Teacher education partnerships co-led by Keele University have supported over 800 trainee teachers and mentors during the recent Covid-19 lockdowns, benefiting over 170 schools in the West Midlands with their efforts over the past year.

Primary, middle and special school trainees are working towards their teaching qualifications with Keele and North Staffordshire Teacher Education (KNSTE) partnership, which is part of the Shaw Education Trust and has worked collaboratively with Keele University since 2014. Secondary teaching qualifications are offered through the Ormiston and Keele SCITT (OAKS), which offers the Keele PGCE award.

Since March 2020, both SCITTs and the University have continued their work with trainee teachers and local pupils, and together have supported over 300 trainee teachers, over 500 mentors and over 170 schools across Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, East Cheshire, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Shropshire.

The trainees from both SCITTs have contributed to online learning, created home-schooling packs, and supported school communities with free school meals and with mental health and wellbeing, with trainees from both KNSTE and OAKS receiving hugely positive feedback from headteachers at the schools involved.

Di Swift, Director of KNSTE said: “We have been humbled by the contributions that our partnerships have made to the national effort. Our students have helped schools to be at the heart of their communities, by sustaining meaningful learning and supporting families during the pandemic.”