Intensive Training & Practice

What is Intensive Training and Practice?

Each ITAP is designed to give student teachers feedback on a foundational aspect of the curriculum, where close attention and control of content, critical analysis, application and feedback are required. It provides an opportunity to intensify the focus on specific, pivotal areas. Intensive training and practice should also build a powerful link between evidence-based theory and practice. This means that an ITAP will need to be led and supported by an appropriate range of experts. Because the main aim is to strengthen the link between evidence and classroom practice, some elements of ITAPs must take place in a school environment.

For further information please read: ITT Market Review.

How long does an ITAP last?

This year, each ITAP will last for at least 5 days, which will be a combination of centre-based and school-based training. The number of centre-based and school-based training days varies between ITAPs but will be clear if you look on the Programme Calendar which can be found on Section B of the website (LJMU Initial Teacher Education (ITT) Programme). Each ITAP is planned to ensure that all student teachers will receive at least 25 hours of planned and supported activity and at least 5 hours of expert input (this does not have to be one-to-one support).

Why do ITAPs exist?

There is a growing collection of evidence to support the value of practice-based teacher training; an approach to teacher training that emphasises the importance of neither knowledge nor practice alone, but the use of knowledge in practice. This underpins the model of ITAPs. Although there are opportunities to link theory and practice together during general teaching placements, the specific focus of an ITAP makes this link more obvious and gives greater opportunities for practice. The intention is to consolidate student teachers’ understanding of how the evidence base should shape their teaching practice, which is a concept that could be applied to any subject, phase or age range. Use of this model should also increase coherence between the theory that is taught and its practice in schools.

For further information please read: Government Response to the ITT Market Review.

What should student teachers learn from an ITAP?

There are two overarching outcomes that student teachers should gain from each period of Intensive Training and Practice:

• a strong grasp of the evidence base for the area concerned, which they can articulate, justify and exemplify;
• the ability to identify effective classroom delivery and to prepare and apply such aspects of teaching in a range of contexts.

Each ITAP has its own specific outcomes. These can be found in the mentor booklet, which can be found in Section B of the ITT Placement website (LJMU Initial Teacher Education (ITT) Programme).

How is an ITAP different from a usual teaching placement?

ITAPs intensely focus on an aspect of teaching that is considered both “specific” and “pivotal” to effective teaching and students receive feedback focused entirely on the chosen aspect. A teaching placement is more general with feedback relating to the whole of our ITE curriculum.

Will we have an opportunity to give LJMU feedback about ITAPs?

Yes. Questions about ITAPs will be incorporated into our existing surveys. This data will be analysed and used to improve ITAPs in the future. The Primary Steering Group and Secondary Steering Group will also be evaluating the ITAPs in 2023-24 so look out for invitations from the Partnership Office if you want to be involved.

Will the ITAPs be the same in 2024-25?

There will be additional ITAPs in 2024-25 and the focuses may change according to our evaluations of this year’s pilot ITAPs. There will be between 3 and 4 ITAPs on each of our programmes next year.

Do the school-based ITAP days have to take place on the days specified?

Not necessarily. We understand that calendars can vary across schools and that there needs to be some flexibility. However, the school-based days must take place after the centre-based days for that ITAPs have taken place and they also must take place within the Phase that they were originally scheduled.