At The Cambridge Partnership (TCP), we work closely with our partnership schools to provide a comprehensive programme – combining the latest research-based theories and in-school experience – for trainees who wish to teach in secondary schools.
Trainees will follow a training programme covering one of these age ranges:
- 11-16 for most secondary subjects
- 14-19 for secondary subjects typically taught only in the upper school like Business Studies or Psychology
- 11-19 for trainees able to teach consistently across KS3, KS4 and sixth form during their placements.
Each trainee is placed in two local schools: the main placement is for two terms and a contrasting school for one term*. In both placements, the trainee is supported by a subject mentor who offers support and guidance through both formal and informal meetings, following a school-based training plan.
There is further support from the school’s professional tutor who oversees all trainees and subject mentors as well as organising weekly Professional Studies sessions, where trainees meet and discuss a range of relevant topics, led by in-school experts.
Each trainee is also supported by a Subject Tutor and a Programme Manager from TCP. They work closely with the subject mentors and Professional Tutors to provide bespoke guidance and support for each trainee, from calendared, formal meetings to informal one-to-one chats.
For 2026/27 trainees will attend Professional Development days one day a week, often led by national experts, spending the remaining 4 days of the week in their placement school, initially observing teachers and gradually building up their own teaching practice. The training will include 4 weeks of Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP).
Our PGCE programme** is university validated for the award of a postgraduate teaching qualification together with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). You may be required to attend some lectures at one of our partner universities as part of your school-based course. The Cambridge Partnership PGCE programme takes one academic year to complete.
Trainees can choose between the QTS only route or PGCE with QTS route.
* tuition fee paying trainees only– for salaried trainees, the main school placement is a trainee’s employing school, and the contrasting school placement (CSP) is arranged in a 6-week block during the spring half term. Alternatively, employing schools can choose for their trainee to complete the CSP one day per week for the duration of the course.
** We would not normally recommend the PGCE route to salaried trainees, due to the high workload associated with the salaried route and the additional demands of a PGCE.
