Our Partner Organisations
ARU
Mid Essex ITT trainee teachers complete a PGCE in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).
Those completing the PGCE with Mid Essex ITT will attend two launch days at ARU's Chelmsford campus, one in September and one in January.
Belonging Effect
The Mid Essex ITT team and trainees have been benefitting from training from the Belonging Effect since 2021. All trainees will attend an online 'virtual' conference on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging and hear from a range of speakers from The Belonging Effect. The conference is "an annual opportunity for trainee teachers to come together for a day of raising consciousness, competence and confidence when it comes to DEIB and their teaching practice."
Read more about The Belonging Effect here
Century Tech
It is a Government requirement that all trainee teachers are able to show proficiency in literacy and numeracy by the end of their training course. This is to ensure you will possess the sorts of skills that teachers are expected to be able to use in the classroom.
As with all teacher training providers, Mid Essex ITT is obliged to hold assessments to ensure that trainees hold these skills.
Mid Essex ITT aims to get these tests out of the way before the teacher training course starts if possible, and tests will start to be arranged from the January before the course starts, and held at regular intervals.
We partner with Century Tech to run these assessments online. Incoming trainees will be invited to Notley High School to take the two tests. It is estimated that both the literacy and numeracy tests together should not take more than 1.5 hours.
The pass rate is:
Literacy - 70%
Numeracy - 60%
If you don't manage to reach the required percentage on a test, you will be upgraded on Century where you will receive practice modules and be given access to resits. Tests will be invigilated and should not be completed at home.
Colchester Zoo
Towards the end of the teacher training year, the cohort will visit Colchester Zoo. This is a a real highlight of the year and is usually enjoyed in warm June sunshine.
Trainees take part in workshops run by the Zoo, along the theme of organising school trips. They are also required to complete subject-specific tasks put together by their Lead Subject Tutors.
But once this is complete, they have some downtime to wander around the zoo and, of course, admire the animals!
Mosaic
Mosaic is a teacher training and education platform, developed by Penrose Education. It has been custom built for the demands of a teacher training course and we feel it supports both trainees and mentors with their workload.
Mosaic is used by both trainees and mentors to set targets, upload observation forms, record mentor meetings and complete termly reports. It is also a 'one-stop shop' where trainees and mentors can access all our key documents and see deadlines and weekly reminders all in one place.
“Our dream is for an education sector full of happy, motivated and skilful teachers. Teacher education, training and development is absolutely key in bringing this about. We created Mosaic because we saw too many teacher training and education providers either resorting to poorly fitting, misaligned, generic tech tools to manage their programmes – or not really using technology at all, because they felt nothing suited their needs. We asked ourselves what a teacher development platform that had been custom built for the sector would look like, and then set out to make this a reality."
You can meet the Penrose team here and read more about Mosaic here.
NASBTT
Mid Essex ITT have been proud members of The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT) since 2015. NASBTT is a registered charity which represents the interests of schools-led teacher training provision in relation to the development and implementation of national policy developments.
The Mid Essex ITT leadership team regularly attend NASBTT training and events.
Notley High School and Sixth Form
We are proud of our partnership with Notley High School, which is part of the Bridge Academy Trust. Our offices are based upstairs in the sixth form building, our central training takes place in the theatre and we have a great working relationship with all the fantastic teaching and support staff here.
As with all our partnership schools, we place trainees here every year, and we are hugely grateful to the school's support.
Now Teach
Train to teach with Mid Essex ITT. Change career with Now Teach.
We partner with Now Teach, who help people take their years of career experience and turn them into a fulfilling new career.
When you join the Now Teach Network, you can count on them to support you all the way, from applying to teacher training to your first day of training and for the rest of your career.
The Now Teach Network offers guidance, encouragement and a community, helping career changers thrive in teaching and make a difference long-term. Because they know that so much of what it takes is already in you.
Register to find out how the Now Teach Network can help you thrive in your new career
Join Now Teach today:
- Free expert advice to apply for teacher training
- Two years’ personalised career-change support
- Lifetime membership to a national network of career changers
- Make an impact on young people’s lives with your previous experience
Proxima
Mid Essex ITT has been working with Proxima Education to deliver some of its training since 2023. Proxima training offers trainees a chance to engage with "digital approximations" of teaching during our four Intensive Training and Practice (ITaP) weeks. A digital approximation is similar to how a trainee pilot would use a flight simulator - it provides trainee teachers with a safe, low-stakes space for practice, feedback and reflection outside the classroom. The feedback from our trainees has been consistently good and you can hear some case studies from other trainee teachers here.
Read more about Proxima Education here
Saffron Teaching School Hub
Saffron Teaching School Hub is the DfE designated Teaching School Hub for Braintree, Chelmsford, Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford. The Hub draws together the expertise, skills and passions of our partners to deliver long-term positive outcomes for pupils.
Saffron Teaching School Hub also supports local initial teacher training providers, and is a Lead Partner for Mid Essex ITT.
Read more about the Saffron Teaching School Hub here
SEAX Trust
In 2025 Mid Essex ITT launched its new teaching in partnership with the special schools of the SEAX Trust.
The SEAX Trust is a multi-academy trust of five academies, each with their unique style and specialism. The SEAX schools are:
- Thriftwood School and College in Chelmsford
- Kingswode Hoe School in Colchester
- Grove House School in Brentwood
- Langham Oaks School in Colchester
- The Hawthorns School in Chelmsford
Read more about the SEND course here
UK Parliament
Every year we take our trainee cohort on a trip to the Houses of Parliament. This is hugely popular with our trainee teachers and a always a real highlight upon reflection of the course.
The day involves a workshop, during which the trainees can gain a wider understanding of how UK Parliament works, how it relates to Fundamental British Values, as well as curriculum links to Parliament.
Members of the Mid Essex ITT the team and trainees travel together by train to Westminster from the meeting point of Chelmsford train station. The days starts with a visit to the office space in the modern Portcullis House and a presentation/workshop in one of the Select Committee rooms.
This is followed by a tour of the Houses led by two fantastic guides, taking in the famous Central Lobby, St Stephen's Hall and Westminster Hall.
There is also the chance to see New Dawn, the beautiful light sculpture celebrating women's votes, at the entrance to St Stephen's Hall.
