Training schools are acknowledged as being in the forefront of raising standards in Initial Teacher Training.
In Darlington we are unique in that all the secondary schools are working as a partnership and we are in fact the first “Training Town”!
Darlington’s secondary schools are working together with Durham University to provide a “cradle to grave” approach to training. This means that we aim to support the training of ALL our staff within ALL our secondary schools at ALL stages of their careers. Obviously, training our potential future teachers will enable us to:
- Promote the attributes and attitudes of an effective teacher, which include future contributions to our learning community;
- Provide professional development for staff within our schools by engaging them in ITT; and
- Recruit the next generation of our teachers with confidence in their abilities but also ensuring that they are confident in joining a nurturing teaching and learning environment.
Our schools include a number of specialist colleges: Technology, Languages, Sport, Maths & Computing and Performing Arts. One of the schools, Carmel RC College, has sixth form provision. Two of our schools, Beaumont Hill and Haughton Community School, have joined with Springfield Primary to form an exciting new “Education Village”.
Within the partnership we have a range of expertise in ITT. Carmel has a successful record as a Designated Recommending Body, Hummersknott has acted as a TTA Partnership Promotion School writing action plans for increased ITT expertise for 20 primary schools, and our schools have worked successfully and continuously with CILT on the MFL GTP Scheme.
We value our links with HEIs. Our main partner is Durham University, for whom we provide a guaranteed number of placements. We continue to maintain our links with other establishments and are open to other possibilities as they emerge.
We consider the experience of mentoring Trainees an excellent CPD opportunity which is vital to the development of the Trainees and we, therefore, provide a support programme and accreditation for Mentors.
