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Primary Initial Teacher Training

Tykes Teaching Alliance offers primary initial teacher training for both the 3–7 and 5–11 age ranges, delivered in partnership with Exchange Teacher Training.

Our programme enables you to observe, learn, and teach at each stage of a child’s early development. You will gain the subject and phase knowledge needed to plan and deliver the National Curriculum across Key Stages One and Two, while also developing an understanding of the Early Years Framework.

Throughout your training, you will work closely with your lead mentor, phase/subject mentor, and phase lead, ensuring you receive the support needed to become an excellent teacher.

The course runs from September to June, with a registration and induction day in August before the course start.

School Placements

During your placements, you will develop your pedagogy and practice by learning from experienced colleagues who have successfully taught in primary schools for many years.

You will be placed in two contrasting primary schools, and participate in Experience Days to gain insight into early years settings and secondary school contexts, giving you a deeper understanding of a child’s educational journey.

We consider candidates’ transport needs and, where possible, place trainees in schools that are conveniently located for their individual circumstances.

As part of the curriculum, four Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) experiences focus on pivotal aspects of training, allowing you to observe, reflect, and apply what you have learned, strengthening your understanding of the link between evidence and classroom practice.

Assessment

QTS (Qualified Teacher Status)
Your progress is assessed holistically throughout the year, measuring your development against the Teachers’ Standards and our curriculum. Assessment includes:

  • Observation of your classroom practice

  • Evidence of success from mentors, subject/phase leads, and self-reflection

  • Four review points summarised in a Holistic Review Summary

  • Final assessment against the Teachers’ Standards in the Early Career Teacher transfer document

PGCE
Assessment for the PGCE is via two written assignments for Sheffield Hallam University, assessed at master’s level, providing 60 MA credits. These assignments are academically robust and grounded in your day-to-day practice.

Upon successful completion, you will gain a PGCE including QTS, with the QTS forming the first third of a master’s degree should you wish to continue your professional development.

Next Steps
For further information about Exchange Teacher Training and how to apply, visit exchangeteachertraining.com or contact:

Dee Marsh – Director, Tykes Teaching Alliance
📞 01226 782233 📧 deemarsh@tykestsa.education

 

