Current page:
Our Trust unites all the teacher training and development work of our schools in the Centre for Teaching. Our tagline sums up our belief that your training year is just the start of the support and care you receive from our Trust. We hope to create future teachers, future mentors and future leaders who will go on to share their gifts and talents for the benefit of the students in our care. We look forward to welcoming you into our Trust family.
We offer a range of subjects, across a suite of courses, for which you can apply. These include: art, biology, business studies, chemistry, Design and Technology (DT), English, French, geography, history, maths, music, physics, Physical Education (PE) and Religious Education (RE).
We also offer primary placements across all key stages.
Visit the Get into Teaching site for full information on financial incentives for postgraduate non-salaried teacher training courses in 2026 / 2027
Three types of funding available for teacher training. You may be eligible to receive some or all of them, depending on your circumstances. These are:
An overview of the bursaries and scholarships available can be found in the tables below.
https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support/scholarships-and-bursaries
For further information please contact Anna Herdman, 07842 318153, aherdman@bwcet.com
“I’ll get thrown in the deep end, teaching classes by myself early on.”
Fact: You are part of a team from the start and receive intensive support from experienced teachers in the classroom. You won’t be teaching classes unsupported until the school thinks you are ready and opportunities will exist to build networks with fellow trainees.
“I’ll only train in one school – I want something broader than this.”
Fact: To become a qualified teacher, you have to take training placements in two schools. Trainees will train in at least two schools – and will usually spend time in other schools too.
“There’s no academic or theoretical training. I won’t get a PGCE.”
Fact: You will spend plenty of time in academic training, comparable to the university-led route. Most school-led courses result in a master’s-level qualification, such as a PGCE, as well as qualified teacher status (QTS).
“Don’t most people just go to university to do teacher training?”
Fact: School-led routes into teaching have been around for many years and have very high rates of trainee satisfaction. Last year, a third of postgraduate teacher training places were school-led.
“I won’t receive the same level of financial support that I would following a university-led path to teaching.”
Fact: School-led financial support is the same as for the traditional university-led path. There is also, unique to the school-led route, a salaried scheme for career changers called School Direct (salaried).
“I’m not sure whether School Direct is for people thinking of switching career.”
Fact: People with three or more years of work experience can apply for the School Direct (salaried) programme, on which you are paid a salary while you train, though you won’t qualify for a bursary. However, you can also apply to the standard School Direct training programme, for which training bursaries are available.
“School Direct is the same as Teach First.”
Fact: School Direct is different from Teach First – Teach First trains 2,000 outstanding graduates in selected challenging schools. You apply directly to Teach First. School Direct has around 17,500 places available in schools of all types across the country.
“SCITTs are the same as School Direct.”
Fact: SCITTs are schools which have been given government approval to run their own training courses. They can be searched for under ‘SCITT programme’ on UCAS. Many SCITTs and around 8,000 schools also offer School Direct programmes which can be searched for under ‘School Direct training programme’ and ‘School Direct training programme (salaried)’ on UCAS.
Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education HQ, Barmston Court, Turbine Business Park, Nissan Way, Washington, SR5 3NY
Copyright © 2026 Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust