About Us

Welcome to our website. I am Amy Pearce and Director of Teach South West.

As a part of Westcountry Schools Trust (WeST) we run Initial Teaching Training Programmes in a number of subjects in conjunction with Exeter University.  All our programmes lead to a University of Exeter PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Key Points:

We work with 31 secondary schools and many primary schools to deliver a fantastic programme of opportunity.

Exeter University is an outstanding ITT provider in the South West

Ivybridge Community College is your ‘home’ school (additional to your two placement schools) and is a support network for all your training needs

You have a Lead Mentor and a Reflective Mentor in each placement, as well as a University Visiting Tutor (UVT)

We differ from a traditional Exeter PGCE route at the University in that:

You are in schools from the start of term and so get to see how all teachers and even Early Career Teachers (ECTs) set up their lessons and start the new school year

You will be a part of a supportive network of trainees working across a variety of subjects to share practice and develop your cross-curricular links to your subject

Your initial contrasting phase placement (1 week) i.e. primary or secondary experience week prior to the programme start at Exeter is organised by Teach South West and is near to your home where possible

Your two primary or secondary placement schools are allocated in discussion with you following acceptance onto the course. Throughout the Autumn term you have an ‘open door’ in your first placement school so that you can continue to learn on the job whilst learning the pedagogy at university

Your initial weeks in your home school will enable you to better understand the working practices of any school prior to starting theoretical pedagogy at University

You have an opportunity to teach from the start and to have taught at least one whole lesson prior to January thus preparing you for applications and interviews

 You will have a Lead Mentor, Reflective Mentor, UVT and a Trainee Liaison Mentor who has recently completed the programme and of course me, Amy, your course lead at Ivybridge who is there to support, encourage and help you to succeed and get your ECT post the following September

We are looking to recruit you not just as a trainee teacher but as a Early Career Teacher (ECT) in our schools for the future in the South West

    Need more information? Get in touch

    Summary

    We want to support and develop you now and in the future as an outstanding practitioner in your subject field. Our aim is to ensure you bring sound subject knowledge which you are ready to teach and ensure you get access to continued high quality professional development as well as interview and job application support in our Schools and Colleges may like to appoint you as their ECTs in September.