School Direct

The NSTA, in partnership with local Higher Education Institutions, and other schools in our teaching alliance, leads a successful School Direct programme.  Our model blends the best of school based teacher training with high quality training support from either the University of Bristol or Plymouth Marjon University. Students accepted on this course benefit from being awarded a PGCE and QTS at the end of the training year, with the possibility of being employed within the North Somerset Teaching Alliance (or other partner schools) the following year.

Successful candidates will benefit from the following:

1. Awarded both QTS and PGCE status at the end of training year
2. High quality training support from local Higher Education Institution (recognised by Ofsted as being Outstanding in the field of Initial Teacher Training in their most recent inspection reports)
3. Teaching experience in a minimum of 2 schools based in North Somerset/Somerset
4. All schools lie within commuting distance of Bristol.  Two schools are slightly further south and situated on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills.
5. A wider pool of peer-support from joint sessions with the NSTA School Direct cohort and PGCE students

We recommend prospective trainees attend one of our ‘School Experience days’. To book a place please contact Helen Twiggs at admin@nsta.org.uk

All applications must be completed online using the Government’s Apply for teacher training service. Unless you have a specific query, your contact with NSTA will only start once your application has been successfully completed and processed by Apply.

• Use this link to download a PDF with detailed information about the NSTA School Direct Programme and how to apply.
• Please see the Governments ‘Get into Teaching’ website for full information on funding your training, including tuition fee and maintenance loans and also bursaries and scholarships.

Our vacancies for our 2022 – 2023 School Direct Programme are detailed in the table below. Recruitment opens on the 12th October 2021 for a September 2022 start.  Please be aware that we close recruitment on 1^st July 2022.

Places are allocated as people apply throughout the year and courses stay open until they are full.  Apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment. 

Higher Education Institute links

• University of Bristol
• Plymouth Marjon University

Our current vacancies are also available on the Governments Find Postgraduate teacher training search tool

Within the search tool you an search by area or by training provider.  We are listed as ‘North Somerset Teaching Alliance’.

This will show an up to date list of available courses.