The Application Process To ITT  - By Lee Osborne 

When you decide to apply for ITT, the get-into-teaching website (getintoteaching.education.gov.uk) offers an excess of information and guidance. There is so much on there that at first, it can be quite overwhelming. So here is how I approached it, step by step to complete my application and join the best career out there (I am a 40-year-old career changer and have experienced a few different industries). 

Deciding my course was my first step, the subject was going to be Mathematics, I had always really enjoyed maths, and my Undergraduate degree (building surveying) had several mathematical assignments, that only reignited my love of mathematics.  

But would I choose primary or secondary? First, I spent some time in primary school, this was easy enough for me as I have two children at the local primary school, I enjoyed my time volunteering, but it was clear that I would need to teach more than my beloved mathematics. Next, I sent out requests to visit secondary schools that I had an interest in. I spent a half day or full day at three different schools, after I had spent the time in the schools talking to teachers and more importantly, interacting with students, I knew that the right path for me was a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics. 

It was at this point that I confirmed that my qualifications were sufficient for my chosen course, they were, but I was informed that I would need to undertake a subject knowledge enhancement course before starting my PGCE (this was a condition of my offer). As my undergraduate degree was not in mathematics I enrolled on the 28-week SKE, and as I was still working full-time, the SKE took up my evenings and weekends, but it was a thoroughly worthwhile experience. 

Next was submitting a formal application through the Gov website (www.apply-for-teacher-training.service.gov.uk), this was a lengthy process for me, particularly when filling in the work experience, as I needed to give details of all my employers from when I left school to the present day, I left school in 1999! The next challenge was the personal statement, the way I went about this was to free-write as much as possible over a few days, coming back to my draft and adding a line, a paragraph or more each time, sometimes I repeated myself but this was only a draft, then I re-read the whole statement, rearranged, took parts out, added bits that I had initially forgotten about, then asked my partner to read my draft, and not comment on the content but rather the delivery, did it sound like me! 

Once you have collated all of the information for the application, check it, then recheck it, if you have a close friend, relative or partner ask them to look over it, remember, essentially people you do not know will be reading this application, you want it to be a good reflection of who you really are. 

I submitted my application to three different training schools and had in mind which one was my preference. As it happened, I was offered an interview at my first-choice school, and I knew that this was one of the top schools in the county. Thinking back, I went there with the view that, if nothing else, the experience of interviewing a great school would only prepare me for the future. The interview process took about 3 hours, I met some pupils, toured the school, I had to teach a lesson that I had prepared beforehand, and then I interviewed with the Head of the department and the Assistant Principal. I was exhausted at the end of the process. The assistant principal advised that I would receive the outcome by Monday (at the latest) or by the end of Friday if time permitted. On my way home I reflected on the morning and realised that I was desperate for them to offer a place, I have never refreshed my email so much in one afternoon! Then late on Friday afternoon, an email came through offering a place training at this fantastic school, the assistant principal gave me the weekend to consider, I did not need that I accepted almost immediately. 

The final stage was to undertake and pass my SKE and for all the necessary paperwork to be submitted and approved, with the enhanced DBS taking the longest. I hope this brief summary helps at least one person on their journey into the best and most rewarding profession out there!  

By Lee Osborne 

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