The Grand Union Training Partnership is an initial teacher training consortium
centred on five 11-18 comprehensive schools situated in villages and small
towns West of Northampton. As well as these five partnership schools the
scheme has close ties with a further three Associate Schools, two of which are
in Milton Keynes. Most of our recruits come from the Northampton and the Milton
Keynes area
and the scheme is very conscious of its role in training local people
for employment in their home area. We provide Secondary PGCE courses, validated by The University of Leicester,
in Business Studies, English, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages,
Physical Education, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. We aim to give trainees,
whom we refer to as Associate Teachers, as much practical experience of working
in the partnership schools as possible. Each Associate Teacher's work and
programme of study is supervised by a Mentor who will take a close interest in
your development as a subject teacher and colleague. This part of the course is
complemented by a general professional studies programme provided in
co-operation with The University of Leicester. Our overall aim is to produce reflective professionals confident in applying for
and starting their first jobs as secondary school teachers. Over half of our
Associate Teachers take up their first teaching posts in the schemes partnership
schools. As a school centred scheme we are able to ensure that Associate Teachers are
involved in the classroom right from the start of the course, observing experienced
teachers teach and then gradually developing their confidence and ability to take
an increasing responsibility for the planning and delivery of lessons. Associate Teachers form close working relationships with their mentors and with
other colleagues in the departments in which they are placed. The views of the Associate Teachers are valued.They attend regular 'consultative
committee' meetings so that concerns and suggestions can be responded to
and acted upon.
