Guernsey Institute’s Initial Teacher Training post-graduate certificate course has been successfully validated following a review and will be offered from September.
Expanding on previous, similar courses run on island the new training will now be available to any undergraduates, members of the community with degrees or existing members of education staff who wish to become a primary or secondary teacher. It will enable them to train right here on island, and the trainees will receive sponsorship (including a bursary) from the States of Guernsey.
During the training year trainees will spend the majority of their time in schools and will work across at least two education settings.
Education across Great Britain is currently facing recruitment challenges, and in some areas of our schools and education settings, those challenges are reflected locally.
By being able to train our own teachers through a scheme that financially exceeds any offers in the UK – where you often have to pay for your training, rather than earning while you learn – it is hoped we will be able to organically ease these recruitment pressures using local staff teaching in local schools.
Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said: “We are very pleased to be able to now offer this validated course thanks to The Guernsey Institute’s partnership with Middlesex University. “Growing our own” is key to Guernsey’s success in the future and being able to ensure our community can train and teach our next generation of teachers is very important to us as a Committee. What is particularly pleasing is the fact that the course we are offering ensures trainees can ‘earn while they learn’ – an offering better than almost any that can be found in the UK. This is really important as we want to incentivise and reward those who have a vocation to teach on island by training locally. We think this is a very valuable investment.”
Nick Hynes, Director of Education, said: “The ability to train our own teachers right here on island is invaluable at a time when we – like the UK – continue to face recruitment issues. By having well established and highly regarded training and pathways for professional development in the teaching profession, we can ensure that our students have the best education they can, and our staff are properly equipped to deliver that education.
“The training contract will see trainees complete a minimum of three years teaching in Guernsey after they qualify, to make sure we can upskill our own; they can give back to the community and pass their knowledge and skills on to the next generation of learners.
“I’d like to thank and congratulate the team at The Guernsey Institute who have brought this course together. They have worked hard to ensure the course will give the trainees the experience and training they need, and this work was recognised by the validating panel who gave them four commendations in recognition of the range of expertise across the training team.”
Jacki Hughes (pictured), Executive Principal of The Guernsey Institute, said: “Alongside practical training working in education settings, trainees will receive bespoke training including phase and subject specific training, all designed and delivered by our specialists at The Guernsey Institute. After candidates complete their training, they will be qualified as Guernsey Qualified Teachers for one year, after which they can apply for Qualified Teacher Status with the UK’s Department of Education.”
