If you are considering applying to begin a PGCE in the London Borough of Camden in September 2025 please do get in touch! Applications are open via the DfE website. Our next open morning is on Friday November 22 at 9.30 am, and there will be another one on Friday 10 january 2025. We will start with a presentation about our programme, followed by a tour of Eleanor Palmer to give you a taste of one of our wonderful group of schools!

The following gives you some more information about our programme:

Please note that this is a tuition fee based route, with final accreditation of training being issued by UCL’s Institute of Education.  If you are considering making an application for our 2025-26 PGCE programme and would like to attend an open morning please get in touch by emailing Vicky@eleanorpalmer.camden.sch.uk or giving her a call on 020 7485 2155.

We play a key role in training new teachers through a unique route that we have devised ourselves to give you the best training experience and as much exposure to different classroom environments as possible, as we strongly believe that seeing as many school settings as possible during your teacher training experience is an essential element of finding out what sort of teacher you want to be and what setting works for you. We work alongside UCL’s Institute of Education and 14 other excellent local Camden schools to deliver a really successful programme!  If you are ready to make your application to us, you can do so by clicking on the DfE Apply page here.

The qualification at the end is a PGCE with masters credits, which gives you an internationally recognised qualification allowing you to teach anywhere in the world, the same as applying to complete PGCE at a university, unlike simple QTS (qualified teacher status) which is the qualification offered on many salaried training routes. Our programme, called “Lead Partner Direct” is also different because, as well as attending all the same lectures as other PGCE students at UCL, our students also get together in each of our 15 member schools each week for specific, additional school-based training sessions every Thursday during their school placements. These Thursday sessions give our students an invaluable support group and fantastic additional training from outstanding school-based practitioners. We run sessions on behaviour, planning, questioning etc as well as focussing on particular aspects of the Primary Curriculum, with school-based sessions in our small group context in a way that a large university based lecture group cannot. Our group also know they will do their placements in fantastic schools right here in the London Borough of Camden, schools that they come to know well over the year, rather than potential practices at schools right across the capital which do not work in a partnership to ensure consistency and quality, as we do.

Eleanor Palmer was one of the first schools to lead on school-based teacher training through the School Direct programme, launched in 2013. A large proportion of each year’s students from the Camden Primary Partnership have started jobs in Camden Schools and are continuing to be supported by members of our partnership during their ECT training in Camden.  With the introduction of the Early Careers Framework in 2021, Camden Early Years Teachers continue to receive additional support led by Camden Learning’s strong career development model, with many of our PGCE graduates now mentoring developing teachers and taking on leadership roles in schools across the Borough of Camden. This is a great place to work and Camden’s investment in its teachers and their professional development is recognised across London as being first class!

The school placement element of your PGCE programme will take place in two of our fifteen partner schools. In additional to Eleanor Palmer these are: Brecknock Primary School; Christopher Hatton Primary School, Fleet Primary School, Torriano Primary School, Kentish Town CofE Primary School, Rhyl Primary School, Gospel Oak Primary School, Netley Primary School, Holy Trinity CE School NW1, Thomas Coram Early Years Centre, Brookfield Primary School,   Rosary Catholic Primary School, West Hampstead Primary School and Primrose Hill Primary School. In short we offer:

• Access to teaching practices in fantastic schools in an outstanding borough;
• Schools that have strong and long standing links with UCL’s Institute of Education;
• The opportunity to ‘front-load’ the training year with the chance to observe outstanding practice;
• Experience in genuinely comprehensive schools where you would gain experience of both very challenging pupils and also some exceptionally high achievers;
• School-based tutorials as a group led by experienced members of school Leadership teams;
• Learning in schools that share a strong commitment to child centred hands on learning rooted in an exciting topic based approach;
• The chance to train amongst highly committed, enthusiastic professional staff who genuinely love their jobs;
• The opportunity to become part of a school community, gaining understanding of the richness and complexities of primary teaching.
• Strong programme leadership by Eleanor Palmer Deputy Head, Lacey Cousins and from the UCL team. Lacey liaises with mentors and class teachers from our across our partner schools to ensure that all students have a very well-supported ITT experience.

The official title of this pathway is ‘IoE Lead Partner Direct’. It is a fee paying programme, and fees for the 2024-25 academic year are £9,250 for UK applicants. International course fees are £27,500 for the 2025-26 academic year. The IoE does offer visa sponsorship for applicants who meet their entry requirements, further guidance on which can be viewed here.  We have run this programme (in conjunction with UCL’s Institute of Education or The IoE) since 2013. This year we are aiming to recruit approximately 15 students who enjoy and thrive in our full and varied programme.    In addition to offering the options of focusing on EYFS/KS1 or KS1/KS2 in your training, we also offer a Maths Primary Specialist option which will take a more  in-depth look at the teaching of mathematics across the primary curriculum – but note that it does not mean that you will become a specialised Maths teacher!

Reviews from previous students include:

“Being part of such an inspirational group of schools has given us the opportunity to observe outstanding practice. We’re part of a really supportive group and have been welcomed into our schools from the very start.”

“What makes teacher training with the Camden Primary Partnership special is the chance to work and learn hands-on in the best primary schools in the country, each with its own unique teaching and learning ethos and a generosity of spirit in sharing skills, mentoring and expertise.”

As a trainee teacher on our PGCE programme, we expect candidates to:

• Have a good degree and a high standard of education;
• Have a commitment to our approach to learning;
• Have the desire to approach curriculum planning in a creative and imaginative way;
• Have very high standards for the children and themselves;
• Be committed to inclusion in terms of social class, race and ability;
• Have a genuine interest in educational thinking and debate;
• Have the ability and willingness to continuously reflect, improve and learn from mistakes;
• Have high levels of interpersonal and communication skills;
• Have the ability to sustain optimism, energy and a positive outlook under pressure and challenge;
• Have the capacity for hard work, and a sense of humour.

You can contact Vicky on Vicky@eleanorpalmer.camden.sch.uk or call her on 020 7485 2155 to pop in for a chat or sign up for one of our open days. Please click here for our current brochure.