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Interview Process

We invite applicants who successfully meet the application criteria to attend a Selection Event at Horizon Community College.

The event will be led by staff from our partnership schools along with a staff member from Tykes Teaching Alliance. The event will last approximately two to three hours and will include:

A meet & greet – an introductory talk about the course and Tykes Teaching Alliance A learning walk – where you will be shown around school by a group of pupils An individual interview A teaching task

At this stage we assess your;

ability to communicate clearly, both orally and on paper
knowledge of the area of education you are interested in
interest in, and commitment to, a career in teaching
ability to work effectively with children in an educational setting (for primary education courses you will need to bring the reference from the educational setting you attended)

Please note that we are conducting Selection Events remotely via Zoom.

Secondary courses

Biology (11-16) (AE36)

On successful completion of the course students are awarded QTS, PGCE, comprising 60 credits at Master Level 6. Students are placed in two highly performing schools, mentored by good and outstanding teachers. They will experience all aspects of school life which is invaluable when applying for future teaching positions. Students will spend more than 120 days in schools on placement. We arrange for students visit provision to increase their awareness of where children transition from and to (pre and post secondary), providing a holistic understanding of children’s progression. Students will also have the opportunity to view best practice for SEN and EAL children. Students will spend the vast majority of their time at Horizon Community College. After February half term students will spend 4 weeks in an alternative placement school. Located in a suite of state of the art, fully resourced labs, the Science Department at Horizon offers a fantastic environment in which to begin your teaching journey. In total we have 7 full Science labs, 6 STEM rooms and one electronics room – all of which are maintained and resourced by two experienced lab technicians. Our schemes of learning aim to equip students with the knowledge, skills and mindset that will enable them to succeed to potential in their Science GCSEs and prosper in post-16 opportunities beyond this. We provide many opportunities for students to visit places of significant scientific interest in both Britain and Europe, and our dedicated STEM lead is currently planning a trip to CERN in Geneva for some of our keenest scientists. The Department has a wealth of experience in developing early career teachers, so why not come and join this excellent team!

Chemistry (11-16) (AE37)

On successful completion of the course students are awarded QTS, PGCE, comprising 60 credits at Master Level 6. Students are placed in two highly performing schools, mentored by good and outstanding teachers. They will experience all aspects of school life which is invaluable when applying for future teaching positions. Students will spend more than 120 days in schools on placement. We arrange for students visit provision to increase their awareness of where children transition from and to (pre and post secondary), providing a holistic understanding of children’s progression. Students will also have the opportunity to view best practice for SEN and EAL children. Students will spend the vast majority of their time at Horizon Community College. After February half term students will spend 4 weeks in an alternative placement school. Located in a suite of state of the art, fully resourced labs, the Science Department at Horizon offers a fantastic environment in which to begin your teaching journey. In total we have 7 full Science labs, 6 STEM rooms and one electronics room – all of which are maintained and resourced by two experienced lab technicians. Our schemes of learning aim to equip students with the knowledge, skills and mindset that will enable them to succeed to potential in their Science GCSEs and prosper in post-16 opportunities beyond this. We provide many opportunities for students to visit places of significant scientific interest in both Britain and Europe, and our dedicated STEM lead is currently planning a trip to CERN in Geneva for some of our keenest scientists. The Department has a wealth of experience in developing early career teachers, so why not come and join this excellent team!

English (11-16) (AE29)

On successful completion of the course students are awarded QTS, PGCE, comprising 60 credits at Master Level 6. Students are placed in two highly performing schools, mentored by good and outstanding teachers. They will experience all aspects of school life which is invaluable when applying for future teaching positions. Students will spend more than 120 days in schools on placement. We arrange for students visit provision to increase their awareness of where children transition from and to (pre and post secondary), providing a holistic understanding of children’s progression. Students will also have the opportunity to view best practice for SEN and EAL children. Students will spend the vast majority of their time at Horizon Community College. After February half term students will spend 4 weeks in an alternative placement school. At Horizon, an English teacher is someone with a fierce love of their subject, who is talented, motivated and can inspire students to achieve their full potential. We have a splendidly diverse mix of experience and talent within a large team of staff who are enthusiastic about innovation, collaborative in their working practices and committed to raising standards. A particular benefit for staff that are new to the profession is the individually tailored support they will receive within the department from English colleagues with designated mentoring responsibilities. As part of this dynamic and successful team, you should therefore be committed to achieving the highest standards and possess the creativity to maximise the use of our state-of-the-art resources and facilities. We are proud of what we have achieved at Horizon thus far, but we firmly believe that the best is yet to come: we invite you to play your role in that journey!

