary course. As a partner school to the Prince Henry's & South Worcestershire SCITT, we have been able to offer a full time place on our Initial Teacher Training Programme since September 2018. We currently have a 100% employment rate for students doing their Initial Teacher Training at Westacre.

Westacre Middle School is a fantastic place to train to become an outstanding teacher. It is an excellent school which offers the children a warm, vibrant, lively, and safe learning environment where they can grow into confident young people, having developed their full potential during the three years at our school.

Our staff are totally committed to offering the children every opportunity to enable them to develop both academically and socially. The plethora of enrichment and after-school activities and clubs is testament to this commitment. 

Westacre is deeply committed to providing teacher training opportunities and locally we are one of the few schools to offer the primary SCITT programme. Our teacher training provision has gone from strength to strength and we continue to be passionate about training the next generation of teachers.

The chosen candidate(s) will spend much of their time during the Autumn and Summer term in one of our Key Stage 2 classes, while experience in a Key Stage 1 class will be gained during the Spring term in our nearby partner school Chawson First School. This programme will also offer the candidate(s) the opportunity to understand the expectations of teaching and learning in both the EYFS and Key Stage 3 curriculum.

SCITT placements are also available at Chawson First School, with the trainee(s) spending the Autumn and Summer term at Chawson in a Key Stage 1 classroom. The Spring term will then be spent in a Key Stage 2 class here at Westacre.

Click the links below for more information about the course and how to apply:

The application window for a place on the School Direct programme at Westacre for the 2024/25 year is now open. 

Tom Street - 2022 / 23 cohort

Why choose SCITT? 

I chose to complete my initial teacher training (ITT) through the SCITT route as I wanted to immerse myself within school life from the beginning of the course. This suited my learning style as I prefer a more hands on approach and this allowed me to take the skills I was learning at university into the classroom. Additionally, through spending more time within the classroom, the SCITT route allowed me to learn from experienced teachers throughout my training year. Furthermore, the SCITT route also allowed me to spend time within two school environments, providing me with an insight into how different schools operate.

What support do you get? 

As a SCITT trainee, I felt fully supported by the SCITT and Westacre. Through the SCITT, I had weekly professional development sessions and meetings with my course mentor, these were a good opportunity to develop my pedagogical/subject knowledge and to reflect on my week in school with other trainees. Within school, I had regular meetings with my mentors to discuss strengths and areas for development. These meetings were a great opportunity to discuss strategies to build on these areas for development and to embrace the progress I had made that week. The support I received throughout my training spanned much further than my mentors, all staff members at Westacre were fully supportive of my development and would offer their expertise whenever called upon- it was a brilliant environment to train within.

Why choose Westacre? 

After completing my initial tour around Westacre, I knew it was the place I wanted to complete my initial teacher training (ITT). From my first day in school, I was treated like a member of the team and provided access to materials and resources to ensure quality first teaching. All members of staff were welcoming, and this allowed for a very supportive environment where no question seems too silly to ask- this put me at ease and allowed me to focus on developing my teaching. Following this, the children at Westacre have an evident desire to learn and have been a joy to work alongside throughout my ITT year. Finally, Westacre provides excellent opportunity to be involved with extra-curricular activities such as after school clubs and residential trips. This is why I feel that Westacre is a brilliant place to complete your ITT.

What's it like having your own class to work in straight away?

Although being within a class straight away was daunting, it was also exciting to be involved from the start of their year and I was immediately accepted by the children as ‘one of their teachers’- I feel this was crucial to building positive relationships with the children within the classroom. It was also important to be within the class from the start, as it allowed me to understand the boundaries and routines used by the class teacher on a day-to-day basis.

Laura Constable - 2020 / 21 cohort

Why choose School Direct? 

I chose to complete my PGCE through the School Direct route as I wanted to be immersed in school life from the start, learning from other teachers and the children. I wanted to have the opportunity to practice what I was learning and felt this was more suited to my learning style, than learning in a university lecture room. Although most of my time has been spent at Westacre, I have also had the opportunity to work within a class at Chawson First School, enabling me to see how another school operates.  

What support do you get? 

As a School Direct trainee, I have felt fully supported throughout my training by the university and Westacre.  

At university I have regular catch-up meetings with my personal academic tutor and my school experience tutor is in regular contact through email and online video calls (due to COVID). 

Within school, I have weekly review meetings with my class teacher and my lead mentor, but support is continuous with regular feedback and support given from all members of staff. There are many opportunities to spend time working with different members of staff, in different classes and year groups which allows for observing different teaching styles and specialisms.  

What's it like having your own class to work in straight away?
Although it was daunting having my own class straight away, it was also exciting to be involved from the start of their year and I was immediately accepted by the children as “one of their teachers”. I was able to see how the teacher implemented rules and routines with her new class, which has all contributed to my learning. Due to the amount of time the School Direct route allowed me to spend with the one class, I was able to form strong trusting relationships with them which has helped when teaching the whole class, and smaller group interventions.  

Why choose Westacre? 

When I attended my interview for Westacre, I immediately knew it was where I wanted to be for my PGCE. From the moment I walked into the main entrance, the staff were so welcoming and enthusiastic, and this continued with every member of staff and child that I met. All the staff at Westacre have so much enthusiasm for teaching and supporting the children and the children are so inspired and motivated to learn.  

I was immediately welcomed as a “member of the team” and involved with planning, teaching and school duties from the start, both within my year group team and the wider school.  

How did being a student at Westacre help when you then started as an Early Career Teacher here?

By training through School Direct at Westacre, I felt that I was fully prepared for what was expected of me as an Early Career Teacher when I started the role in September. I had experienced day to day school life throughout the whole of my training year, including during lock-down periods, and so felt confident with many aspects of the role. This allowed me to spend more time focusing on other aspects which came with having my own class, which I had not had the opportunity to focus on as much during my training year. I believe if I had not chosen the School Direct route, I would not have had as many opportunities presented to me during my training, and therefore would not have felt as confident starting as an ECT.