Lead Partners

two men smiling in classroom

Discover our Lead Partner Route PGCEs (previously named ‘School Direct' PGCEs), and the Lead Partners that we currently work in collaboration with.

The University of Chester’s School of Education has a long-standing tradition of delivering School Direct PGCEs, through over a decade of well-established partnerships with local trusts, alliances, and schools. We have recently developed our School Direct programmes (now entitled ‘Lead Partner Routes’) in line with the Department for Education’s latest advice for schools. Throughout the process we built on our early School Direct Foundations, looked ahead to changes in the educational landscape, embraced the latest in the world of teaching, and further strengthened our professional partnerships with our local Lead Partners (previously our ‘School Direct partnerships’).

Our Lead Partners are committed to achieving the highest quality education and training for our future teachers, who are fully supported by a blend of University staff, Lead School Partners staff and school-based mentors, all of whom consistently and skilfully draw upon their knowledge and expertise.

Our shared partnership intent is to train teachers who are:

  • ambitious for the children and young people that they teach
  • well-equipped and prepared for a career in teaching
  • highly motivated to engage in a continuum of learning and development throughout their career
  • critically reflective, resilient, confident and creative
  • able to adapt to different learning contexts and needs
  • prepared to challenge injustice and inequality
  • able to have a positive impact on pupils’ learning, development and outcomes.

Locally, we work with Lead Partners across Merseyside, Halton, Cheshire, Shropshire and Wales, and we co-design and co-deliver school-led pathways to a PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

The University of Chester is the accredited provider of QTS and of the PGCE Award, and our Lead Partners take a lead role in the recruitment and selection of applicants, delivery of specific modules such as Professional Studies and in the allocation of their school placements.

Our Lead Partners

Teach Cheshire Alliance

Students in a classroom looking at a large globe.

Cheshire Learning and Teaching Alliance

A child playing with colourful crayons on pink paper

Alliance of Leading Learning

Children playing outdoor activities with teacher.

Ignite Institute

A group of student teachers standing outside a building having a photo taken.

Salop Teaching Partnership

A teacher in a classroom teaching children.

Severn Training and Schools Alliance

Severn Ironbridge

Shropshire Primary Partnership

Teacher teaching pupils in class with boxes of coins on a table.

Sandstone Trust

A group of female teacher training students around table writing notes and open laptop screen.

Wade Deacon Trust

Wade Deacon Trust building

If you’d like to find out more about a career in Teaching with STEP, join us in Shrewsbury or Telford in March or May.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Accredited Provider- The University of Chester is the DfE accredited ITT provider and has full and final accountability for all aspects of training design, delivery, and quality across the partnership. The University provides delivery or all academic aspects of the programme. On successful completion of the programme, Associate Teacher’s graduate with an accreditation PGCE with QTS from the University of Chester.

Lead partner(s)- have an operational and strategic role with responsibilities such as trainee recruitment, delivering training, involvement in curriculum design, supplying lead mentors, organising and quality assuring placements within their region.

Placement schools- will provide placements and general mentors. These are organised by the Lead Partner with mentor training and quality assurance run conjointly between the University of Chester and the Lead Partner.

Successful applicants to the Lead School Partner PGCE will have a significant number of training days delivered by University staff delivered in either Chester or Warrington (dependent upon degree).  In addition, expert staff in their Lead School Partnerships will contribute to their training, hosting training days within their designation Lead School. Our Partners provide a variety of postgraduate degrees in early years, primary education and all secondary subjects.

Train to teach locally- Our Lead School Partners work closely with schools within their area and they aim to meet the needs of their local schools, both in the bespoke training they offer and in meeting the labour demands in their area. This means that employment rates are high with many Associate Teachers finding initial teaching positions within partnership schools upon graduation and remaining employed within partnership schools long term.  Our alumni include those who are now working as school-based mentors, heads of subject and head teachers!

Well-established partnerships- Offering focused insight into the lived experiences of staff and students in particular regions. Lead School Partner training often incorporates specific examples from schools and other contexts to ensure Associate Teachers can connect their learning to real life experiences.

Excellent support- Our Lead School Partnership Associate Teachers are supported throughout the degree by University, Lead Partner and School staff. 

Inclusive programme– the Lead School Partner programme is accessible to anyone with a suitable undergraduate degree who wishes to train to teach. Associate Teachers on our programme include recent graduates, mature students, and career changers. Associate Teachers with additional needs and/or disabilities are provided this bespoke support to facilitate successful completion of the programme.

Yes! We pride ourselves on the positive experiences that both our Lead Partners and previous students have been happy to share:

“As a Headteacher, one of the reasons I engaged with the Alliance of Leading Learning and University of Chester was due to the thorough and rigorous application process. The support throughout the course was clearly in evidence. All ATs completed their school-based periods, and all went onto employment in education.” Phil Jones, Former Headteacher

“I am so glad I have completed my PGCE.  They have been supportive throughout the course.  I went from not knowing what I was doing to being a confident teacher!  The team are always there for you when you need it!” Previous Associate Teacher

“The staff have been so supportive and helpful, that you never feel you are alone.  The Course has been hard work, but thoroughly enjoyable and ultimately rewarding.” Previous Associate Teacher

“As someone coming into teaching later in life,  I was made very welcome and felt supported throughout the programme. I cannot recommend highly enough. They have given me the confidence to embrace this new profession with enthusiasm and excitement for all that the future may hold in the classroom and beyond.” Previous Associate Teacher

“Being a member of the partnership has provided me with the opportunity to learn from others, magpie good practice, understand the challenges in other geographical areas, build relationships and value the support we all receive by working with the University of Chester.” Siân Deane, ITT Lead, Severn Teaching & Schools Alliance

“As a school we value our partnership with the University, we enjoy engaging with ATs and the University, and find it benefits our staff too as they develop their coaching and mentoring skills.” School-Based Teacher Educator Mentor

Other than the name, there is no difference between our ‘Lead Partner Route PGCEs’ and ‘School Direct PGCEs’. Recent changes within the government’s Department for Education have led to a change in nomenclature, but our Lead Partner PGCEs are the same as our old School Direct PGCE programmes in both build and delivery. We have recently redeveloped and reimagined some of the course elements, but at its core, both the curriculum and they way we work with our partners and local schools remains the same.

Other institutions have also had name changes within their School Direct terminology, including: ‘Lead Programme Partners (LPP)’; ‘PGCE School-led’; ‘School led ITT Partnerships’; ‘Partnership-led teacher education’; ‘QTS Lead Partner Programmes’; ‘School-based PGCEs’; ‘School Connect’; ‘Provider-led PGCEs’; ‘School Centred PGCEs’; ‘Initial Teacher Training’.