Primary courses

We offer primary initial teacher training for the 3 to 7 and 5 to 11 age ranges.
Our primary teacher training programme enables you to observe, learn and teach at each stage in a child's early development. It equips you with the subject and phase knowledge to plan and deliver the National Curriculums across:
  • Primary 3-7: The Early Years Foundation Stage (ages 3- 5) and Key Stage One (ages 5-7) whilst also developing a knowledge and understanding of Key Stage Two (ages 7-11).
  • Primary 5-11: Key Stage One (ages 5-7) and Key Stage Two (ages 7-11) whilst also developing a knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Framework and secondary phases.
Throughout the programme, you will work closely with your school mentor, Lead Mentor and primary curriculum specialists to ensure that you get all the support you need to become a great teacher.
School placements
With Exchange Teacher Training, you will train in the very best schools that have been carefully selected for their high-quality provision for pupils and trainee teachers. Due to our extensive partnership, you will be placed in schools local to you and we take your personal circumstances into account. During your two contrasting school placements, you will develop your teaching skills and classroom practice by learning from expert colleagues who have many years of successful teaching in primary schools. We take note of your transport needs and seek to place you in schools that are conveniently located for your individual circumstances. Placement A runs from September to February and Placement B runs from after February half term to the end of your programme.
Immersive Days and Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP)
As an integral part of the curriculum, Immersive Days and Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) experiences focus on pivotal aspects of teaching practice and provide valuable opportunities to observe, reflect and apply what you have learned. Together, they strengthen your understanding of the link between research evidence and classroom practice, while extending your experience across age phases.
  • For the 5–11 programme, Immersive Days focus on English and mathematics, enabling you to explore effective teaching approaches and deepen your subject knowledge in core areas of the primary curriculum.
  • For the 3–7 programme, Immersive Days involve visits to Early Years settings, focusing on adult interactions and the learning environment to support a strong foundation in early education.
Throughout the year, you will also take part in three Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) experiences. These provide structured opportunities to apply and refine your practice, including visits to secondary schools to observe Key Stage 3 teaching and Early Years settings to experience nursery provision. This ensures you develop a holistic understanding of the educational journey from the early years through to the secondary phase.
Assessment
Upon successful completion of the programme, you will be awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with 60 master’s level credits. These credits can be used as the first third of a master’s degree should you wish to continue your accredited professional development. QTS Assessment Assessment for QTS is continuous throughout the year and reflects your ongoing development as a teacher. Your progress towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards, and demonstrating the knowledge, skills and professional behaviours outlined in our curriculum, is assessed holistically by your school-based mentor, lead mentor, phase or subject lead, and Exchange Teacher Training colleagues. Evidence includes lesson planning, observations, reflective tasks, professional learning conversations, target setting and presentations. Your progress is reviewed at three Holistic Review Summary (HRS) points across the year, leading to a final assessment against the Teachers’ Standards recorded in your Early Career Teacher (ECT) transfer document. PGCE Assessment The PGCE element of the programme is delivered and awarded by Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ Sheffield Hallam University. You will complete two written assignments at master’s level, each designed to integrate theory and practice. These are academically rigorous, grounded in classroom experience, and provide the 60 master’s level credits that contribute to your professional development as a reflective practitioner.
We offer primary initial teacher training for the 3 to 7 and 5 to 11 age ranges.
Our primary teacher training programme enables you to observe, learn and teach at each stage in a child's early development. It equips you with the subject and phase knowledge to plan and deliver the National Curriculums across:
  • Primary 3-7: The Early Years Foundation Stage (ages 3- 5) and Key Stage One (ages 5-7) whilst also developing a knowledge and understanding of Key Stage Two (ages 7-11).
  • Primary 5-11: Key Stage One (ages 5-7) and Key Stage Two (ages 7-11) whilst also developing a knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Framework and secondary phases.
Throughout the programme, you will work closely with your school mentor, Lead Mentor and primary curriculum specialists to ensure that you get all the support you need to become a great teacher.
School placements
With Exchange Teacher Training, you will train in the very best schools that have been carefully selected for their high-quality provision for pupils and trainee teachers. Due to our extensive partnership, you will be placed in schools local to you and we take your personal circumstances into account. During your two contrasting school placements, you will develop your teaching skills and classroom practice by learning from expert colleagues who have many years of successful teaching in primary schools. We take note of your transport needs and seek to place you in schools that are conveniently located for your individual circumstances. Placement A runs from September to February and Placement B runs from after February half term to the end of your programme.
Immersive Days and Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP)
As an integral part of the curriculum, Immersive Days and Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) experiences focus on pivotal aspects of teaching practice and provide valuable opportunities to observe, reflect and apply what you have learned. Together, they strengthen your understanding of the link between research evidence and classroom practice, while extending your experience across age phases.
  • For the 5–11 programme, Immersive Days focus on English and mathematics, enabling you to explore effective teaching approaches and deepen your subject knowledge in core areas of the primary curriculum.
  • For the 3–7 programme, Immersive Days involve visits to Early Years settings, focusing on adult interactions and the learning environment to support a strong foundation in early education.
Throughout the year, you will also take part in three Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) experiences. These provide structured opportunities to apply and refine your practice, including visits to secondary schools to observe Key Stage 3 teaching and Early Years settings to experience nursery provision. This ensures you develop a holistic understanding of the educational journey from the early years through to the secondary phase.
Assessment
Upon successful completion of the programme, you will be awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with 60 master’s level credits. These credits can be used as the first third of a master’s degree should you wish to continue your accredited professional development. QTS Assessment Assessment for QTS is continuous throughout the year and reflects your ongoing development as a teacher. Your progress towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards, and demonstrating the knowledge, skills and professional behaviours outlined in our curriculum, is assessed holistically by your school-based mentor, lead mentor, phase or subject lead, and Exchange Teacher Training colleagues. Evidence includes lesson planning, observations, reflective tasks, professional learning conversations, target setting and presentations. Your progress is reviewed at three Holistic Review Summary (HRS) points across the year, leading to a final assessment against the Teachers’ Standards recorded in your Early Career Teacher (ECT) transfer document. PGCE Assessment The PGCE element of the programme is delivered and awarded by Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ Sheffield Hallam University. You will complete two written assignments at master’s level, each designed to integrate theory and practice. These are academically rigorous, grounded in classroom experience, and provide the 60 master’s level credits that contribute to your professional development as a reflective practitioner.

