• Arrange a day or more of school experience to help strengthen your application.
• Contact your referees and explain that you are applying for a teacher training course.
• Think about how you will finance the course.
• Research bursaries and scholarship opportunities.

• Click on the image on the left to go directly to the website.
• When you have found your preferred course, click on ‘Apply for this course’. If you haven’t already created a user account, you will have the opportunity to do so here.
• If required, our provider code is 1FA.

• Prepare for interview and research the kinds of questions you may be asked.
• Look at the National Curriculum in your subject or phase. If you’re applying for a Secondary course, have a look at the GCSE specifications for your subject. If you’re Primary, familiarise yourself with the Key Stage 2 tests.
• Have a look at professional websites, such as the Chartered College of Teaching.

• Reply promptly to any emails/calls from schools inviting you to interview.
• Most interviews with Stour Vale will consist of two parts: a school-based interview and a university interview. These may take place face to face or online.

• If you accept an offer from us, we will invite you to our ‘boot camp’ in the summer term to prepare you for the start of your course.

• The university will carry out all the necessary checks, including a DBS application.
• Conditions of your offer may also include spending a week or longer in your host school before starting your training (school experience), or undertaking a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course. These vary in length from 8 to 28 weeks depending on your level of subject knowledge. It’s worth taking into account the duration of SKEs at the point of application.

Before the first day of term…

• Contact your mentor in school to clarify arrangements for the first day (this can range from car parking to dress codes).
• Check that all the relevant paperwork has been completed and submitted.
• Once the course has begun, trainees eligible for a bursary will start to receive their payments.