Trainee Teachers

Teacher training applications for 2026 at The Raleigh School are now open! If you’re considering a career in teaching and looking to train to teach in Surrey, The Raleigh School in West Horsley (just outside Guildford and Leatherhead) offers high-quality school-based primary teacher training and school experience opportunities for prospective trainee teachers in partnership with South Farnham SCITT. Like many other schools, we strongly believe that school-based training is the best way to prepare new teachers for the realities of the classroom – whether you are a graduate, career changer, or exploring teaching for the first time, we would love to support you on your journey.

If you live within the Guildford, Godalming, Leatherhead, Dorking, Reigate, Woking, Epsom or Cobham areas, we may be the perfect school for you to train to teach at. Our friendly staff and children make our inclusive school an outstanding choice for teacher training and an excellent place to begin your career. For more information about what it is like to train to teach at The Raleigh, see our FAQs below.

If you’re interested in applying, please email info.raleigh@sfet.org.uk and we’ll be happy to get in touch.

DfE 'Get School Experience' Days - Your First Step Into Teaching

Before you begin your application, it’s important to make sure that teaching is right for you. The Raleigh School offers school experience days through the DfE’s Get School Experience programme for prospective trainees. Start a request for a school experience day here for opportunities to:

• observe outstanding teaching and learning
• shadow a teacher in the day-to-day school life
• find out more about school direct teacher training
• find out more about the wider roles and responsibilities of teachers

We have an incredibly strong and proud history at The Raleigh School of training new teachers and we’d love to discuss with you what makes our profession so incredible. This is an excellent first step if you are considering teacher training in Surrey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is it like to train at The Raleigh School?

The Raleigh School has a proud history of training new teachers and we are delighted to have supported trainees from all walks of life, including graduates, career changers, parents from our school community, teaching assistants and trainees from a wide range of backgrounds. Trainees are treated as an integral part of the team from day one and train across at least two year groups during their time with us. You will be supported by a dedicated mentor and by our Deputy Headteacher, who acts as your professional tutor throughout the programme. You will spend four days per week in school, learning on the job, and one day per week off-site, developing the skills and knowledge you can apply back in the classroom. Many of our trainees go on to secure Early Career Teacher (ECT) roles quickly as a result of the high-quality training they receive at The Raleigh School.

What support will I get as a trainee?

You’ll have a named mentor who works closely with you and supports you at every stage of the programme. You’ll meet regularly to talk through lessons, planning and next steps, with feedback focused on helping you become the best teacher you can be. You’ll also take part in whole-school training and INSET days and be treated as a full member of staff. In addition, you will be supported by our Deputy Headteacher, who acts as your professional tutor. They ensure you receive your full training entitlement and work alongside you and your mentor to make sure your experience is as positive and effective as possible.

How much will I teach and how soon?

You’ll begin by observing and supporting in the classroom but you won’t stay in that phase for too long! One of the great benefits of school-based training is that you get to experience what teaching is like in the autumn term – setting routines and being an integral part of setting up a class. Teaching responsibility builds gradually and at a pace that’s right for you, moving from small group work and shared teaching to planning and leading lessons independently. You’ll be supported at every stage, with clear guidance and regular feedback, so you’re never expected to take on more than you’re ready for. By the end of the programme, trainees are confidently teaching whole classes and planning sequences of learning.

Which year groups will I work in?

As a primary school, you’ll gain experience across a range of year groups. This helps you build a strong understanding of how children develop and how teaching changes across the primary phase. You will train with at least two year groups at The Raleigh School and will also train in another year group as part of your second school experience placement. This placement is a crucial part of the course where you will spend 6 weeks in another local school to experience a new year group and different context. Training with The Raleigh School enables you to complete the course having completed placements in at least three of the seven primary year groups, preparing you exceptionally well for whichever year group you begin your career in as an ECT.

What training routes are available?

Training takes place through school-based routes in partnership with our accredited provider, South Farnham SCITT. Trainees can choose to undertake either: PGCE with QTS, or QTS-only routes. If you’re unsure which route is right for you, please don’t worry. The best first step is to contact either us or South Farnham SCITT who will be happy to discuss your options with you.

Should I contact The Raleigh School or South Farnham SCITT first?

The short answer is either — we’re happy to help! If you contact The Raleigh first, we can talk you through what training here looks like, arrange a visit or school experience day and help you decide whether this is the right setting for you. We’re also happy to guide you towards the most appropriate training route. If you contact the programme provider first, they can advise you on eligibility, application timelines and course details and will work closely with us throughout the process - just make sure you let them know that you are interested in training at The Raleigh School! Whichever route you choose, both us and South Farnham SCITT will support you to make the process as straightforward as possible.

Is there a chance of a job after training?

We have an excellent record of trainees securing full-time teaching posts for the September following their training. Some trainees go on to secure roles within our school, others within our wider Trust and others in local schools. Once you become a trainee at The Raleigh School, we are absolutely dedicated to supporting you in securing your first teaching post – whether that is with us, a partner school or elsewhere!

Do I need experience in schools before applying?

Previous experience is helpful, but it isn’t essential. If you’re new to teaching, we strongly recommend applying for a DfE Get School Experience day with us using the link above! This gives you a realistic insight into school life and helps you decide whether teaching is right for you.

How can I find out more?

If you’re interested in training to teach at The Raleigh School, the best next step is to get in touch. You can arrange a visit, ask questions informally or get in touch with South Farnham SCITT to learn more about the programme.

Next Steps

Already decided that teaching is for you? That’s brilliant! We can’t wait to meet you and discuss how The Raleigh may be able to support your journey. The next steps are listed below:

• Step 1 - Get in touch: If you’re interested in training at The Raleigh School, email info.raleigh@sfet.org.uk to register your interest.
• Step 2 - Have a conversation: A member of our team will be in touch to answer your questions, talk through training routes and discuss whether The Raleigh is the right fit for you. At this stage, it’s likely that we will invite you into school to meet the team, see the school in action and explore whether training at The Raleigh is the right next step for you.
• Step 3 - Gain school experience (if needed): If you haven’t already, we may recommend some school experience days so you can see life in the classroom and feel confident about your decision.
• Step 4 - Submit your application: Once you’re ready, we’ll support you through the application process with our training provider, South Farnham SCITT.
• Step 5 - Begin your training journey: Successful applicants will be supported as they prepare to train and start their journey into teaching at The Raleigh.

We are delighted to be a SCITT Ambassador School and a partner school for South Farnham SCITT. South Farnham SCITT delivers Ofsted Outstanding school-based initial teacher training for both primary and secondary teachers across the South East. All training programmes are underpinned by research-informed practice and place children’s best interests at the heart of everything we do.

Training Close to Home

Through an extensive and diverse partnership of schools, trainee teachers are placed into geographically organised cohorts across the South. This approach:

• Minimises travel for trainees
• Allows applicants to train within their local community
• Builds strong professional networks

Our teacher training programmes have children’s best interests at the core. Working together, and as one, we strive to develop best practice so that children across the region experience teaching of the highest quality, underpinned by outstanding research-based training and development opportunities for all.