Geography (11-16) (AE30)

On successful completion of the course students are awarded QTS, PGCE, comprising 60 credits at Master Level 6. Students are placed in two highly performing schools, mentored by good and outstanding teachers. They will experience all aspects of school life which is invaluable when applying for future teaching positions. Students will spend more than 120 days in schools on placement. We arrange for students visit provision to increase their awareness of where children transition from and to (pre and post secondary), providing a holistic understanding of children’s progression. Students will also have the opportunity to view best practice for SEN and EAL children. Students will spend the vast majority of their time at Horizon Community College. After February half term students will spend 4 weeks in an alternative placement school. Ensuring students understand the world in which they live lies at the heart of the Geography Department at Horizon. The future of our planet has never been more at risk and so our aim is to equip students with geographical knowledge, whilst enabling them to understand the wider consequences of mankind’s actions on the planet and human environments. We also provide students with the opportunity to experience geography in action in the UK, further enhancing their skills and knowledge. We have an excellent track record of developing and supporting our trainees within the department so, if you have the enthusiasm to equip future geographers with the tools they need to shape the future of our planet, come and join our team!

History (11-16) (AE31)

On successful completion of the course students are awarded QTS, PGCE, comprising 60 credits at Master Level 6. Students are placed in two highly performing schools, mentored by good and outstanding teachers. They will experience all aspects of school life which is invaluable when applying for future teaching positions. Students will spend more than 120 days in schools on placement. We arrange for students visit provision to increase their awareness of where children transition from and to (pre and post secondary), providing a holistic understanding of pupil's progression. Students will also have the opportunity to view best practice for SEN and EAL children. Students will spend the vast majority of their time at Horizon Community College. After February half term students will spend 4 weeks in an alternative placement school. Built around collaboration and support, the History Department at Horizon provides a fantastic environment in which to train. Our aim is to equip our students with powerful historical knowledge whilst challenging them to grapple with history’s contradictions and controversies. To do this, we embed research-based pedagogy with the contemporary thinking of professional historians in our teaching. We provide opportunities for students to visit historical sites in both Britain and Europe and embrace the chance to engage with providers such as the Holocaust Education Trust. We have an excellent track record for supporting and developing Early Career Teachers, so if you have the skills, enthusiasm and resilience needed to develop the next generation of historians, we need you!

Mathematics (11-16) (AE33)

On successful completion of the course students are awarded QTS, PGCE, comprising 60 credits at Master Level 6. Students are placed in two highly performing schools, mentored by good and outstanding teachers. They will experience all aspects of school life which is invaluable when applying for future teaching positions. Students will spend more than 120 days in schools on placement. We arrange for students visit provision to increase their awareness of where children transition from and to (pre and post secondary), providing a holistic understanding of children’s progression. Students will also have the opportunity to view best practice for SEN and EAL children. Students will spend the vast majority of their time at Horizon Community College. After February half term students will spend 4 weeks in an alternative placement school. The Mathematics Department at Horizon is absolutely committed to our vision of teaching maths for understanding. Our commitment to ongoing professional development is evident in our research driven CPD offer. We also have a strong track record of developing our trainees, with high quality mentoring and a wealth of opportunities for further career development within the Department. We create high quality schemes of learning to support all staff, focussing on full curriculum coverage and, in partnership with our feeder primary schools, ensure a purposeful and challenging transition for students from KS2 to KS3. We also offer a rich variety of enrichment opportunities, such as Further Maths, UKMT and Pop maths, to help foster our students love of numbers. If you share a similar passion for the subject as we do, then please get in touch!

Modern Languages 11-16 (AE25)

On successful completion of the course students are awarded QTS, PGCE, comprising 60 credits at Master Level 6. Students are placed in two highly performing schools, mentored by good and outstanding teachers. They will experience all aspects of school life which is invaluable when applying for future teaching positions. Students will spend more than 120 days in schools on placement. We arrange for students visit provision to increase their awareness of where children transition from and to (pre and post secondary), providing a holistic understanding of children’s progression. Students will also have the opportunity to view best practice for SEN and EAL children. Please note that during the Covid-19 pandemic we are conducting Selection Events remotely via Zoom. Students will spend the vast majority of their time at Horizon Community College. After February half term students will spend 4 weeks in an alternative placement school. Dedicated to providing all students with a broad and exciting language curriculum, the Modern Foreign Language Department at Horizon is committed to designing and delivering lessons covering a range of cultural topics and linguistic structures to the highest level. We believe in nurturing a love of both the language studied and the world that surrounds this, enabling our students to benefit from the transferable skills that language learning offers. Our team offers a unique opportunity for passionate aspiring teachers to develop their teaching craft through a breadth of experience and teaching styles. We provide excellent mentoring and CPD to our Early Career Teachers whilst offering opportunities for individuals to lead their own initiatives. So, if you have the same drive and enthusiasm as us, come and join this fantastic team.

