Drama

Modern Foreign Languages

Music

Why Train With Us?

“The course is held in very high esteem by senior leaders in the partnership schools who make this esteem concrete by employing and subsequently promoting qualified trainees in all three subjects.” 

"By the end of their training year, trainees show a remarkable confidence to take risks and then evaluate the impact of those new teaching strategies."

Ofsted

The Devon Secondary Teacher Training Group (DSTTG) offers one-year, full-time, school-based, PGCE / PGCE (M) courses in Performing Arts (Drama or Music) and Modern Foreign Languages (French, German or Spanish).  These are distinctive and practical school centred initial teacher training courses (SCITT) of the highest quality, and include a strong element of performance in teaching and learning.

We are currently placed at the top of the 2009 National League Tables for school centred initial training as published by the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham.

The DSTTG is a consortium of secondary schools located in the mid, west and south Devon area, specially chosen for the high quality of their teaching and their commitment to training.  The programme is managed by Devon County Council.

SCITT trainees work alongside experienced teachers, who act as mentors. The SCITT programme is supported by regular training sessions conducted by Course Tutors, LA Advisors and arts professionals at our Newton Abbot training base.

The courses are validated by the University of Worcester who awards the academic qualification of either the Post Graduate Certificate of Education as part of a Masters or a Professional Graduate Certificate of Education. There is the additional award of QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) to those who successfully complete the course.

Our External Examiners are nationally recognised experts in their field, who together with OFSTED monitor the quality of our courses.

Devon offers a beautiful environment in which to live and study and is home to a wide range of outdoor sports and activities, visual and performance artists, and arts companies.  Special events include the Dartington International Music Summer School, the Exeter Festival and the Sidmouth Folk Festival and there are major performance venues in Plymouth, Exeter, Dartington, Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.

In summary, we offer:

A Principal says:

'We recruited two SCITT graduates in the last two years. 

Both have proved to be excellent appointments, ready for the classroom from the start.'

A former trainee says:

'The academic work is well planned, an excellent challenge to those who are serious about a career in teaching.  I had more classroom experience than other NQTs and more confidence.'