Curriculum

Structure:

• Pre-Autumn term: Flying start – a three day programme for all NIoT new trainees, when we'll ensure that you have the basic tools necessary to prepare you for entering the classroom.

• Autumn term: You will have one main placement for the whole of this term. The course is fully immersive, which means that you’ll be teaching from the very start – but your timetable will be very small to begin with, increasing as the year progresses. You will be in your placement school four days a week and training in your campus one day a week. This means that you'll be able to learn new techniques, practise them and then apply them in school immediately.

• Spring term: You will spend four weeks of this term in a contrasting school placement. The aim is to broaden your experience and field of reference. This placement will be organised for you.

• Second half of spring term and summer term: You will return to your main placement school. This will help you to strengthen existing relationships and to deepen your teaching knowledge, as well as providing continuity for your learners.

What you'll learn:

1. Subject and curriculum knowledge: We'll support you with the fundamentals: why you're teaching an aspect of the curriculum, what's the best way to teach it, and how you can do it most successfully.

2. Planning for progress: How to plan effective, objective-driven lessons by observing expert colleagues, conceptualising and sequencing pupil progress over time, and creating opportunities for deeper learning and challenge.

3. Behaviour and relationships: How to nurture a culture of mutual trust and respect. How to create an inclusive and ambitious climate for learning, helping young people to achieve consistently high standards. How to provide a positive, predictable and safe environment for all pupils.

4. How students learn – inclusive pedagogy: How to ensure all our pupils experience success at the highest level by teaching new content, building on their pre-existing knowledge, using explanations and modelling and diagnosing and implementing strategies for all. How to provide opportunities for practice and retrieval, so as to maximise the chances that pupils will retain new information. How to avoid overloading young people with information.

5. Assessment and responsive teaching: How to draw on the different forms of assessment, in order to check for learner misconceptions and measure the depth of their understanding. How to use data effectively to support the needs of the pupils in your class.

6. Professional behaviours: How to step into the role of a teacher. What will your professional obligations be? How can you look after your own wellbeing? How to reflect on your own teaching practice and make use of the support around you. How to use wider networks and communities in order to strengthen your own knowledge.