School Experience
Get a real insight into life in the classroom before you apply.
Teacher training with Shires Teaching Alliance could be the perfect next step in your career. While previous school experience isn’t essential, spending time in schools can help you decide whether teaching is right for you and give you a valuable understanding of the profession before you begin your training.
We offer school experience placements across our partnership of supportive and successful schools, providing an opportunity to observe experienced teachers, engage with pupils and gain first-hand insight into school life.
If you would like to arrange school experience, please email [email protected] or register your interest through Shires Teaching Alliance or the Department for Education.
What to Expect
School experience with Shires Teaching Alliance is informative, engaging and designed to help you make an informed decision about a career in teaching.
During your placement, you may have the opportunity to:
- Observe lessons in your chosen subject area
- Observe teaching and learning across a range of subjects
- Meet experienced teachers, early career teachers and school leaders
- Speak with current trainee teachers about their experiences
- Gain an insight into the day-to-day life of a school
- Explore different educational settings and opportunities available within our partnership
What We Ask of You
To help ensure a positive experience for everyone involved, we ask that visitors:
- Arrive on time and demonstrate professionalism throughout their visit
- Dress appropriately for a school environment
- Be curious and ask questions
- Bring photographic identification and any relevant DBS information
- Notify us promptly of any changes to attendance arrangements
- Share feedback following your visit
Register Your Interest
Our team will do everything we can to arrange a placement that meets your interests and requirements. School experience placements require careful planning and collaboration with our partner schools, so we appreciate timely communication if your circumstances change.
We are committed to helping prospective trainees explore the profession and feel confident in their decision to train to teach with Shires Teaching Alliance.