We are committed to supporting each and every one of our trainees throughout their training with us. If you feel you have any specific areas of support that you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Trainees come from a variety of backgrounds, occupations, study, and places. We will work closely with you to ensure that you are developing on your teaching journey and offer support and guidance to you along the way.
The MSC is a strong advocate for mental health. We have a dedicated Mental Health First Aider within our central MSC team, as well as a directory of Mental Health First Aiders across the Trust. We are committed to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, encouraging open conversations, and creating a safe space to transform how we discuss and support mental well-being.
Trainee Support
Outside of the MSC, trainees are assigned a subject mentor in their school. The mentor is responsible for the day to day support and guidance of the trainee. A weekly meeting is used to review a trainee’s progress and set targets for the upcoming week. The mentor will report on the trainee’s progress throughout the course and is responsible for assessing the trainee’s progress at the end of the course. Final assessment judgements are verified by an external examiner appointed by the MSC.
An Initial Teacher Training Coordinator (ITTC) also supports the trainee within their placement school. The ITTC will have responsibility for overseeing all training placements within that school. The ITTC will have fortnightly meetings with each trainee offering help and guidance, and will make periodic observations of the trainee’s teaching.
Workshops are arranged throughout the course to support trainees working towards their PGCE with input from Bath Spa University staff. With many years of experience, the MSC team will offer support and advice to trainees and their schools throughout the course through in-person meetings, over the phone or by email.
Towards the end of the course, the MSC supports trainees with teaching job applications. We have excellent employment outcomes for our trainees (above the national average), the majority of whom gain jobs within our partnership of schools. In January we have specific training on how to apply for teaching jobs, including writing a letter of application and reviewing typical questions asked during interview. We can offer further support for trainees applying for jobs by looking through their application and giving ‘mock’ interview practice.
Managing Workload
Creating a healthy and sustainable work life balance for our trainees is incredibly important to us. We incorporate the advice and guidance published in the DfE’s ‘Reducing Teacher Workload Reports’ (March 2016) and ‘Addressing workload in Initial Teacher Education’ (Nov 2018) into our support offered and keep an open door policy to our trainees.
Some of the ways we encourage a healthy work life balance are:
- No weekend or evening emails.
- Careful scheduling of tasks and assignments to avoid ‘pinch points’ throughout the course.
- No collation of evidence in files to use as evidence for gaining the teachers’ standards.
- Trainees’ lesson planning commitment decreases as they demonstrate competence, allowing them to plan sequences of lessons rather than individual ones.
- We encourage trainees to use/modify existing departmental schemes of work and resources.
- MSC purchase of text books to support trainees’ planning.
- Timetabled free periods during the school day.
- Time to complete some portfolio tasks and paperwork returns during the school day.
- As part of the course, we offer training on building resilience, managing workload, promoting positive mental health, and reducing the burden of marking and feedback.
Our aim is to help all of our trainees develop sustainable work habits so that workload is manageable and trainees are not spending unreasonable amounts of time planning, marking and fulfilling course requirements. Trainees need to be organised and complete tasks daily and weekly (as appropriate) so that work does not build up and become burdensome. Guidance is given on this during professional training and in the MSC handbook.
Access Support
Unlike a university, the MSC is made up of a much smaller core office team. However, being a smaller organisation means we know all our trainees very well and can offer them tailored support.
We welcome trainees who consider themselves to have a disability, health condition, metal health condition or learning difficulty, and we fully support all trainees throughout the recruitment process and training course.
Access meetings can be arranged prior to interview or at any stage of the application process. Candidates may also wish to discuss the course requirements and expectations for their own benefit. Access meetings can be held face to face, through an online meeting or over the phone. Any information shared will not affect the decision at interview, but aims to offer a candidate an equal opportunity at interview.
An access meeting may include:
- Discussion of your current situation and any health conditions or concerns you may have
- Discussion of the impact these may have on your training
- Discussion of occupational health procedures and assessment
- Discussion of additional financial support (DSA)
- One to one guidance on any areas of concerns, (this may be finance or course requirements)
- Tour of facilities
- To put in place any support or adjustments required, this may result in the implementation of a Personal Learning Plan (PLP)
As all disabilities are different and affect people in unique ways, we like to establish adjustments on a one to one basis to ensure you are appropriately supported throughout your training with us.
Financial Support
We understand that making the decision to undertake teacher training is not only a personal commitment, but can also be a huge financial commitment. The course fees are £9,535 for the year (for fee-paying placements), however, there is help available from the DfE Student Finance England (SFE) and for some subjects there is a DfE bursary available. More information about the financial help available visit the Student Finance GOV.UK website.
SFE offer a non-means tested tuition fee loan available to cover the course fees of £9,535. The tuition fees are paid from SFE in instalments directly to the provider (the MSC) throughout the academic year. You do not have to apply for a loan if you wish to pay for the fees yourself. Fees can also be deducted from a trainee DfE bursary. Trainees wishing to pay for their fees by student loan should apply for the loan once they have accepted their training place offer.
SFE also offer maintenance grants and loans, and some means tested bursaries, to help with the cost of living during your training. See the Student Finance GOV.UK website for more information and details of how to apply.
DfE Training bursaries will be available to some applicants and will vary according to your degree classification and the subject in which you are training. For 2026/27 bursaries are as follows:
- £29,000 in chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics
- £20,000 in design and technology and languages
- £5,000 in Biology and Geography
The MSC will apply for the bursary on behalf of the trainee and pay it to the trainee in monthly instalments. Scholarships, of up to £31,000, are available for the 2026/27 year but trainees must apply to their subject association for these and send their confirmation to the MSC. The MSC pays scholarships out in the same way as the bursaries. Please see the GOV.UK website for more information on DfE ITT funding.