Edge Hill on the Isle of Man

A working partnership between Edge Hill and the Isle of Man Department of Education is developing, as a new training programme leading to the award of Manx QTS was launched this week.

Five trainees attended the Isle of Man College for their induction sessions and the start of their Secondary programmes in Science or Information and Communication Technology, as part of a pilot programme aimed at boosting recruitment on the Island.

Edge Hill has designed and will deliver a one-year full-time secondary teacher training programme for Islanders in collaboration with the Isle of Man Department of Education to address ongoing concerns about Manx teacher retention. Successful trainees will receive the new award of Manx Qualified Teacher Status together with Edge Hill?s Certificate of Professional Development. This can be used at the end of the programme to accredit their qualification towards MA Education programmes at Edge Hill.

Andrew Spencer, Associate Tutor at Edge Hill and consultant for the project said: "This exciting initiative can only strengthen the professional partnership that has grown between Edge Hill and the Isle of Man. This new scheme has also generated interest from education authorities in Guernsey and in Pakistan to address school recruitment and training and development issues there. Edge Hill?s consultancy service in terms of teacher education really is taking off."

Initially, training programmes for Secondary English, ICT and science will be on offer on the Isle of Man. Trainee teachers will spend most of their time in the five secondary schools on the Island, where lead and subject mentors will deliver school-based modules. Tutors from Edge Hill will deliver subject-specific training across the five phases of the training programme and visit trainees in schools to observe and monitor solo professional practice. A general professional practice module will be delivered at the Isle of Man College during the training programme.

For further information about teaching consultancy services contact Angela Milner, Head of ITT on: 01695 584383 or e mail: milnera@edgehill.ac.uk ENDS