When applying for Teacher Training, all applications go through the Department for Education Apply website. This applies to both GITEP SCITT and the Lead Partners: Balcarras Teaching School Hub and Odyssey Teaching School Hub. The provider codes for the different courses can be found on the relevant subject pages.
The GITEP SCITT partnership is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. We work with our partnership schools to promote diversity in the teaching workforce and create a safe space for all trainee teachers. We welcome applications from people with disabilities, protected characteristics, and particular needs.
Before applying
All applicants to postgraduate teacher training are required to have an honours degree and GCSE Grade C/Level 4 or equivalent in English and maths. We need to confirm that you have these qualifications and will want to see original certificates at interview. Confirmation of a place can be held up if applicants cannot find their certificates.
We do accept a limited number of overseas qualifications as equivalent to GCSE. Please contact us for further advice.
Choices
DfE Apply allow for up to four choices. Applicants can use these choices to apply to GITEP and to both Lead Partners. The course is identical, and this maximises the number of places available to you.
When applying to GITEP SCITT you will also be asked to indicate a preferred school for placement. We will do our best to place you at preferred schools, but we cannot guarantee a placement there. If we are unable to place you at your preferred school, we will always aim to place you close by.
GITEP offers flexible routes in all subject areas for those wishing to complete the course part-time. For more information, please see our page on Flexible Routes.
Finance and loans
Our course is a postgraduate course and you can get a tuition fee loan, provided you are eligible, from Student Finance England. This is separate from any other postgraduate loan you may have had. Many of our trainees have a Master’s degree and the teacher training loan is in addition to this. Please note, it is the responsibility of prospective trainees to check their eligibility and secure their own funding.
The trustees of Gloucestershire Association of Secondary Headteachers Ltd have established an Access Fund to widen access to Initial Teacher Training and support those unable to secure a bursary from the DfE. Any awards made do not have to be repaid. Applications can be made at any point in the programme.
Please see our finance page for further information.
School experience
There is no requirement to have any recent experience in schools before applying. Clearly, time in schools will help you decide if you have chosen the right career but don’t delay an application because you are trying to fit in school experience around your job or course. We have regular Teacher Taster Days at secondary schools around the county and many applicants find these useful. A number of GITEP partnership schools also offer visits via the Get School Experience website.
Qualification Equivalency
Visit the UK national agency for international qualifications and skills website to find out whether your qualifications are of an equivalent level to UK GCSEs, A levels and an undergraduate honours degree.
References
The application requires two referees. Ideally, one of these should be academic and the other professional. If it is some time since you were at university, you may want to give some thought to potential referees. Your references will only be made available to us in the event of you being offered a training place. An offer of a training place is therefore conditional on references being satisfactory.