Physics (11-16) (AE38)

On successful completion of the course students are awarded QTS, PGCE, comprising 60 credits at Master Level 6. Students are placed in two highly performing schools, mentored by good and outstanding teachers. They will experience all aspects of school life which is invaluable when applying for future teaching positions. Students will spend more than 120 days in schools on placement. We arrange for students visit provision to increase their awareness of where children transition from and to (pre and post secondary), providing a holistic understanding of children’s progression. Students will also have the opportunity to view best practice for SEN and EAL children. Students will spend the vast majority of their time at Horizon Community College. After February half term students will spend 4 weeks in an alternative placement school. Located in a suite of state of the art, fully resourced labs, the Science Department at Horizon offers a fantastic environment in which to begin your teaching journey. In total we have 7 full Science labs, 6 STEM rooms and one electronics room – all of which are maintained and resourced by two experienced lab technicians. Our schemes of learning aim to equip students with the knowledge, skills and mindset that will enable them to succeed to potential in their Science GCSEs and prosper in post-16 opportunities beyond this. We provide many opportunities for students to visit places of significant scientific interest in both Britain and Europe, and our dedicated STEM lead is currently planning a trip to CERN in Geneva for some of our keenest scientists. The Department has a wealth of experience in developing early career teachers, so why not come and join this excellent team!

Explore Training to Teach With Us

Our promise to all our trainees is to deliver progressive school direct teacher training with support, guidance and professional development opportunities.

From the outset, dedicated, experienced mentors and staff within our family of schools welcome you and support you as a member of our school community.

Our team is committed to providing the very best training at the start and throughout your teaching year. They will drive, guide and develop you to prepare you to enter into the teaching profession.

Apply

Entry requirements for the courses are a 2:2 degree, along with GCSE maths, English and science (for primary) at grade C/4 or equivalent.

All teachers are expected to be competent in Fundamental English and mathematics. Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers are expected to make an assessment of English and maths knowledge of a trainee before QTS is awarded.

The application window for the September 2023/2024 cohort will open via APPLY on 4th October 2022.

Please contact our team to find out more about your training options.

Click on the APPLY link to apply.

Learn

Tykes TA training is fun, innovative and exciting. Training with us will enable you to fulfil your ambition in becoming a future teacher.

From the amazing things you will experience and the day to day things that you will learn, you will certainly have structure and a supportive ‘family’ around you to progress.

School based learning is bespoke to all our individual trainees. You will have an experienced mentor to encourage and guide you throughout your training. You will also have additional support colleagues within your host school as well as tutors from SHU.

Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) deliver taught training sessions to ensure trainees are fully equipped to enter the teaching profession. The programme covered is innovative and relevant to the current climate and needs of the local region.

Our family of schools provides many opportunities for sharing excellent practice. Help and support is always at hand whenever you need it.

Nurture

You are safe hands, is our philosophy for all trainees. We foster a nurturing approach to all trainees and provide everything that you need to be the very best that you can be.

Our guiding principle is to support, nurture and grow trainees throughout the alliance.

We champion equality and opportunity for all and we host inclusive working environments for everyone.

At Tykes TA, we pride ourselves on a holistic support for trainees where the wellbeing of individuals is at the heart of working together. We care.

Grow

Graduating the programme means the award of QTS/PGCE qualifications (60 credits at Masters Level).

Upon graduation, Tykes TA offers all graduates support to gain employment.

95% of our trainees succeed to secure employment as ECTs before or after graduation.

We are a registered Appropriate Body for Early Careers Teachers (ECTs), therefore we can continue to support you throughout your first year of teaching and beyond.

We provide an extensive portfolio of career pathways that are available to every teacher starting their journey with Tykes TA.

We promote a breadth of continuous professional development courses, Early Career Teachers, Middle and Senior Leader training and National Qualification programmes.