A NEW generation of teachers have cleared the final hurdle before embarking on careers to shape and develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the young.
Sixty-seven trainees graduated from Carmel Teacher Training Programme, under the watchful gaze of a national figure in education, all destined for jobs around the region.
Chief Executive of the National College for Teaching and Leadership Charlie Taylor presented them with their teaching honours at a special graduation ceremony staged at Carmel College, Darlington, one of the most successful centres of education in the country.
Primary and secondary school graduates were drawn from across the region including Newcastle, Darlington, Stockton, Barnard Castle, Richmond, Sunderland, Yarm, Blaydon, Bishop Auckland, Gateshead, Whitely Bay, Washington, Chester-le-Street, Billingham, Newton Aycliffe, Durham, Wallsend, Ormseby, Ingleby Barwick, and North Shields.
Mr Taylor told them: “You are teachers on the cusp of a remarkable revolution. There is a sea-change in what is happening in our schools. We are now a much more self-confident profession ready to take responsibility for ourselves.
“This system of training is recognition of the expertise within our schools for the teaching of teachers and this role is making a real difference.
“We have also seen an explosion of talent among head teachers and there are now a huge range of exciting and dynamic roles within the profession.”
Chief Executive of Carmel Education Trust Maura Regan said: “The College is a success story for the school-led system of teacher training which is designed to improve outcomes for every child.
“We are delighted to be working with so many schools across the North East and a partnership of this scale really has an impact.”
She said teaching was one of the greatest vocations in life. “It is about opening minds, shaping futures and fulfilling dreams,” she told an audience of graduates and their families.
“This begins by delivering knowledge to young people which they can then apply in a skilful way. These skills will then be used to develop an understanding leading to them being creative in all aspects of life. This pyramid of education is in essence the art of teaching.”
Carmel has been training teachers for the past 14 years and is one of the largest Schools Direct providers in the North East. Next year will see more than 150 students join the programme.
CTTP director Mike Shorten said the latest cohort had been the best yet with them all being rated good or better and 75 per cent achieving an outstanding assessment.
He told them: “When you start your work in September you should do so with courage but always have a sense of constant reflection and true dialogue with the children.”
