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Our applications are open from October 2024 until July 2025. We have small cohort numbers to ensure a model of bespoke support for all trainees. This means that competitive subjects can fill during the recruitment cycle, so if you are keen to apply to Leeds SCITT, we would recommend putting in an application and getting in touch with us.
Once you have researched your chosen course on our website, you will need to complete and submit your application via Apply, which is the Department for Education’s platform for managing all your ITT applications. We aim to make the application as smooth and stress-free as possible for you, as we are aware this can be a nerve-racking time as you wait to hear from us and begin to prepare for your interview. Once we receive your application, we aim to review these and get back to you within a relatively short time frame.
During the interview, we will discuss placements with you, as we are aware this can be an area where applicants have questions. Every year, we extend our network of partner schools to ensure that trainees have access to high-quality training and placement experiences.
To support you in your application process, please follow the steps below:
Visiting a School
We always recommend for applicants without school experience to arrange a school visit prior to applying. This will help you to deepen your understanding of teaching and of the secondary school environment. Perhaps things are quite different to your own school experience as a student, or maybe they are just as you had expected. Either way, it is important that you are confident that working with young people is the right choice for you, and the only way to tell for sure is to immerse yourself in a school environment. We offer Lead School Experience Days, which give you the chance to meet your Subject Lead Tutor, see the school where you’ll be based at the beginning of the course and possibly even meet some current trainees. To arrange a visit, please contact us.
If you already have links to a school and would be interested in doing a placement there during the course, please share this with us during the interview.
Research the Course
Take a good look at the information on our Secondary Subject Pages to learn about the course offer. All our courses are school-centred, meaning you will learn from a practising teacher in your Lead School from very early on in the course. We believe this is the best way to support you to develop into an excellent teacher. There will still be some elements of the course that are delivered on campus at Leeds Trinity University. For more information, please see Course Structure & School Placements. Next, check your eligibility for the course and course fees. Some courses have a bursary or scholarship available. For more information, please refer to the Finance section on our FAQs page.
Draft an Application
In the personal statement, we are looking for applicants who can show a real passion for their subject and a desire to work with young people. We ask that you include full details of all previous work and study to allow a good assessment of your subject knowledge, relevant experience, and potential to join the course. For support on how to create a high-quality application, we recommend visiting Get Into Teaching GOV.UK, where you can also chat with an adviser.
We recognise some candidates may refer to generative AI, such as ChatGPT to help them to structure an application, but if the application is fully formulated in this way, we do tend to find that these are unsuccessful as they are too generic and not specific to the subject, nor relevant enough to the individual applying. We are also asked to report fraudulent applications to the DfE.
Now is a good time to check you have ready access to your documentation such as qualification certificates, as you will be asked to provide proof of these later in the process.
Submit Application
It looks like you are ready to Apply! Make sure you double check the information on your application carefully and get someone to proof-read it. Our Institution Code name is LDSS and our Institution Code is L26. Use the specific course code listed on each of the Leeds SCITT Secondary Subject Pages.
Pre-Interview Tasks
If successful, you will be contacted to arrange an interview date and time. We will share with you the pre-interview tasks you will be required to prepare. We ask you to send these to us 24 hours prior to the interview, so that the interview can run smoothly, and the panel have a good understanding of your subject knowledge.
We offer a supportive process and want to ensure that you understand what is expected of you, as well as having chance to ask any questions prior to interview. *With international candidates, we are unable to make phone calls, so please send any queries or questions to the admissions team from whom you receive your interview invitation.
For more information regarding the pre-interview tasks please visit our FAQ’s page.
Online Interview
This will take place on TEAMs and lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. The panel usually consists of two colleagues who have a background in teaching in secondary schools and who work on the SCITT programme in a variety of roles. We would like to get to know you during the interview, and to understand your motivations for teaching your subject in a secondary school. We will discuss prior experiences, transferable skills, and your subject knowledge. During the interview you will also present for 5-minutes, so that we can assess your presentation and communication skills and subject knowledge in action – this is the only section of the interview that is recorded.
Receive an Offer
Following the interview, if you are successful, one of the interviewing team will get in touch with you to make you a conditional offer of a place on our PGCE course. The DfE Apply system may take a day or two to update and show your offer, once it appears there, you will need to click to accept.
All offers have the following conditions which must be met by 31st July 2025: award of an honour’s degree, GCSEs in English and Maths at grade C or 4 or above (or accepted equivalents), a satisfactory medical report, two satisfactory references from professional email accounts and a satisfactory DBS Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Some candidates may also be required to complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course. Other conditions for international applicants may include: a suitable international police check, satisfactory pre-CAS interview and satisfactory IELTS academic result.
Pre-Course Support
Following your acceptance of our offer, we will be in touch with you to arrange an online pre-course meeting. During this meeting, we will discuss how we can best support you in your preparations prior to September. We offer guidance about subject knowledge, put you in touch with your Subject Lead Tutor and give you access to an online suite of resources that you can use to deepen your understanding of the course and your subject area.
Course Begins
Well done! You’re now ready to embark on what will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting, busiest, and formative years of your life! We will start the course in the first week of September on campus at Leeds Trinity University, who are our Lead Delivery Partner. We can’t wait to meet you!
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