Leicester and
Leicestershire SCITT

About SCITT

SCITT stands for School Centred Initial Teacher Training and effectively means that you will be training in schools to gain your Qualified Teacher Status. You will get to work with amazing teachers, seeing exactly what they do and what it takes to really make a difference.

Then, one day a week you will focus on learning the pedagogical theory needed to become a great teacher. After this you are back to your placement school utilising the learning and seeing how it is applied in practice.

In addition to the school-based training, you also have the full support of the University of Leicester. We are a full partner of the University of Leicester and so when you apply to be a Leicestershire SCITT trainee, you are automatically made a University of Leicester member. This means that you have full access to all facilities at the University.

We truly believe that our course offers that best of both worlds – extended school-based training with extensive support along with the academic rigor of the University of Leicester and the PGCE that they award to you.

The Leicester & Leicestershire SCITT

The SCITT was founded with the specific goal of improving the quality of education for children across Leicester and Leicestershire. We get to know each and every one of our trainees – their backgrounds, qualifications, skills and experiences. This allows us to tailor our course to deliver exactly what our trainees need.

We Are Teachers

We are teachers and that is what we are passionate about. We have the skills, experience and programme to help guide you in becoming an amazing teacher that changes lives. We believe that being in a classroom is the best place to learn to be a teacher. Learning theory and then applying it, so that you can really have the time needed to embed the learning and skills that you develop.

Our trainees complete training feeling confident and fully prepared to teach in a huge range of schools. Our SCITT courses always put children at the heart of all we do - after all, the reason you want to become an educator is to make a difference to children and their futures.

About Leicester

Its importance was first recognised by the Romans and later by the Danes, who used it as a strategic stronghold to control the Midlands. Since then it has developed into a major commercial and manufacturing centre, known better for the diversity of its trade than for its dependence on a single industry. It is also a historic meeting place. For centuries people of different races and cultures have gathered in Leicester, creating a rich and unique heritage. This diversity continues today, and continues to enrich city life.

We truly believe that our course offers that best of both worlds – extended school-based training with extensive support along with the academic rigor of the University of Leicester and the PGCE that they award to you.

A city rich in cultural diversity

Leicester is rich in culture and famed for diversity, making it feel like the world is on your doorstep. The city is home to one of the biggest celebrations of Diwali outside of India. It’s an inclusive city with a long history of welcoming a variety of ethnic communities and religious faiths. Eating out in Leicester can feel like travelling the globe with bars and restaurants influenced by tastes from all over the world, plus a huge selection of coffee shops and lunch spots, from independent cafes to your favourite restaurant chains.

Interesting facts about Leicester

1. Leicester hosts the largest Diwali Festival outside of India
2. Leicester is the birthplace of modern tourism
3. Leicestershire is where afternoon tea was invented
4. Leicester hosts the largest Comedy Festival in Europe
5. We're the Kings of Crisps
6. Leicestershire is home to the Pork Pie & Stilton Cheese
7. Leicester is one of England’s oldest cities
8. We’ve been 'Painting the Town Red' since 1837
9. A King Found in a Car Park
10. The University of Leicester is the birthplace of DNA fingerprinting
11. We are home to the National Space Centre
12. Leicester is an Elite Sporting City
13. Leicester has one of the largest concentrations of textile firms in the country
14. Daniel Lambert renowned as the heaviest man in England was born in Leicester
15. Frederick Attenborough (father of Richard and David) was the principal of University College (now the University of Leicester) from 1932 to 1951
16. Belgrave Hall is a world famous haunted landmark