Praise for the CREC early years partnership teacher training programme
As we near the end of another academic year, our current cohort of SCITT students have been reflecting on their teacher training journey and have begun to look to the future, graduation, and the start of their NQT year in September.
We thought it a good a time as any to catch up with some of our SCITT students from 2015/16 to find out how they're finding their NQT year and to see what they really thought of their teacher training experience at CREC!
"Completing the SCITT programme with CREC was great for me, because I felt like I was treated as an individual and not just a student number. My experience at CREC has helped me to realise that it is ok to ask for help and the importance of open and honest discussion.
The SCITT programme has helped me to be more reflective as a teacher and as a person. These are skills that I have used regularly in my school and I feel that CREC has prepared me to use them effectively. With experiencing challenges, getting used to a new job and being in charge of a lively bunch of five & six-year-olds; I am thoroughly enjoying my role as a teacher!”
- Camilla Carrington, now working as a Year 1 Class Teacher at Yorkmead Primary School
“My experience on the SCITT course was a very enjoyable one. I feel it was the best way for me to gain the QTS qualification. I have been in the childcare profession for over 15 years and feel my experience was valued, and drawn upon, during my studies at CREC.
The staff and schools involved are a great help and support -- I even ended up gaining my first employed teaching role in my home placement school! The hands on experience of this course was invaluable and put me in very good stead to embark on my new career!”
- Suzanne Thomas, now teaching at Monkspath Junior & Infant School
“My teacher training year was one of the toughest but most rewarding years of my life. My experiences of the SCITT are very positive and I feel both the course and the tutors were fantastic.
The tutors really took the time to get to know us and provide high quality and informative lectures. The course was extremely well designed and delivered in order to provide trainee teachers with everything needed to be outstanding practitioners. I felt supported and valued throughout my training and most importantly it has really prepared me for my NQT year.
Although my training year was very intense, I now feel prepared and ready for life in the classroom as a fully qualified teacher.“
- Phavan Nagra, now teaching Year 2 at Summerfield Primary School
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“During my time at CREC, I was supported through many aspects of my Teacher Training. My Mentor was very supportive and placements were valuable.As the year progressed and responsibilities grew, both Mentors and Teaching staff were able to help me to develop my skills as a teacher – focusing on aspects I needed to improve.
I enjoyed the opportunities available within CREC, I particularly liked the phonics sessions as I found this useful in my early years setting – I also appreciated the information provided to us regarding pensions and unions.”
- Sharna Deards, now teaching at St Bernadette Primary School
“I chose to go into teaching via a SCITT course as I believed it would provide me with a hands-on experience of teaching whilst I was training. I wasn’t disappointed; undertaking the SCITT course with CREC proved to be all that I expected it to be!
I found it extremely beneficial to be a teacher right from day one – attending home visits of the children in my class and being involved in the initial planning stages and room layout design. Attending CREC for two days a week was extremely beneficial too, as I was able to immediately put into practice all the things I was learning at CREC, in the classroom.”
- Dorcas Fatade, now teaching Reception at Billesley Primary School
“I thoroughly enjoyed the CREC SCITT programme. I think the course content supported us as trainee teachers to prepare for the life as a teacher. The sessions were really valuable and the input from various professionals was helpful; definitely a course I would recommend to others wanting to teach!
Life as an NQT is great, I am growing in confidence daily, lots of theory we learnt from the course is now evident in practice. I find I am a very reflective practitioner, something that I feel came as a result of the course, as journaling and reflecting were something we did on a regular basis; I feel, as a teacher, this is vital to ensuring the best learning opportunities for the children!”
- Lauren Coates, now teaching at St Thomas Centre Nursery School
If you're thinking about teacher training, make sure you take a look at our School Direct route to becoming an early years or primary teacher. We've still got a couple of spots left on our 2017/18 programme!!