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.
What makes a teacher not just good, but a great one? To find out, we had a chat with Nicola Price, the Executive Headteacher of two schools within the Esteem Academy Trust – Fountains Primary School and Elmsleigh Infant and Nursery School. Nicola has worked with countless early career teachers over the years and has seen first-hand the difference that exceptional training can make.
During our conversation, Nicola shared why past JTSCITT trainees stand out compared to teachers from other routes. At JTSCITT, our goal is clear: we don’t just train teachers – we build confident, resilient professionals who bring lasting impact to every school they join and it turns out, we’re not the only ones who think so…
In today’s classrooms, resilience is an essential quality. Nicola shares how JTSCITT trainees consistently demonstrate an impressive ability to meet the demands of teaching.
This is not accidental – it’s the result of a carefully designed training programme that supports emotional, professional, and academic development throughout the year. By the time they enter the classroom full-time, JTSCITT trainees are ready for anything the school day might bring.
One aspect of JTSCITT’s approach that Nicola particularly values is the emphasis on coaching and mentoring. In schools like Fountains Primary, where collaboration with teaching assistants (TAs) and wider teams is vital, this training has real impact.
By building these skills early, JTSCITT ensures that new teachers are not just able to manage their classrooms but to lead and support others too – an important step towards leadership roles in the future.
JTSCITT’s school-centred approach means trainees benefit from hands-on experience in the classroom, experiencing real-life scenarios.
Rather than just learning theory, JTSCITT trainees are immersed in the everyday life of a school, ensuring that what they learn is practical, up-to-date, and immediately applicable.
Another area where JTSCITT trainees shine is in their professionalism and readiness for the world of work. Nicola notes how well-prepared JTSCITT trainees are when applying for their roles.
This thorough preparation means that from the very beginning of their careers, JTSCITT graduates are already making strong, positive impressions on school leadership teams.
The quality of JTSCITT training continues to show as trainees move forward in their careers. In Nicola’s experience, they go on to secures roles with additional responsibility. Nicola shared a success story:
Achievements like this are a testament to the foundation laid during the training year – JTSCITT trainees enter their ECT years well-prepared and adjusted to the realities of teaching, allowing them to feel capable of pushing themselves earlier in their careers.
The partnership between schools like Fountains Primary and JTSCITT is built on shared trust and a commitment to quality.
Schools know that when they employ a JTSCITT-trained teacher, they are investing in someone who is capable, caring, and ready to make a difference from day one.
At JTSCITT, we are proud to be a part of each trainee’s journey – from their first steps into teaching to their progression into leadership roles. By providing a supportive, professional, and real-world focused training experience, we ensure that every graduate is not just classroom-ready, but prepared for a successful career in education.
The feedback from leaders like Nicola Price confirms what we see every day: JTSCITT doesn’t just train teachers. We nurture resilient, reflective professionals.
If you’re considering a career in teaching and want to train somewhere where you will be truly prepared, supported, and empowered, get in touch with us.
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, Mike Simmons, Director of JTSCITT, highlights the importance of the summer before teacher training as a valuable time for preparation.
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.
