One of the recurring themes in this column over the last year or so has been staff recruitment and retention.
We know this is a challenge right across the education sector. But we also know that teaching is an incredible job, offering the chance to inspire, excite and engage, all while making a real difference to the lives of young people.
That is why Unity Schools Partnership is delighted to announce exciting plans to deliver initial teacher training from July 2025.
Working as an associate college of the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), and under the name of NIoT@Unity, the Trust will be delivering both primary and secondary school initial teacher training in Bury St Edmunds.
The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) is a school-led professional development provider that delivers research and programmes designed by teachers and leaders who understand the joys and pressures of school life.
They work closely with partner schools who have extensive knowledge of local needs and a similar moral purpose to improve the life chances of local children.
To launch the new initial teacher training, a series of information and drop-in events and webinars will be taking place, starting with an information event at Abbots Green Primary Academy in Bury St Edmunds on Monday 3rd March.
We will also be involved in a wider drop-in event – hosted by University of Suffolk on Wednesday 19th March – in collaboration with Unity Teaching School Hub, Suffolk Couty Council and local ITT providers on Wednesday 19th March.
We look forward to working with partners and utilising all our experience within Unity Schools Partnership to provide the best possible teacher training.
To find out more about our Initial Teacher Training and our upcoming events, please visit https://www.unitysp.co.uk/initial-teacher-training/.
Earlier this month, our Trust board met for the first time in 2025. From positive Ofsted inspections to milestone moments around our brand new primary school in Norfolk, board members reflected on there being much to celebrate in so many of our schools.
One of the priorities for the board this year is to refresh our vision for what we want to achieve in the coming years and we will be holding an external review to support us with this.
Externally, it is a busy time with developments in national policy in education – proposals for Ofsted inspection, the curriculum and assessment review and the progress through Parliament of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
By looking at where we want to be over the next few years, we know we will be best placed to use all these developments to further support the work we do with young people across all our schools.