The Black Pear Teaching Alliance, accredited by the University of Worcester, are committed to ensuring that teachers are equipped to ensure that children and young people receive an excellent education and are prepared for life beyond school. Our schools are vibrant, happy, safe and thriving learning communities where children and young people are at the heart. Structures and teams within individual schools and across the teaching alliance harness and share expertise widely to allow us all to develop, learn and excel together. Supportive development structures enable us all to share strengths, ideas and ask questions in safe and supportive environment to improve practice and classroom experiences.
Our highly experienced teachers, mentors and wider teaching alliance team collaborate effectively to develop tailored approaches to support our trainee teachers, allowing us to offer trainee teachers the opportunity to train as specialists in Primary, EYFS, SEND and PE .
The training you receive here will cover a wide spectrum of teaching strategies enabling you as a teacher to address many different needs. We provide trainee teachers with a comprehensive package which is tailored to their individual need.
Within our alliance we have a spectrum of schools including faith schools, first schools, nursery and primary schools and a Pupil Referral Unit situated in different types of areas, which ensures that all trainee teachers meet a wide variety of pupils.
In addition, we have experienced mentors to support you on your journey to become a teacher and several Specialist Leaders in Education working within the alliance. The University of Worcester, rated ‘Outstanding for primary and secondary teacher training’ by Ofsted, support and enhance our high quality training which ensures all requirements for PGCE and QTS are met.
“Subject leaders are experts in their fields. They have designed a programme of study that successfully deepens trainees’ knowledge of the national curriculum and, at the same time, develops trainees’ ability to teach. As a result, trainees build a secure understanding of each subject in the primary curriculum and know how to teach these subjects well. “
“Leaders place a sharp focus on preparing trainees to teach pupils how to read. Indeed, trainees learn how to teach reading from early in the initial teacher education (ITE) curriculum.”
“The ITE primary partnership is a learning community that places children at the heart of everyone’s endeavours.“
Ofsted, March 2023
Training locations
The course offers a supportive and innovative environment which will empower you to gain a teacher training qualification and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). At Worcester, you will gain experience through multiple placements in a variety of contrasting school environments throughout the year, which will prepare you for a successful transition into teaching. Placement schools are decided based on the needs of the trainee and are decided on by the Black Pear Teaching Alliance. Location is taken into consideration when making this decision and whether you are reliant on public transport should be mentioned at interview.
When on placement, it is expected that you will be in school for at least the same hours as your teacher mentor. The course is demanding and we recommend that you do not undertake a part-time job alongside the course however, if you require part time work it should be at the weekend.
Entry requirements
Qualifications needed
An undergraduate degree at class 2:2 or above, or equivalent.
Grade 4 (C) or above in English, maths and science, or equivalent qualification. In the new entry requirements for 2024, English Literature is now acceptable.
We’ll consider candidates with pending GCSEs.
We’ll consider candidates who need to take a GCSE equivalency test in English, maths or science. For details of the accepted equivalent tests, please click here.
Please click here to check the most up to date criteria for Initial Teacher Training
Personal qualities
- strong values and a high standard of professional conduct
- a genuine passion for teaching and improving outcomes for all pupils
- an ambitious and creative approach that will instil a love of learning
- the ability to critically reflect and a desire to improve practice
- strong and effective communication skills
- an understanding of how research informs and develops practice
- resilience and motivation
Other requirements
An Enhanced DBS check; You will need to pay for this.
A check against the Prohibition List. If you have lived, studied or worked overseas for three months or more in the last five years a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country of residence will be required. Further information and guidance associated with additional costs are available from the Home Office. An online occupational health check. All those on a teacher training programme must be certified as meeting national requirements for physical and mental fitness to teach, as set by the DFE. International students: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.