Our LD Programme

Regional training & support

Each region has a dedicated Regional Training Provider (RTP) who will work with you during the first year as you complete your initial teacher training. This will begin at the Summer Institute and continue throughout your work towards your PGCE, through practice and reflective assignments. At the end of the first year, you will also make a decision about whether to begin working towards a Masters qualification during your second year.

In your second year, you will teach as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT), which will allow you to participate in your school’s induction programme. You will also continue to be closely supported by your school mentors and Leadership Development Officers at Teach First.

During the Summer Institute you will meet the key people within Teach First and the National Initial Teacher Training Partnership who will support you during your two years on the programme.

Professional and Subject Mentors are two members of staff within the school you work in who will support your professional and subject development. The Professional Mentor will oversee and guide your professional development as a teacher, and the subject mentor will support your development in your subject area (this might be a head of department or another specialist in the subject area). They will carry out classroom observations and also have one-to-one meetings to provide you with this support

The Professional and Subject tutors are from your Regional Training Provider – the university through which you will work towards your PGCE. You will meet these tutors at Summer Institute as they will run your Professional Studies and Subject Studies sessions. They will support you throughout the first year as you work towards your PGCE which, if you meet all of the requirements, you will gain at the end of the first year.

You will also meet your Leadership Development Officer (LDO) at Summer Institute. Leadership Development Officers are members of staff who are qualified teachers, often who are ambassadors of the programme themselves, who act as a central point of contact for participants. In the first year, this relationship involves liaising with the school and RTP as they support they support you towards achievement of your PGCE.

In the second year, your LDO will work closely with you using coaching and experiential learning techniques to develop your ability to independently evaluate pupil outcomes, identify causes of any problems and seek solutions.