Initial Teacher Training

The placement school will provide you with a mentor to train and support you every day in school. You will have expert teachers mentoring, coaching, and working alongside you. A link to our schools can be found here: Our Schools - The Diocese Of Westminster Academy Trust 

We offer you a network of schools across a range of settings. We are experts at developing teachers and leaders at all levels.  

The University 

You will have a subject tutor who is an expert in your subject to help develop your knowledge of your curriculum. A link to the ITT Pages for our partner Universities can be found here: 

St Mary’s University: Get into teaching: teacher training courses in London 

Roehampton University: Teacher Training | University of Roehampton, London 

University of Hertfordshire: Initial teacher training (ITT) | Courses | Uni of Herts 

During your training, you’ll spend most of your time in school placements, building your confidence, working with experienced teaching and leadership teams, meeting your mentor, and developing your skills. You’ll also have some time dedicated to theoretical learning at University. 

Our evidence-enriched, research-informed training ensures that you have an effective understanding of teaching and learning so that you can make a real difference in your own classrooms. You will be trained in a supportive, positive, professional environment that enables you to develop your subject knowledge alongside the pedagogy of teaching.   

The course has a gradual build-up into teaching. You can plan, teach, and share classes with the class teacher as you learn and develop your confidence. This means that when you fully take over teaching, you are well prepared and have an enjoyable, successful experience. 

Training Details 

• 120 days of classroom experience  
• Placements at a minimum of two schools  
• Regular meetings with your mentor  
• Full-time teacher training usually takes 9 months 
• Explore what a typical timetable for your course would be 
• Teaching, evaluating, classroom management, and child protection are all covered in lectures. Your university tutor leads subject seminars. 

Through an initial programme of observations at school, you will become familiar with the workings of the school and department (pupil groups, pastoral systems, staffing, curriculum, resources, facilities, methods of teaching, lesson planning, and assessment). 

As you qualify to teach, you will feel supported by your school mentors and treated like a member of the teaching staff. Our mentors are excellent, experienced teachers who undergo rigorous training to develop their mentoring skills. 

Throughout your time in both schools, your university tutor visits you to monitor your progress and discuss your development with you and your school mentors. 

Placement Schools 

You will have the opportunity to work in two contrasting placement schools. The placement will be in a DoWAT or partner school. This means that by the end of the year, you will be fully equipped with the skills needed to work in any school. 

You will have the understanding needed to continue your professional development, foster your own passion for learning, and be happy and successful in your teaching career.  

Upon completing your training, if a teaching position matching your subject area becomes available within our schools, you're guaranteed an interview for the position. 

You will need an honours degree (2.2 or above) in your chosen subject or a closely related subject. We may consider alternatively well-qualified mature candidates or those whose studies indicate some breadth of scientific knowledge as a basis for further study both before and during the course.

You will also need GCSE Grade C/4 in English Language and Mathematics GCSE, or the equivalent.

Personal Qualities

We seek trainees with a passion to engage and inspire students to love learning.

Does this sound like you? 

• Committed to championing students.
• Passionate about your subject.
• Open to learning about children’s physical, social, emotional/cognitive needs and how these can affect behaviour.
• Teaching is incredibly rewarding, but it also requires an element of resilience and a sense of humour.
• Professional and committed to equal opportunities.
• Able to communicate well in written or spoken English, with at least basic computer skills and a commitment to developing them.

The tuition fee for this course is £9,250 payable to your chosen University, for 2025–26. Fees for international students are £17,970. Fees for international students applying for University of Hertfordshire are £22,450.

Bursaries

Bursaries are grants that do not require repayment and are tax-free. They are meant to assist with your training and are distributed in 10 equal monthly instalments throughout the training. To qualify for a bursary, you must hold a bachelor's degree with a 2:2 (honours) or higher.

The Department for Education's (DfE) bursaried subjects for 2025, visit ‘Get into Teaching’ website tab: Funding & Support (Teacher training funding | Get Into Teaching GOV.UK )

Student loans

You may also be eligible for a student loan while you study, but you will have to apply for that. You can take out a student loan even if you already have an undergraduate loan.

Loans for tuition fees are not means tested (whereas loans for maintenance are means tested), but you should confirm all this using the same ‘Funding your training’ tab above.

For the Postgraduate teaching apprenticeship, course fees are covered by the apprenticeship levy. You will need to be employed by the school as an unqualified teacher, futher details about the PGTA at our Partner Universities can be found linked here:

Post graduate teaching apprenticeships (PGTA):

St Mary’s University: Post graduate teaching apprenticeships (PGTA)

Roehampton University: Teacher Apprenticeship | University of Roehampton, London

University of Hertfordshire: Education and teaching | Courses | Uni of Herts

If you share our passion to help young people flourish and go on to achieve incredible things, train to teach with us. We offer a range of wellbeing and employment benefits. 

Our values

Driven by our Catholic ethos, we’re building a Cathedral of education which welcomes children of all faiths and none – every child that passes through our school gates matters.

This work starts with nurturing and developing our staff. As a Trust, we deliver National Professional Qualifications, trust-wide and school-wide training days and mentoring.

