Graduates can enrol onto the Teacher Training Programme at any time, and we are always evaluating new applicants. Once a graduate has been accepted onto the course and matched with your school, they can begin studying at the start of the next school term.

At Engage, we’re utilising our strong links with universities across the UK to reach graduates (at university job fairs and postgraduate study fairs, for example). We’re also accepting applications from local and international graduates through our website, at which point our Teacher Training Programme team will assess each applicant for suitability.

The schools on the programme will need to select a dedicated mentor for trainees and provide support for the mentor throughout the programme. This mentor will need to attend mentor training run by the university, and work in partnership with Engage to support the trainee. Part of the mentor’s responsibilities is to meet the trainee once a week for formal mentoring sessions, which will be scheduled in the timetable, in order to review, discuss, and set targets and training activities. These mentoring sessions should be at least one period in length. The mentor is also responsible for observing the trainee and giving weekly feedback outside of the time set aside for scheduled mentor meetings, and completing a formal assessment for the trainee at least once per term.

The Engage team is always on hand to provide support and guidance for schools throughout the duration of the programme. We will work with you to ensure you get the most benefit from the trainees at your school while fully preparing trainees for solo teaching in year two. For trainees, we organise CPD and training events to support the academic aspects of the programme, and we also arrange social events and benefits for trainees to ensure trainee satisfaction on the programme. Engage also arranges for all vetting and compliance procedures to be completed, including background and safeguarding checks, before a trainee arrives at your school.

During Year One, trainees will benefit from materials provided by the university to complement their CPD sessions and prepare them for the Year Two PGCE. During the second year of the programme, the university will provide a university mentor to support the trainee through the academic portion of their study.

The cost for schools includes candidate selection and vetting from Engage, along with access to the pool of fully-screened, hand-selected graduates. Once the trainee is in your school, the costs cover all PGCE, QTS and training costs; university support and training for the school-based mentor; and the trainee’s salary, pension and national insurance contributions.

For the duration of Year One, students will regularly attend CPD events, delivered face-to-face and online, as well as providing classroom-based support for the school to gain teaching experience. The classroom-based teaching experience is arranged around your school’s needs and the trainee’s skills. Taking the context of your school into account, you can work with the Engage team to provide meaningful work for your trainee(s) which will give effective preparation for success in their PGCE and give them the skills to solo-teach classes during the second year.