GTP

The West Midlands Consortium has been involved with the Employment Based Routes for a number of years and became a Designated Recommending Body (DRB) in 2002.

The West Midlands Consortium has a total of 22 Secondary places:

Priority Subject places – 15
Other Subjects – 3
Teaching Assistants – 4

Candidates for the Graduate Teacher Programme must have a degree relevant to the subject they wish to teach.

Candidates must also have Maths & English GCSE (grade A-C) or equivalent.

All candidates must satisfy the West Midlands Consortium that they have achieved these basic requirements before the course commences

Competition to enter teaching via the GTP route is strong, and candidates are expected to be of high calibre and show a strong commitment to teaching, for example by having worked as classroom assistants or supply teachers. The GTP candidate will work in a more independent manner than PGCE students will experience.

Course Overview:

A candidate accepted by a school linked to the West Midlands Consortium will work primarily with the school department that has interviewed and accepted them.

Subject Mentors in each Training School will provide subject-based training and mentoring supported by Professional Studies training at Thomas Telford School. Each Graduate Trainee will also have a Consortium tutor, base at Thomas Telford School, who will monitor progress throughout their training period.

In addition to the Training School, there will be a second school placement of approximately 20 days that will be arranged to give a broader insight into secondary school teaching and provide additional experience that may not be covered fully by the main placement school.

Assessment of the programme includes the completion of a Qualifying to Teach Evidence Log to meet the Secretary of State's Standards for the Award of Qualified Teacher Status.

All trainee teachers have to pass the Teacher Training Agency Skills Tests in Numeracy, Literacy and Information Communication Technology.


The consortium had 100% success rate in students gaining teaching posts in 2005.