From training to employment: finding the right school

Astra Partnership Trainees have recently benefited from a series of events to support them in the move from teacher training to securing a teaching job in a local school.

On the last Professional Studies day before Christmas, it was great to welcome Helen Doubler of Apple Teachers. Helen brought not only substantial experience in education recruitment but also an up to date understanding of trends in a shiftting jobs market, along with highly practical advice on finding employment.

Astra SCITT has also been pleased to be able to partner with the Astra Teaching School Hub and host a recruitment fair for secondary trainees on 8 January at King's Church in Amersham. Representatives from secondary schools and academy trusts across Buckinghamshire attended, including comprehensive, selective, non-selective and special schools. 

Primary trainees have had their own event on 17 January, again run in partnership with the Astra Teaching School Hub and hosted by Chepping View SCITT.  Trainees were able to network with staff from combined, infant and junior schools, and several academy trusts.

Both the primary and secondary recruitment events also included the opportunity to discuss ECT (Early Career Teacher) induction and the training programme for the first few years of a newly qualified teacher's career, with advice from Amanda Timmington of the Astra Teaching School Hub.

Astra Teaching School Hub also runs Astra Recruit, a source of up to date information on school vacancies in Bucks, and they welcome enquiries from schools on how to use this service - simply email hello@astra-alliance.com.

On 29 January, trainees will also have the chance to find out more about teaching in Hertfordshire.

One of the greatest challenges of training to teach is the brevity of the training year. In effect, it's no more than ten months from start to finish, with breaks for half terms, Christmas and Easter along the way. So, with such litttle time, it's vitally important that trainees are guided and supported on the path to employment.

Last year, over 97% of trainees gained employment, with the overwhelming majority going on to work in the area that Astra serves: Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.