It was an exciting day in the Institute as we welcomed our 2026/27 cohort of trainee teachers for the start of their initial teacher training year with our SCITT.
The Institute auditorium was buzzing with anticipation, optimism and first day nerves!
Day 1 of their journey in the teaching profession included inputs from Michelle Moxham, SCITT Director, and the SCITT Programme Leader team; an introduction from Steve Taylor to the national and regional education context, key personnel and current priorities for the sector; and a welcome to the CLF Institute and Five Counties Alliance from Alison Fletcher.
Next week trainees are engaging in an ‘intensive training and practice’ week (an ‘ITAP’) focused on behaviour. They will be immersed in how we understand, teach and manage behaviour, learning about ‘relationships, routines and responses’ (the ‘3 Rs’!). They will spend time in schools and in classrooms, observing how teachers establish expectations and routines, supervised by lead mentors.
Meanwhile, we are looking forward to following the progress of our SCITT alumni as they start their ECT positions – many of them in our CLF and Five Counties partnership schools.
We will be welcoming them back for ECT conferences and continuing to work with them and their ECT mentors and induction leads throughout their two-year statutory induction period.
One of the huge benefits for our trainee teachers is that they embark on a continuous three years of teacher preparation and professional development with us.
We are immensely proud of our teacher training and all the alumni of our SCITT now making a positive difference to the education and life chances of children across our region.
Good luck to this year’s trainees and enjoy the journey!