How To Apply

Making your application

• If you're ready to go now, you can APPLY for our programmes by hitting the green Apply Now button above, or by visiting Find Postgraduate Teacher Training Programmes
• In the 'Find courses by location or by training provider' option, find us by entering Essex Schools ITT into the 3rd circle shown or our code 1OS (that's 1-Oscar-Sierra with a letter O, not a zero!)
• The list of teacher training programmes that we offer is available to view on Our Programmes page
• If you're still thinking things through, we highly recommended that you contact us for an initial, informal conversation (or even pay us a visit) so that we can find out more about you (and vice versa!). Complete our Contact Form and one of us will be in touch with you. 

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School Experience

Having some school or teaching experience prior to, or during the process of your application, is always useful. However, please note that having no such experience will NOT preclude you from applying. 

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Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS)

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) is required for entry to Initial Teacher Training. Tes and ourselves will carry one out for you once you hold a conditional offer from us. We ask applicants to confirm that they agree to a check by the Disclosure and Barring Service. You do not need to carry out a DBS for yourself prior to applying (some government websites do suggest this).

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Entry requirements

• To qualify for our school-centred route, you MUST have English Language & Maths GCSE (or equivalent) at Grade 4/C or above AND a degree preferably in the subject you want to teach. (Primary candidates must also have a Grade 4/C in GCSE Science.) 
• If you need to sit an English Language, Maths or Science GCSE equivalent, please do so before you apply. There are several organizations through which you can sit a recognized GCSE equivalency - usually on an online basis. These are Birmingham City University and also A Star Equivalency 
• If you have a degree that is not directly relevant to the subject that you want to teach do not be put off! Every year we successfully train people to become outstanding teachers with a wide variety of degrees – we do this using the Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses provided by Tes. For example, you may have a degree in Accounting and want to train to teach Maths, or perhaps a degree in Engineering and want to teach Physics. An SKE will help equip you with the relevant knowledge of the curriculum to do so, and will help to refresh your subject knowledge if your degree is from a few years back!
• If you cannot evidence your GCSEs or degree by way of a certificate, you must find or re-order them asap. Entry to the teaching profession will not be permitted without verified academic certificates. If you can't find them, visit this page to reorder
• If you hold overseas qualifications, we will need to see your NARIC/ENIC statement of equivalence for BOTH your degree AND your high school Maths and English GCSE exams. We will also need to see the original certificates to which the statement relates. If you can't find the certificates (or can't reorder them), you must be prepared to sit an equivalence exam, with one of the companies outlined above.
• How to contact UK ENIC.

Read more about eligibility here

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Not sure if you're suited to teacher training?

There are a lot of unique personal qualities that all providers look for in a trainee teacher. Are you suitable for life in the classroom? Look at this typical person specification for teacher training and see how you match up!

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Fundamental Maths and English assessments

People entering the teaching profession are no longer required to sit the professional skills tests for Maths and English, which proved to be a barrier for many.

However, we still require a high level of competency in both Maths and English language from all of our trainees, as you would expect for anyone entering a profession such as teaching.

Once we make you an offer, you will be invited along to sit a fundamental Maths and English assessment, which will show any areas you need to develop before the award for QTS is made. We will help prepare you for these assessments by providing you with revision tips and websites. The vast majority of offer holders find the assessments very accessible - resits are possible if need be.

Time will be given to trainees during their training year to address any gaps in their fundamental English and Maths competencies.

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How we select:

• The partnership will review applications for eligibility (meeting the criteria) and will decide (with the applicant and partner schools) which schools might be suitable.  
• The interview process will either be in-person or remote, depending on the subject and the preferences of the interviewing school. In-person interviews may involve an observation of the candidate teaching a class for around 15-20 minutes, with advance notice of the topic, year group and ability of the children that they will be teaching. Some interviews won't require a teaching element, but will require the candidate to present a lesson plan. This will be followed by a formal interview lasting 30 minutes. Remote interviews will entail the applicant preparing a full lesson plan as if they were going to teach a live class, plus an explanation for their planning, followed by a formal interview. Applicants should be prepared to undertake either type of interview.
• Staff from participating schools and Tes Institute will be involved in the interview process, which will be coordinated by Davenant Foundation School as the ‘Lead School’.   

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Checks, certifications and proof of ID

All applicants must present:

• Their original degree certificate AND GCSE certificates (or UK ENIC equivalent) showing Grade C/4 or above in English, Maths and Science (for Primary)
• Proof of ID and residency (this will normally be your birth certificate, current/in-date passport or driving licence and a bank statement or utility bill)
• You must have two references from professional sources. References from friends or relatives, or people with a non-professional email address (for example, ...@gmail.com) will not be accepted.
• During the application process, we may carry out a check of your 'online footprint' (including any social media accounts) as part of our commitment to safeguarding
• All overseas qualifications will need to submitted by you to UK ENIC and a Statement of Equivalency obtained
• If you have lived, been educated or worked outside of the UK after the age of 18, you must produce a Certificate of Good Conduct from the relevant country/countries. Instructions on how to obtain one can be found on the gov.co.uk site where countries are listed A-Z.
• Once we're in receipt of all your IDs and qualifications, we will submit them to Tes Institute, who will carry out fitness to practice and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

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Safeguarding Children and Young People in Education

Tes Institute and Essex Schools ITT are committed to ensuring that:

• trainees on the initial teacher training (ITT) programmes have the capacity to teach
• the necessary checks have been carried out to ensure that trainees are suitable to work with children
• trainees are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities as trainee teachers

Read our Safeguarding policy below, along with a Person Specification

Tes Institute ITT Safeguarding Policy Nov 2023 (1)

NASBITT Trainee-Teacher-Person-Specification-1

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The Department of Education's website

https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/ will also provide you with more information and guidance about how to write an application and you can also find more information about the different phases eg primary or secondary that are of interest to you.