School-Centred Initial Teacher Training [Primary]
The Gateway Learning Community (GLC) In Partnership with Orion Education



The Gateway Learning Community (GLC) is working in partnership with Orion Education to provide School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a PGCE. This one-year, school-based, research-led training programme gives you plenty of hands-on experience and allows you to train to teach right here in a GLC academy.
As a trainee teacher at the GLC, you will train in one of our diverse primary schools across Tilbury and Chadwell St. Mary—including Lansdowne Primary Academy, Tilbury Pioneer Academy, Gateway Primary Free School, or Herringham Primary Academy. You will gain a second placement experience at another of our contrasting schools, have opportunities to apply for relevant Early Career Teacher (ECT) roles within our community, and further develop your career across our growing Trust.
This is ideal for people who are eager to learn on the job and make a difference in their local community from day one. As a trainee, you will be interacting every day with pupils and working as a dedicated member of the teaching staff in a school local to you, embodying our core values: Resilient, Responsible, Compassionate, and Aspirational.
How School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) Work
At the start of the programme in September, you will have two weeks of intensive training which will focus on the core areas of teaching, such as behaviour management and lesson planning. You will have a further two separate weeks of intensive training later in the year.
Following your initial two weeks of training, you will spend 4 days a week working alongside expert practitioners to develop as a teacher. Your main placement will be in a GLC academy or a school we work in partnership with. You will spend your time with other expert teachers, observing their lessons, learning how to plan and deliver exceptional education, and practising your own teaching. Throughout your journey, you will work closely with a highly skilled and knowledgeable mentor.
You will have one day a week to engage in training and development to support your teaching practice. This weekly training day is expertly designed and sequenced to ensure you are focused on the areas of teaching that are most relevant to that point in the year. The training will include a mixture of online and face-to-face elements to ensure that you develop the knowledge and skills needed to become a great teacher, gain your Qualified Teacher Status, and earn your PGCE.
Courses We Offer
Primary 3-7
Primary 4-11
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply you will need:
- An undergraduate degree or equivalent.
- Grade 4 (C) or above in English, Maths, and Science GCSEs, or equivalent qualification.
Please note: We will not consider candidates with pending GCSEs. Functional skills qualifications are not equivalent to Maths and English GCSEs. Most equivalency test providers are accepted, but you will need to have passed your GCSE equivalency test before applying to our programme; we cannot process your application until you have passed.
Fees and Financial Support
You will be registered as a full-time student throughout the programme and will have access to lots of student benefits. If eligible, you can apply for a tuition fee loan to cover your teacher training, so you do not need to pay course fees upfront, as well as a maintenance loan to help with living costs.
You can still apply for a tuition fee and a maintenance loan if you already have a student loan, and regardless of whether you receive a teaching bursary or scholarship. You will only have to make loan repayments once you are earning.
We encourage potential applicants to check on the Department for Education's website to find out more about funding options: getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support
How to Apply
Visit www.gov.uk/apply-for-teacher-training and choose Orion Education as a provider. Someone will then contact you directly with information about the next steps in the application process. All offers are subject to satisfactory results from necessary pre-employment checks.
For further information or to arrange a tour of one of our academies, please contact us:
Tel: 01375 489000
Email: glc-communications@theglc.org.uk
Address: The Gateway Learning Community, Marshfoot Road, Tilbury, Essex, RM16 4LU
Partner Website: www.orionedu.org.uk








