Subject Knowledge Enhancement
Subject Knowledge Enhancement course are for applicants who are entering into Initial Teacher Training in September 2024 and are looking to develop the necessary subject knowledge for their chosen specialism.
See our FAQs below to find out what we have on offer and if there is a course that is right for you.
If you are ready to apply, click here, ensure you select the correct course length and fill in the quick application form.
Please have a look at our brochure for further details on our SKE courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to qualify for a SKE course you must meet the following criteria:
*Accepted a condition offer on an accredited ITT course for September 2024 that requires completion of a SKE course as a condition of your offer.
*Awarded or working towards an undergraduate degree 2:2 or above by the time you begin the SKE.
*Completion of your degree was more than 5 years ago
or
*Degree does not directly match for the subject you wish to teach
We offer SKEs in the following subjects:
*Chemistry
*Physics
*Maths
*Computing
*Modern Foreign Languages
The Subject Knowledge enhancement courses are 100% online and are based on a reflective practice model of your own learning.
Each SKE can vary in length therefore the number of hours expected varies to suit the course. Each course is designed to spend a minimum of 25 hours per week improving and upskilling in your chosen subject area. The online aspect is designed to fit around other any other commitments you may have – some weeks you might complete more hours, some less.
Each course contains a variety of learning material from videos, audio recordings and articles to data analysis and research tasks with a series of submission points in the form of PowerPoint presentations (about 10/12 slides each)
Through interactions with your subject SKE mentor you will receive feedback on your submissions with the opportunity to resubmit if needed. They are also available throughout the course if you wish to organise a virtual tutorial session regarding a particular topic or context.
Courses will be selected with your ITT start date in mind and completion of the SKE should occur during August prior to beginning your teacher training. The courses are designed to provide you with the specialist knowledge needed to teach to at least KS4/ GCSE. Optional modules are available for KS3 and A Level in many our courses listed.
Our course are fully funded by the DfE and are free to eligible participants. A bursary of £175 per week (25hours) is paid for all parts of the SKE course completed prior to beginning your training in September.
Payments are usually paid a month in arrears, upon DfE approval, release of this bursary payment is dependent on submissions of tasks and course participation and is generally paid in 100 hour blocks (or once your first assignment is submitted – whichever comes first)
(4 weeks)
If you are eligible for a SKE bursary and an ITT bursary you will only be able to receive one at a time. This means that you can continue with your SKE course once you have started your teacher training but you will only be paid for one (usually your ITT bursary).
See ‘Can I change the length of my SKE?’ for how this might affect you.
Once you are enrolled you will receive a Microsoft Form from our Administration Department to collect appropriate details so your bursary can be paid directly.
You are able to start your SKE course during your degree but any bursary payments will not be paid until you have received your final degree classification of 2:2 or above. Once you have received your degree, send proof of this to a.blackburn@ampscitt.co.uk to ensure your payments can begin promptly.
We advise you focus on completing your degree first to ensure that you are not overwhelmed with the amount of work to complete. If you feel you will benefit from a shorter SKE due to the constraints of completing your degree get in touch at the nearest opportunity.
You will be allocated a subject specialist mentor who will be available to you throughout the duration of the course. Your mentor will be available for optional tutorials regarding subject content where you can discuss your assignments virtually via Teams or telephone call. Your mentor will also assess your submissions and provide feedback on the quality of your work and level of detail within each submission.
In addition to the course leaders, the AMP SCITT team is also available should you require any support outside of your subject area.
Resources available include the course textbook, revision guides as required, access to online portals appropriate to the course.
It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes life gets in the way and puts a spanner in the works. If this is the case and it looks like you may not complete the course in time, you can contact the course leaders (A.Brady and A.Fozard) who will look into detail of the content covered so far and whether it is possible reduce to a shorter programme whilst still ensuring you achieve the knowledge needed to start your ITT.
Remember the SKE course is a condition of your teacher training offer therefore it must be completed before you begin in September or you risk losing your place. If you feel you need to reduce your SKE, get in touch as the nearest possible time.
Unfortunately, not all subjects are available as a SKE course option. But that doesn’t mean we are unable to support. As we are linked with the LLT Academy of Teacher Education and accredited provider Associated Merseyside Partnership SCITT we have a wealth of knowledge and expert practitioners ready to support you on your journey into teaching.
If your subject is not available, get in touch with us to find out what resources we have available, useful websites and webinars to upskill your specialist knowledge and ensure you feel confident to teach your subject in September.
PE with EBacc candidates can undertake a SKE provided that the SKE subject matches their Ebacc subject and their is sufficient time available to complete it in time.
For example. if your ITT course is PE with Biology, you could apply for a Biology SKE. Remember in order to be eligible for the PE with Ebacc course you must have an A level in an Ebacc subject (English, Maths, Humanities, a Science, Computing or MFL)
You will also need to meet all other eligibility criteria as stated above.
Upon completion of your SKE, you and ITT provider will receive a feedback report from your subject mentor and one of the course leaders. This report will highlight areas that you have shown real strength in and areas that you yourself have identified as areas for development during your training year.
In order to begin the course we will make contact with your ITT provider to ensure all compliance checks are completed and if they require feedback on your progress at other points within the course they can contact us directly on SKE@lydiatelearning.org
