The School of Education - University of Birmingham

Pioneering:
University Training School
The Prime Minister has
announced that the
University of Birmingham
can proceed with its
pioneering plans to open
the University of
Birmingham School and
Sixth Form.
This will be the first university-led
training school in the country and
will enable the School to extend
its excellent academic education
to 11-18 year olds in Birmingham
as well as continuing to provide
outstanding teacher training
facilities for the next generation
of inspiring teachers.
It will be located near the
University of Birmingham’s
Edgbaston campus and will have
strong links with the School of
Education and reflect its values,
including a commitment to academic
excellence and to raising aspirations
and widening participation in higher
education. As such, the emphasis will
be on preparing pupils for entrance
to selective universities.
The response from prospective
parents to the initial proposals has
been overwhelming as they clearly
recognise the need for more, free,
high-quality academic education in
the city. As well as providing an
academically excellent educational
experience for pupils, irrespective of
ability, the school will also focus on
character and citizenship, ensuring
that pupils develop a keen sense of
their role in and responsibility to
society.
Increased number of firsts awarded
to undergraduate students
The School and Sixth Form will be a
centre for teacher training, working
closely with the University’s School of
Education. All teaching staff will be
expected to have or be working
towards a Masters level qualification
and, given its role as a training
school, pupils will benefit from a
better than average staff to student
ratio.
The University is planning to open
the School and Sixth Form in
September 2014, taking 150 pupils
into Year 7 and 140 into the Lower
Sixth initially, rising to 200 per year in
the Sixth Form. This is a significant
success for the University and School
of Education with city-wide influence
and benefit.
2012 was an outstanding year for
undergraduate students at the
School of Education.
Excellence in teaching and learning is
central to the School’s mission so it is
particularly proud of the 11 first class
honours degrees to students who
came to the University helping to
contribute to the best ever set of
results on the programme. The
quality of recruitment has improved
year on year and the School’s
undergraduate offer is now amongst
the most prestigious in UK higher
education. As well as being capable,
students have worked extremely
hard, perhaps inspired by the
School’s recent investments in
research-led teaching with new highprofile
appointments.
BRINGING VISION AND VALUES TO LIFE | SCHOOL OF EDUCATION 11