Our Work
The RIS programme runs over an initial two years, with participants achieving Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in their first year and completing their Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) year by the end of year two. Participants are supported to do this through a structured programme of training, classroom teaching and mentoring. As well as achieving QTS and completing their NQT year, participants also receive ongoing CPD training and deliver research-driven activities to support target pupils.
Participants who remain in the classroom in the third year will continue to develop their teaching skills and also be eligible to join our Research Leader in Education Award, an innovative professional qualification that equips participants to develop their educational research skills and deploy them within schools. As well as being a unique professional development opportunity, the RLE Award also offers participants an excellent route for career progression.
You can find out more about course outline by downloading this image here or reading the section below.
Pre-Programme Induction
Summer 2017
Participants undertake a school orientation experience and spend two weeks completing the compulsory RIS Summer Training module (Monday 14th August - Thursday 24th August) before starting in a school in September 2017. In addition to this, there will be opportunities to meet other members of the Cohort in the run-up to summer.
What our researchers say about the induction…
“Summer Training was fantastic. I truly appreciate the effort that has gone into it and feel much more confident about teaching.”
Gemma Bagheri
Physics, 2015 Cohort
“It’s been very varied, efficiently run and it provided a lot of routes for further reflection… It’s made me feel much more prepared and confident.”
Cleo Jay
Modern Languages, 2015 Cohort
“Where do I start? I’ve learned so much about teaching styles and how we will need to develop as classroom practitioners.”
Noel Wortham
Chemistry, 2015 Cohort
Year 1
2017/18
Participants will work towards gaining Qualified Teacher Status, attending teacher training one day per week, working in school three days per week and using their one day per week off timetable to work towards the RIS aims.
Teacher training is delivered by school-based education experts. As part of the QTS qualification, participants will engage with evidence-based teaching and research methods.
Participants will carry out a programme of observations, developing independent teaching skills, reflecting on their progress and observing lessons taught by experienced colleagues. Participants will carry out a programme of observations, developing independent teaching skills and reflecting on their progress, whilst observing lessons taught by their experienced colleagues.
By delivering Uni Pathways, participants will make an impact through research-driven interventions, including university-style tutorials and extra-curricular activities to raise attainment and support university applications. Half-termly bespoke training supports participants to increase their impact on their pupils.
Year 2
2018/19
Now, a qualified teacher, participants will complete their Newly Qualified Teacher year in their placement school, with approximately 16 hours teaching over four days per week and will move on to the teacher main pay scale.
Working with the same group of pupils as year one, the off-timetable day will see participants deliver research-driven activities that support pupils with their exam grades and university applications.
RIS will continue to deliver ongoing professional development training, and support with classroom teaching and wider activities. This will include engaging with evidence-based teaching and using their academic expertise to improve attainment in their subject area.
Training will also focus on supporting participants to track pupil progress and evaluate the impact of their Uni Pathways interventions. Participants can use these activities as a basis for their own educational research, with the opportunity to publish and disseminate this.
Year 3
2019/2020
For maths and physics participants wishing to access the salary uplift through the Maths and Physics Chairs programme, the third year is compulsory. For participants teaching any other subject, the third year is recommended but optional.
Participants choosing to stay in the classroom for a third year will continue teaching and also be eligible to join our Research Leader in Education Award, an innovative professional qualification that equips participants to develop their educational research skills and deploy them within schools.
Salary overview
Because RiS is a salaried teacher training programme, all trainees will be employed by their host school in their training years. This means that trainees are paid a salary throughout their training year, which includes some independent classroom teaching, but will not deliver a full-time teaching timetable until their second year.
As with many teacher training routes, the salary package will vary by subject and location of your placement school, but whatever your circumstances RiS is amongst the most generous, which includes salary, pension and a RiS budget. All training fees leading to QTS are also covered for you, so there is no additional cost. This compares favourably with many other training routes, especially those for which trainees have to pay a fee or teach a full allocation in their first year.
In their second year of the programme, the newly qualified teachers will move onto their school’s main pay scale. Full details of the salary can be found here and in our brochure.