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Month: February 2026

National Apprenticeship Week

Written by Webmaster on . Posted in CTTC News.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, we are proud to highlight the teacher apprenticeship route available at Colchester Teacher Training Consortium (CTTC).

The apprenticeship programme allows aspiring teachers to work in a school while training towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Apprentices are employed by their placement school from the very start of the year, becoming part of the staff team and learning in the classroom every day, while also attending regular centre-based training with CTTC.

In the video you can meet Lily, one of our current apprenticeship trainees. Lily shares her experience of balancing study, classroom teaching and professional development, and explains why the apprenticeship route was the right choice for her. For many trainees, it provides a practical and accessible pathway into teaching, particularly for those who wish to remain in employment while retraining.

Throughout the year, apprenticeship trainees are supported by:

  • a trained in-school mentor,
  • CTTC tutors and subject specialists,
  • weekly face-to-face training sessions,
  • a second school placement to broaden their experience.

The apprenticeship route is demanding – trainees are both employees and trainees – but it is also highly rewarding. Apprentices quickly build confidence, develop strong classroom practice and become valued members of their school communities.

We are proud to work with partnership schools across Essex and Suffolk to support the next generation of teachers through this route.

If you are interested in becoming a teacher and would like to earn a salary while you train, the apprenticeship programme could be the right pathway for you. Please contact us to find out more about training with CTTC.

Primary Trainees Take Part in Hands-On Science Training

Written by Christine Wager on . Posted in CTTC News.

Primary trainees recently took part in an engaging and practical science training session designed to build confidence, subject knowledge and classroom-ready strategies for teaching science effectively. The session was led by Rebecca Duncan, a class teacher and Science Lead at St Thomas More’s Catholic Primary School in Colchester. This was the first of three planned science sessions, with the initial focus exploring the science curriculum and developing trainees’ understanding of scientific thinking.

The session focused on developing trainees’ understanding of working scientifically, with a strong emphasis on practical investigations, enquiry-based learning and accurate scientific vocabulary. Trainees explored how to plan and adapt investigations, anticipate misconceptions, and support pupils to think and talk like scientists, while ensuring lessons remain accessible and inclusive for all learners.

Through hands-on activities and collaborative discussion, trainees were able to experience learning from a pupil’s perspective before reflecting on how these approaches could be applied across different primary year groups. The training also highlighted ways to make science purposeful and engaging, linking practical work clearly to curriculum objectives and assessment.

The session was very well received, with trainees valuing the opportunity to build confidence in teaching science and to leave with practical ideas they can use directly in the classroom.