Witham school urges budding teachers to train with them

The school is interested in hearing from graduates with A to C grades in GCSE English and maths, who are looking to go into teaching

The Maltings Academy is calling on trainee teachers to apply to take up their new vocation right on their own doorstep.

The school, located in Witham in Essex, offers Essex ITT teacher training, and offers those interested in a career in teaching the opportunity to work and train at the same time.

Would-be teachers looking to train will be able to spend one academic year teaching a timetable with support for four days a week at the academy, while also training with Essex ITT and the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) one day per week to gain their Qualified Teacher Status.

Trainees will spend at least two terms with Maltings and at least half a term at a contrasting school, a primary school and a specialist Special Educational Needs setting to give all-round experience.

Training starts with observing lessons, before taking on a timetable of their own and teaching under supervision.

Assistant headteacher Luke Kilvert is keen to hear from graduates with A to C grades in GCSE English and maths, who are approachable and personable, with a desire to support young people onto the next steps of their education journey.

He said: “We are keen to invest even more into our teacher training, so we can ‘grow our own’ and develop teachers within the academy.

“Trainee teachers get lots of hands-on support before their mentors step away and give them the space to develop further on their own. We would love to see more people from the Witham area coming to train to teach with us. What better way to relate to and inspire our young people than to show you were where they are now, to show you understand the community they are growing up within.

“At Maltings, we have a complete mix of students, from different social economic backgrounds. We have the ability to work and stretch those who are really able and to help those who need extra support."

One member of the teacher training team is Tashin Chowdhury, who has been training to become a maths teacher since summer 2021.

He says: “I have learnt so much through my placement at Maltings Academy, from pedagogy to behaviour management.

“Before joining Maltings, I had had classroom experience, but I was yet to find my teacher voice and to develop my classroom presence. Through discussions with colleagues, I have developed those skills and grown in confidence.

“The most worthwhile experience has been having my lessons scrutinized by my mentor and head of department; through their advice and tutelage, my lesson planning has developed tremendously and I can now plan effective lessons in half of the time, in comparison to my first few weeks of teaching my own classes.

“The best things about training in this way are the support network and the relationships you build with other trainees in a similar situation to yourself; the breadth of knowledge you can gain from established colleagues; the additional material you can access when needed; as well as the fact you complete two contrasting placements that are extremely beneficial for your development as a teacher.

“I want to be a teacher to inspire the next generation.”

While employment at the end of training is not guaranteed, many trainees have gone on to become full time members of staff at Maltings after they qualify.

Applications are invited up until the last day of the academic year in July, with training starting in September.

Interested applicants should contact lkilvert@maltingsacademy.orgif in the first instance.

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