The expansion of the Training Schools programme is an important part of the next phase of the Government's plans to improve standards in education, which are described in the White Paper A New Specialist System: Transforming Secondary Education.
The establishment of Training Schools was proposed in the 1998 Green Paper 'Teachers- meeting the challenge of change'. The proposal was for a network of high quality Training Schools to develop and disseminate good practice in initial teacher training, train mentors/school-based tutors and undertake research.
Chestnut Grove Training School
Training Schools like Chestnut Grove demonstrate excellent practice across the range of teacher training activities, especially in initial teacher training and the continuing training of the whole school workforce. They are ambitious, imaginative and influential in these areas. They work collaboratively with others for the benefit of staff and students beyond their own boundaries. Chestnut Grove, for example, works in partnership with Wandsworth Local Authority and our sister Training School, Southfields Community College. The aim of Chestnut Grove Training School is to build up and share good and developing ITT practice with other schools and their training providers, both within their existing partnership networks and beyond. We are involved in a wide range of professional development and training programmes, ranging from coaching for leadership to LSA training. We do accept candidates for the GTP route into teaching. Chestnut Grove is not a Direct Registering Body and we work closely with the West London Partnership and other HE providors to provide a well balanced and professional training experience. We normally take a small number of GTP candidates each year.More information can be obtained on GTP or any other Training School services by contacting: Mr Denys Wallace on dwallace5.212@lgflmail.org