School Blog
Welcome to Teacher Training with JTSCITT
This blog welcomes our new trainees to the JTSCITT, sharing more about our approach, our personalised support and building a teaching career.
Insights from Director Mike Simmons
You’ve secured your place on a teacher training course – congratulations! The months ahead will be exciting, challenging, and full of growth. But before the first lesson is taught or the first observation is made, there’s a unique window of time that many future teachers overlook: the summer before training begins.
Mike Simmons, Director of JTSCITT, believes this period is crucial – not just for rest, but for the kind of focused preparation that builds confidence and reduces first-term stress. Whether you’re fresh from university or switching careers, here’s how to make the most of your summer and set yourself up for success.
When it comes to preparation, Mike is clear: the number one priority is subject knowledge.
“Get your geek on with subject knowledge,” he says. “Review the National Curriculum and GCSE textbooks or revision guides, crack out the highlighters, and invest time in upskilling your subject knowledge that is suitable for secondary school.”
Even if you hold a degree in your subject, teaching it at a school level often requires a reset. Mike reflects on his own experience teaching Geography:
“My degree-level Geography was above and beyond what I was teaching – I had to take myself back to the school curriculum and really focus on areas I wasn’t as strong within, or hadn’t done myself since school!”
Spending a bit of time each week on this will boost your confidence. Start with the topics you feel less secure in – they’re often the ones that will come up first when you’re assigned your early classes.
New trainees often carry anxiety about managing classroom behaviour, but Mike reassures us this is a focus point of the course – and something you’ll be supported with from the start.
Rather than worrying, Mike advises channelling energy into preparation that’s in your control – such as building your subject expertise.
If you’re keen to dip your toe into the world of teaching without overloading yourself, Mike recommends exploring professional reading.
Begin to engage with subject-specific content, but don’t feel pressured to dive into pedagogy just yet that will come as part of the training. Instead, seek out reputable resources that support your understanding. Two easy entry points are the EEF (Education Endowment Foundation) Guidance Reports and Ofsted Research Reviews. These provide valuable insights into evidence-informed teaching, in a digestible format.
It might sound counterintuitive, but one of the most powerful ways to prepare is to rest. Teaching is an incredibly meaningful profession, but it comes with intensity – so don’t run into it already depleted.
“You have to learn to set boundaries and continue to do those activities that allow you to have some rest and downtime from the day-to-day stresses of the role,” says Mike.
His advice? “Block book those squash courts, get those new shoes ready for the autumn Park Runs, book in time to see friends and family or invest in relaxing activities that can provide that brain space.”
A rested teacher is a better learner – and a better practitioner.
We asked Mike what three things would top his summer prep checklist:
The summer before your training year isn’t about doing everything – it’s about doing the right things. By investing in your subject knowledge, gaining light-touch familiarity with educational research, and taking care of your mental wellbeing, you’ll walk into your training year feeling informed, prepared, and energised.
So enjoy your summer – and use it well. The classroom awaits.
Applications for the 2025/2026 training year are still open. Get in touch below for more info.
This blog welcomes our new trainees to the JTSCITT, sharing more about our approach, our personalised support and building a teaching career.
Nervous to start your teacher training with us? In this blog, Mike Simmons, Director of JTSCITT, shares more about your first week so you can start your teaching journey with us feeling prepared and confident.
In this blog, our Director, Mike Simmons, celebrates his 10th year of leading individuals through initial teacher training. He share some of his career highlights as well as his learnings.
We spoke to Nicola Price, Headteacher of Fountains Primary School and Elmsleigh Infant and Nursery School, about her experience with past JTSCITT trainees. She shared what sets them apart, their top qualities and her views on the JTSCITT training programmes.
