Teacher Training

Torfield and Saxon Mount are lead schools in a School Direct Partnership with the University of Brighton. This means we work with the University and partner special schools to offer a range of PGCE programmes to train new teachers. Our programmes offer trainee teachers opportunities to complete school based teaching practices in both mainstream and special school settings. This approach provides an interesting and attractive experience that could broaden a successful candidates future employment opportunities; we know that teachers with SEND experience are attractive to both mainstream schools and special schools and our routes provide such experience. These programmes typically offer two teaching practices within a special school. A third teaching practice takes place within an appropriate contrasting mainstream setting.

The Torfield School and Saxon Mount School partnership includes The Lindfield School, New Horizons School and The South Downs Community Special School to offer these unique opportunities. All current programmes are taught –Please note that we do not offer salaried PGCEs at this time. The current programmes that we are recruiting to for are shown below. All applications must be made through UCAS. The Get Into Teaching website and candidates may be invited to interview at both the school they are applying to and the University of Brighton as part of the selection process:

• Torfield School and the South Downs Community Special School offer Primary PGCE
• Saxon Mount School offers Secondary English, Secondary Maths and Secondary Biology PGCE
• New Horizons School offers Secondary English and Secondary Mathematics PGCE
• The Lindfield School offers Secondary Mathematics and Secondary Biology PGCE

Torfield is a 4-11 special school in Hastings. We are federated with Saxon Mount School in nearby St Leonards. This is an 11-16 special school. Both schools are successful. In their most recent inspections, Torfield was judged 'Outstanding' (Ofsted, September 2017) and Saxon Mount was judged ‘Good’ with outstanding features (Ofsted November 2017). More detailed information about our organisation can be found at our website: www.torfield-saxonmount.com. The Lindfield School is a successful 11-16 special school in Eastbourne that was judged 'Good' at its most recent inspection. It is federated with The South Downs Community Special School, a successful 4-11 special school in Eastbourne that was judged 'Outstanding' in its most recent inspection. More information about these schools can be found at their website: www.southdowns-lindfield.com. New Horizons School is a successful 9-16 special school in St Leonards. It was judged to be 'Outstanding' at its most recent inspection. More information about this school can be found here.

In October 2021, the way to apply for postgraduate teacher training in England is changing. You will now use Apply for teacher training, a new GOV.UK service.

Apply for teacher training is easy to use and gives clear guidance to help potential teachers make strong applications.

To learn more about the new service and to get help with your application, visit Get into Teaching.

For further information please use the links below:

University of Brighton Department for EducationUCASGet Into Teaching