Training School
Dorothy Stringer has been an accredited Training school since 1998.
Our intention is to instill a lifelong ability, passion and enthusiasm for teaching and learning in all our trainee teachers. As a city school, Dorothy Stringer has a truly comprehensive intake of pupils. As such we are able to provide our trainees with a wide range of teaching skills necessary to engage all pupils with a variety of learning needs.
Establishing the conditions in which pupils are happy and enthusiastic about learning is central to our practice; skillful, committed and vibrant teaching is at the heart of our school.
In partnership with the Schools of Education at Brighton, Chichester and Sussex Universities, we train up to 36 Trainee Teachers a year across most subjects.
Continuing Professional Development
In July of this year the school was awarded 'The CPD Quality Mark' and we are delighted to have achieved Gold Standard. This is in recognition and acknowledgement of Stringer's excellent CPD throughout the school. The award recognises that our practices and policies demonstrate rigour and sustainability in the following fields:
- A vision for CPD and an understanding of its impact on raising achievement
- An induction programme and on going support of colleagues new to post
- Effective and flexible partnerships to secure great training
- Embedded professional standards
- Curriculum development
- Performance Management
- Collaborative work with pupils, parents and the community
Routes into Teaching
PGCEs: Most of our Trainees take the Post Graduate Certificate of Education route into teaching. This is a year-long course currently run as a partnership between schools and universities in which trainees undertake two placements in different schools.
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PGCEs with their mentors
GTPs: We also train up to six GTPs a year - again in partnership with our local universities. The Graduate Training Programme enables a trainee teacher to 'learn on the job' by training at one school for a year. GTPs are likely to have had experience in other fields of work before deciding to enter the teaching profession bringing with them valuable skills from business, industry or other walks of life. It is a requirement that they have also had recent experience of working in a school, perhaps as a teaching assistant or a learning mentor.
*All our GTP positions for the academic year 2011 -2012 have now been filled so we are unfortunately currently unable to accept any further applications. Applications for the academic year 2012 - 2013 may be sent during October 2011.
Training at Dorothy Stringer: We strive to promote excellent practice through example and a tailored professional development programme. This, together with sustained mentoring and support, enables our trainees to become confident, knowledgeable and skillful teachers. We also engage our trainees in a wide range of extra curricular activities at Dorothy Stringer, allowing them to participate in the wider community of school life. Our gifted teachers, rigorous curriculum and whole hearted commitment to Every Child Matters (ECM) is the foundation for our student teachers to go forward to inspire and educate the hundreds of pupils they will have the privilege to teach over the coming years.
NQTs: Newly Qualified Teachers are those in their first year of teaching. The NQT induction year is both challenging and exciting! Support is essential to enable them to harness their enthusiasm and extend their newly found teaching skills. Dorothy Stringer provides support for NQTs and their Induction Tutors across the city on behalf of our Local Authority.
Research: We support a number of research projects from a variety of interested parties.
Beyond the UK: Part of our training ethos extends to the wider world with our links with Europe and Africa. Our exchange visits enable us to share our good practice as well as to learn from our colleagues overseas.
The Wider Community: We welcome many visitors throughout the year who wish to experience life in a vibrant, popular comprehensive school and to find out whether teaching is the right career for them. If you have any queries please email the pertinent Head of Department.
Teacher Taster Week: If you are interested in becoming a teacher, Sussex University run Teacher Taster Weeks throughout the year together with Brighton& Hove Secondary Schools. You will have the opportunity to observe classes, learn about the current curriculum and get a feel for what it is like to teach in a modern thriving comprehensive school. For further details please contact iteadmissions@sussex.ac.uk or you can download an application form here >>>
If you would like any information about training at Dorothy Stringer please contact:
Mr Robin Graves
Training School Manager
T: (01273) 852222
E: grv@dorothy-stringer.co.uk