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Train to Teach

Exchange Teacher Training is a DfE-accredited provider of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in England.

We are founded upon a well-established partnership of credible organisations in Yorkshire and the Humber, Northeast Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire, and the North East. Together, we are committed to the importance of ‘exchange’; sharing our knowledge, skills and expertise generously for the benefit of young people in our communities. We strive to drive achievement, address disadvantage and raise the aspirations of the children we serve.

Our initial teacher training is rooted in local, credible schools. You will be immersed in classroom practice from the very start, but you will not be alone. Your mentor will oversee your learning journey along with the lead mentor, subject lead and a dedicated central team, all devoted to ensuring your success on our programme. At weekly centre-based training, you and your peers will engage with the most recent and rigorous educational research and explore what great teachers know and do. We will support you to build professional friendships during your training will last a lifetime.

Visions & Values
We believe that every child in every school has a right to high-quality teaching.

Too many pupils in the North of England do not achieve well in school. Disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils lag behind their peers at primary with the gap widening at secondary.  The relationship between parental wealth and background, and children’s educational outcomes is particularly strong. Teaching is the profession that can break that link. The future economic prosperity of our communities is inextricably linked to children’s aspirations and the quality of education.

Ambitious Curriculum
Our pioneering curriculum is informed by leading national and international academics and informed by the deep practical wisdom of local practioners.

Developed in partnership with Professor Stuart Kime, our curriculum will equip you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours you need to become a great teacher. It prioritises the elements of the Model For Great Teaching (Great Teaching Toolkit: An Evidence Review, Evidence Based Education, 2020), the most recent full-scale evidence review of what makes great teaching.

We frame our curriculum around five big questions;

  1. What do great teachers know and understand about subject content and pedagogy?
  2. How do great teachers create a supportive learning environment?
  3. How do great teachers maximise every opportunity for learning?
  4. How do great teachers activate hard thinking?
  5. How do great teachers demonstrate inclusive professional behaviours?
Training Facilities
The Education Exchange Conference Centre

Many of your core and subject training sessions, including conference days, will take place at The Education Exchange, a large campus-style facility situated in Knottingley, with excellent road links to the M62 and M1 and within walking distance of Knottingley train station. With free parking, our centre is equipped with the latest technology, including free Wi-Fi and video conferencing.

Our impressive auditorium provides the opportunity for you to learn together with national and local experts, with accompanying breakout rooms providing space for smaller groups and tutorials.

Onsite you will find a welcoming café (open Monday to Friday) with indoor and outdoor seating. We serve barista-style coffees along with a range of food options, including jacket potatoes, soups, toasted sandwiches and snacks (surcharges apply). The café caters to a variety of dietary needs and preferences.

Our Exchange Teacher Training central team will be located upstairs in the conference centre.

How to Apply
Apply for your initial teacher training programme with Exchange Teacher Training now.

The Get into Teaching website provides some useful tips on completing your application, including writing your teacher training personal statement, choosing your references and preparing for interviews.

  1. Browse the courses we have available and check the entry requirements.  You can also search for available courses by visiting DfE find.
  2. Once you have decided upon a post-graduate ITT course, Apply on the government website. You can find our unique course codes on our primary and secondary course pages.
  3. Track the progress of your application, see your interview date and check the outcome. Once we have received your application, we will aim to respond to you within two days.