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Initial teacher training partnerships

Teacher Training (School Direct)

Welcome to the Two Counties Teacher Training Partnership, which comprises of Little Heath School, Prospect School, The Hurst Community College, Theale Green, The Wren and The Willink as lead school.  We are neighbouring secondary schools in the Berkshire and Hampshire area. Our alliance has recently been awarded Teaching School designation due to our proven track record in providing high quality teacher training and collaborative CPD opportunities.

School Direct (SD) is a direct route into teaching where successful applicants are trained predominantly within a school-based environment. We offer full time secondary Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) courses that are all planned and delivered in collaboration with the University of Reading's Institute of Education.  At the very heart of our model of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) is the drive to produce outstanding teachers who become reflective professionals able to secure the very best outcomes for all children.

Our trainees will spend the majority of the school year based in one main school with a 5/6 week 2nd school placement at the beginning of the Spring term.  Training will be led by experienced staff in each school and will involve meetings, workshops and other activities.  Being based in a school, our trainees will quickly come to appreciate the nature of teaching and learning in the workplace and will see how to put theory into practice every day. The University based training days support the school-led programme and give trainees the opportunity to learn from the experience and enquiry of others in the Reading Partnership.  The ITT programme is designed to build confidence and subject knowledge and equip a trainee teacher with the skills necessary to becoming an effective classroom practitioner. Throughout the training, support will be provided by a well-trained mentor in school as well as the University.

For entry in 2019-2020, the Two Counties Teacher Training Partnership will be offering places in the following subjects: 

English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Music, PE, Computing, MFL, History, RE and Geography

For further information about our SD programme and the opportunity to gain some school-based experience please contact:

Aysha Stone

The Willink School
email: astone@willink.w-berks.sch.uk
tel: 0118 983 2030

Sonia Edwards

Prospect School
email: sedwards@prospect.reading.sch.uk
tel: 0118 959 0466

Laura Billingham

The Hurst Community College
email: laura.billingham@hurst.hants.sch.uk
tel: 0118 981 7474

Rebecca Whitford

Little Heath School
email: rwhitford@littleheath.org.uk
tel: 0118 942 7337

Sarah Page

Theale Green School
email: spage@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk
tel: 0118 930 2741

Bessie O’Brien

The Wren School
email: Bobrien@wrenschool.org
tel: 0118 959 1868