Developing Your School Workforce Through Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Partnerships: A Strategic Opportunity

A central part of a school's success lies in the strength and stability of its teaching workforce. In an era where recruitment and retention are increasingly challenging, strategic partnerships with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers offer a practical and sustainable solution.

Why ITT Matters

Shaping a staffing strategy that supports continuous improvement can be enhanced by partnering with ITT providers, through:

• Securing a talent pipeline: Hosting trainees allows schools to assess potential recruits early, often leading to successful, well-matched appointments.
• Building staff capacity: Mentoring trainees can boost the leadership and coaching skills of existing staff, particularly middle leaders.
• Enhancing school reputation: Schools that engage in ITT partnerships demonstrate a commitment to the wider education community, increasing their attractiveness to applicants.
• Contributing to sector development: Supporting trainee teachers is an investment not only in your school, but in the future quality of education across the system.

How ITT Partnerships Work

Schools can partner with universities, SCITTs (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training), and other accredited providers to host trainee teachers in a variety of routes into the profession. These trainees undertake school placements as part of their qualification, often bringing fresh enthusiasm, up-to-date research knowledge, and a desire to learn from experienced professionals.

We are fortunate enough to have a number of high-quality ITT providers operating in Norfolk - find out more about them, and the different routes they offer here:

CPD Routes into Teaching 

Within this, providers such as UEA, recruit from overseas to specifically boost the pool of talent available for secondary shortage subjects in our county:

Developing your workforce in shortage subjects: Time to look at international talent?

When engaging in ITT partnerships, leaders should:

• Establish and maintain partnerships with high-quality ITT providers.
• Allocate appropriate time and resources for mentoring and training.
• Evaluate the impact of ITT involvement on staff development and pupil outcomes.

A Long-Term Investment

While there is a time investment in mentoring and supporting trainees, the return is significant. Schools that actively engage with ITT often report greater success in recruiting committed, high-quality teachers who understand the school's ethos and expectations from day one.

Support and advocacy of ITT, along with embedding it into your school's strategic planning can make a critical difference to the strength and stability of a school, workforce. It's not just about filling vacancies—it's about growing your own future teaching talent and strengthening the school community from within. If you are interested in exploring an ITT partnership, do get in touch via the contact details which can be found in the web area signposted earlier, offering information and videos from each provider.

In today's educational landscape, fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) feels essential for creating a supportive and effective teaching workforce that reflects the lived experiences of the students we serve. To learn more about the role of ITT recruitment in teacher diversity, making teaching a sustainable career for all and breaking  down barriers and creating opportunities in leadership, take a look at this blog by Susi Waters, Operations Manager at Norfolk Research School or watch this video about DEIB in teaching and system leadership.