Covid-19 was a game-changer for the world of work. In the two years immediately following the lockdown, people were bombarded with think pieces about how the office was dead, and how working from home was the future.
The pandemic also importantly shone a light on key workers; our teachers, paramedics, doctors and nurses – all out in the community working to make their little bit of the world a better place.
A little bit of silence and reflection time prompted many to quit their jobs in search of deeper meaning, in search of fulfillment. Giving something back and working on the frontline inspired many to think about teaching.
But of course, not everyone has the luxury of handing in their notice and training in a new career. Those of us with bills to pay and mouths to feed; the caregivers with busy messy lives can’t just jack it all in.
That’s one of the reasons we’re so proud of NIoT’s part-time teacher training offer. You can train either 3 or 4 days a week across the space of two years. This programme is open to all subjects and training routes, apart from the Postgraduate Training Apprenticeships.
You get the same quality and depth of teacher training as those on a full-time programme – only your assessment points and deadlines will differ.
“Our part-time candidates have often had higher completion and success rates due to the more manageable nature of the programme.”
Training to teach part-time is open to anyone. Career changers with parenting or caring responsibilities may find this suits their lifestyle best, as they can still access high-quality teacher training flexibly without compromise.
What does part-time training look like?
Your programme will differ slightly depending on which route you take.
However, both part-time courses include two school placements and one training day (Thursdays), supported by the University of Birmingham, who award our PGCEs.
All written learning is in Year 1, with Year 2 focusing solely on in-school training. Find out more.
Important factors to consider before training part-time
While there are considerable benefits to training part-time, you should also consider the differences to full-time:
1. Flexibility with school placement location and ability to travel: We’re school-led so we want to make sure you get as much time as possible within a placement school. However, some schools can’t accommodate part-time trainees, so we ask that you be open to a potentially longer commute to one that can support you.
2. Cost of part-time training: It can be expensive. Our most intensive part-time offer is around £2,000 more than doing a full-time single year. This isn’t the case for all routes, or in fact all part-time offers, so please do explore your options instead of completely ruling it out.
3. Commitment for the long haul: Being in school fewer days a week can sometimes make part-time trainees feel they’re not making the same rapid progress as their full-time peers. Be assured there is support in place. All trainees have an in-school mentor and an individual NIoT tutor that helps them manage expectations and ensure they are meeting the standards expected throughout their training, at the pace appropriate to their individual journey.
So, should you train to teach part-time?
“If you have a drive and passion to help children learn, you’ll make a great teacher.”
We might be a little biased, but we think training part-time is great, especially if you have other commitments. It gives you more flexibility and space to process your learnings at a pace that suits you, whilst you juggle a busy home life.
If you want to transform lives and think part-time training is for you; we’d love to talk to you.
