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.

Simren Johal - 2021 / 22 cohort

Why choose School Direct? 

I decided to train on the School Direct course at Westacre Middle School because I felt that having a hands-on, and supportive experience was exactly what I needed coming into my teacher training. I would definitely recommend the School Direct route as I have had the opportunity to hone my practice, with more teaching time in school and embedding myself as a staff member of a school-team. I also had the opportunity to explore different key stages by teaching for a term at Chawson First School. 

What support do you get? 

I have had the support of a mentor and class teacher in Year 6, who has not only guided me on teaching topics that I find tricky (e.g. RE) but also helped to manage my development and wellbeing in school. Each week, I have a review meeting with my lead mentor to discuss my weekly reflections and next steps. Both university tutors and school mentors observe my lessons regularly, this ensures that I have positive and constructive feedback to improve my teaching practice. I also had the opportunity to observe teachers around the school to help me magpie ideas and understand different classroom routines. 

Why choose Westacre? 

I had heard of Westacre's wonderful reputation. Their staff are positive, friendly and welcoming, which is exactly what I felt when I came for my interview day and throughout my time as part of the team. I was given all the time, support and resources that I could need as a member of the team. Which meant that I could flourish into an early careers teacher.

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.

Jessica Dutton - 2020 / 21 cohort

Why choose School Direct? 

The School Direct pathway has given me the best opportunity to be able to immerse myself with every aspect of Westacre's school curriculum and the wider community. Being in school means that I have been able to see how the classroom works on a weekly basis. This made it easier for my professional development as I was able to focus on a full sequence of learning in all areas and be involved with the planning of different subjects throughout the whole term. It has been a brilliant experience as I have been able to gain good relationships with the children throughout my time and I will be excited to go back and visit them as part of my final placement. 

What support do you get? 

As part of the School Direct course, I was able to meet with my lead mentor every week to discuss my strengths and areas for development moving forward. This was also an opportunity to discuss any issues or concerns that I had. In the same sense, I was able to discuss my little victories during the previous week and where I felt I had improved. I was also able to have multiple meetings, during the week with my class teacher, to discuss planning, resourcing and teaching. These meetings were always a great way to discuss what had happened during the week and my class teacher was always very supportive if I found something particularly challenging. The whole team at Westacre is incredibly helpful and you never feel as though you are asking a silly question. They are always ready to help you in any way that they can. Despite the current situation of Covid-19, there is still a sense of team spirit and everybody working towards the same goal of educating children to a high standard, whilst looking after their health and wellbeing.

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

To begin with, it can seem quite daunting to have your own class straight away. However, I believe that it has helped with my professional development and overall understanding of how to become a quality first teacher. You are able to fully immerse yourself in the classroom and take on challenges as soon as you feel comfortable. For instance, I was able to carry out full class lessons with assistance from my class teacher in the first few weeks. This meant that I had a good starting point to see where my areas for development were and also what I was doing well. This motivated me and meant that I pushed myself at every opportunity to teach different subjects. I did this as soon as I could to increase my subject knowledge and strive to develop in as many areas as possible. 

Why choose Westacre? 

During my application process, I had looked through multiple courses and schools. I knew that Westacre was a lovely school, with a very friendly environment, as I had attended as a child. When I contacted the school to express my interest, I was given every opportunity to complete my application to the best of my ability. I was also told that if I had any questions then not to hesitate in contacting the school. Throughout the whole interview process, everyone at the school was friendly and approachable, from the site staff to the teachers. When I was shown around the school, by two pupils, they were so enthusiastic about Westacre. They knew about all of their teachers, their subjects and all of the extra-curricular activities that Westacre provided. It was a great way to get insight and the pupils were confident when I asked questions about their life at Westacre. During my interview, I was able to demonstrate my passion and love for learning through all of my previous experiences which was encouraged by Westacre. I was informed of my acceptance into the course very quickly and was always kept up to date with any information relating to the start of the course. When starting at Westacre, I was given all the key information so that I knew where everything was and how everything worked. I was introduced to all staff and made sure that I knew where they were based if I needed any advice or had to have any conversations with them. Westacre has been a brilliant school to complete my teacher training! 

As a recent applicant, what other questions would you want answering?

Do I have PPA time with the year group that I am working with? You will have PPA time with your class teacher mentor and have other time to meet with and work alongside the other teachers in your year group.

Am I encouraged to be involved with extra-curricular school clubs? We encourage all staff to get involved in extra-curricular clubs and are keen for everyone to be able to share their passions and skills with our children.

Do you provide any additional training, apart from the mandatory sessions, that I could be involved in? Our School Direct students take part in all of our weekly staff meetings that offer a range of CPD opportunities. We run a range of in-house training throughout the school year that enables all of our staff to learn from each other. Alongside our School Direct partners, we offer students a comprehensive package of training that covers all aspects of teaching.

Due to the current situation surrounding Covid-19, what information can you provide regarding the training arrangements for September and how does this impact on the applicants teaching experience? We remain committed, through our partnership with Chawson First School, to offer students meaningful experiences across the EYFS, as well as Key Stages 1, 2 & 3.

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

Being part of the School Direct course during my training has positively impacted upon my first term as an Early Career Teacher. Due to the fact that I knew how Westacre ran on a day-to-day basis it was easier to dive in and teach straight away. I knew all the curriculum as I had worked with Year 5 in my training year and I think this helped me to settle in. Furthermore, it meant I felt more comfortable when getting my own class as I was able to focus on getting to build good relationships with them and provide a good working environment, through quality first teaching. It has been great working within the Year 5 team as they provide so much support and discussion to improve and development my teaching.