Benefits you’ll enjoy as a trainee teacher

• Experienced mentors
• A guaranteed interview at a DoWAT school should a suitable role arise.
• Opportunity to build relationships with other trainees and staff

Benefits you’ll enjoy if you choose a career with us

• Competitive salary
• Access to National Professional Qualifications
• Opportunity to mentor others
• Pension
• Wellbeing and support networks

Train with award winning providers

• DoWAT is the country’s top performing mid-size multi-academy trust
• DoWAT is the country’s top performing Catholic multi-academy trust
• St Mary’s University is Gold for student experience (the Teaching excellence framework, 2023)
• St Mary’s University is Top 5 in the UK for teaching quality (the Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2024)
• University of Hertfordshire is 1st in the UK for teacher training (Daily Mail University Guide, 2025)
• University of Hertfordshire is 1st in the UK for support (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey, 2024)
• University of Hertfordshire is 1st in the UK for overall satisfaction in teacher training (NSS, 2021)
• University of Roehampton is ranked 8th in England for undergraduate student satisfaction (National Student Survey 2024)
• University of Roehampton is the Top modern university in London in Education (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Oftsed "Outstanding": Ofsted rates University of Roehampton primary age courses as "Outstanding" (2023 report). 

Who is the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust (DoWAT)?

Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust is the country’s top performing Catholic Multi Academy Trust (MAT) with six secondary schools and 5 primary schools.

What is Initial Teacher Training?

Initial Teacher Training (ITT) is a fully immersive, school centred training programme that will give you Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and allow you to hone your teaching skills in a classroom, right from the beginning.

You’ll spend most of your time in school placements with some time dedicated to theoretical learning. Your training will include a combination of:

• unobserved and observed teaching
• taught sessions
• seminars and workshops
• tasks and assignments
• engagement with academic or professional research

The theoretical part of your training will be delivered by our partner Universities or in a Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust (DoWAT) placement school.

You’ll also have a mentor to support you in your school placements and learning who will provide feedback and guidance.

What will my training course consist of?

During your training, you’ll spend most of your time in school placements, building your confidence, working with experienced teaching and leadership teams, meeting your mentor, and developing your skills. You’ll also have some time dedicated to theoretical learning at our partner universities.

How long is the course?

The Initial Teacher Training course is 12 months long, including an exciting mix of valuable classroom experience and educational university lectures.

What qualifications will I receive?

You will receive a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) and the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). On our PGTA you receive QTS only.

How often will I spend in a school placement?

You will receive 120 days of classroom experience. You will have placements at a minimum of two schools. This means that by the end of the year, you will be fully equipped with the skills needed to work in any school.

The course has a gradual build-up into teaching. You can plan, teach, and share classes with the class teacher as you learn and develop your confidence. This means that when you fully take over teaching, you are well prepared and have an enjoyable, successful experience.

Where might by school placement be?

We offer placements across Hertfordshire and London in any of our DoWAT schools:

• Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School, Secondary School, Ofsted ‘Good’
• Our Lady Catholic Primary School, Primary School, Ofsted ‘Good’
• St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School, Primary School, Ofsted ‘Good’
• St Claudine’s Catholic School for Girls, Secondary School, Ofsted ‘Good’
• St John’s Catholic Primary School, Primary School, Ofsted ‘Good’
• St Mark’s Catholic School, Secondary School, Ofsted ‘Outstanding’
• St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Primary School, Ofsted ‘Outstanding’
• St Michael’s Catholic High School, Secondary School, Ofsted ‘Outstanding’
• St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Primary School, Ofsted ‘Good’
• The Douay Martys Secondary School, Secondary School, Ofsted ‘Good’
• The Saint John Henry Newman School, Secondary School, Ofsted ‘Good’

How long will I spend at University?

You will spend 40 days at university.

Am I guaranteed a job after my training?

Upon completing your training, if a teaching position matching your subject area becomes available within our schools, you’re guaranteed an interview for the position.

What are the entry requirements?

You will need an honours degree (2.2 or above). We may consider alternatively well-qualified mature candidates.

You will also need GCSE Grade C/4 in English Language and Mathematics GCSE, or the equivalent.

What is the fee for this course?

The tuition fee for this course is £9,250 payable to the University, for 2025–26. Fees for international students will be £17,970. Fees for international students applying for University of Hertfordshire are £22,450.

Is there any financial help available?

You may be eligible for a bursary. Bursaries are grants that do not require repayment and are tax-free. They are meant to assist with your training and are distributed in 10 equal monthly instalments throughout the training. To qualify for a bursary, you must hold a bachelor’s degree with a 2:2 (honours) or higher.

The Department for Education’s (DfE) bursaried subjects for 2026, visit ‘Get into Teaching’ website tab: Funding & Support (Teacher training bursaries | Get Into Teaching GOV.UK

You may also be eligible for a student loan while you study, but you will have to apply for that. You can take out a student loan even if you already have an undergraduate loan.

Loans for tuition fees are not means tested (whereas loans for maintenance are means tested), but you should confirm all this using the same ‘Funding your training’ tab here: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/scholarships-and-bursaries