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How to apply & how to select your host school

All applications must be made online through the DfE portal: Apply for teacher training

Unlike most other providers, with WLTTA we want to you choose your host school at the point of application. By choosing the school where you train, a school where you might aspire to work, we believe you are likely to have a more successful and enjoyable training year.  You can select a school which is close to where you live, or whose ethos appeals to you.   

All WLTTA schools shortlist and interview independently of each other; our university partner may also interview you, depending on the course. 

We do also have an internal referral system so anyone who does well at an interview but ultimately is not offered a place at that school, is referred on to another WLTTA school of their choice.

 THE APPLICATION PROCESS

As so few providers offer the ability to choose your host school, you can no longer (from October 2023) select your school on the DfE Apply portal.  You should however look carefully at the information we provide on the schools offering that course (in the programme information on our website and on DfE Apply)  in order to make your decision.  Once you have submitted your application, please email Pippa Currey  pcurrey@sacredh.lbhf.sch.uk  listing your three preferred schools in descending order.  We will then send your application on to the schools in that order.  (ie if your first choice school does not shortlist you for interview, we will transfer your application to the next school on your list.) 

If you are unsuccessful from all three choices (which includes if you withdraw from them) then you are free to apply again the same year and you can select another three choices.  You can now apply as many times as you like through the recruitment  year. 

STRUCTURE OF THE APPLICATION

We urge you to read the short 6-page course document for the course you are applying for before you start, just to be sure you have checked the entry requirements and have read our advice. You will find all course documents (click on the blue buttons) on the Vacancies and Course Information tab on this website. 

1. Courses

The first section is where you can select your choices. It will link you into the DfE portal 'Find Postgraduate Teacher training' to help you make your four programme choices. You can choose to come back to it later if you want to complete other parts of the application first.

How to choose your host school

Most course providers recruit centrally and then just allocate you to a school and the DfE Application system has therefore been set up on the assumption of this centralised recruitment model. The DfE is however aware that we operate decentralised recruitment, with separate interviews and decisions from separate schools on the same course, which is why you should let us know your preferred host school(s) as soon as you have submitted your application on the portal. (see above).    We believe that there are real advantages in training at a school you aspire to work in and so we suggest you gear your choice to the schools you like, whether that's on our course or with one of our competitors. 

2. Referees

It will ask you for contact details for your referees but DfE will only contact them after you accept an offer.  The offer will be conditional on the references.

3. Personal Details

About yourself, contact details, residency status, etc.

4. Qualifications

This will ask you about whether you have a Maths and English GCSE and the grade, or whether you have an equivalent qualification.  It allows you to say that you are not sure.

It will also ask you about A-Levels and your degree, or any equivalency information for these if they are not from UK.  Again there is an option to say 'I'm not sure'.

Do check the advice in our separate tabs about 'Overseas Qualifications' and 'GCSE Equivalencies' if these issues apply to you.

If you have indicated on your application that you are not sure about the equivalency of some of your qualifications, we will call you and help you resolve this.

5. Work Experience

It allows you to add your work history including unpaid experience. Schools are keen to see all your work experience not just any related to schools -  many successful applicants have previously had totally unrelated careers.

6. Personal Statement

It asks you to write about

  1. 'Why you want to teach' (600 word limit) and
  2. 'Your suitability to teach a subject or age group' (400 word limit).

If you need help, it directs you through a link to register with Get into Teaching to talk to a teacher training advisor .

7. Adjustments

It will prompt you to ask for support if you are disabled and any adjustments you might need at interview.

8. Safeguarding

It prompts you to declare any safeguarding issues. It provides information to clarify what this means.

ACCREDITATIONS