OTT SCITT

What OTT SCITT does

OTT SCITT (Oxfordshire Teacher Training) is a schools-led Initial Teacher Training provider operating in England since 2015 under the governance of the River Learning Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust. The organization delivers Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) programmes across primary and secondary phases through full-time (one academic year) and part-time (two-year) tuition-fee routes, plus a Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA) for employed trainees, serving aspiring teachers, career changers, and currently employed unqualified teachers. Training is delivered across seven regional Training Hubs spanning Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Berkshire, with an optional PGCE qualification awarded in partnership with the University of Buckingham and Oxford Brookes University.

The core training methodology is the Integrated Curriculum, which combines Central Curriculum Sessions (covering seven core teaching areas including lesson planning, behaviour management, SEND, and assessment), weekly Subject Specialist sessions delivered by expert practitioners, and placement-based training across two contrasting schools with a maximum one-hour travel time. This architecture allows trainees to gain classroom exposure from the outset while building subject-specific pedagogical expertise under the supervision of trained mentors. Approximately 55 employees staff the central team, which is composed of practicing teachers who continue to teach in local partner schools.

OTT SCITT generates revenue primarily through tuition fees for SCITT courses, with fees varying by subject and route, supplemented by optional PGCE fees (where 30–50% of cohorts elect to take the Master's level qualification), and income from the apprenticeship pathway. Funding is partly de-risked through DfE bursaries and scholarships available to eligible trainees. The recruitment funnel flows through DfE's Apply for Teacher Training service (provider code 24T), supported by information events, school experience programmes, application support workshops, a podcast series, and referral partnerships including NOW TEACH. The organization has maintained consecutive top-tier Ofsted ratings — Outstanding in 2017 and 2023, and Exceptional across all areas in March 2026 — and reports that approximately 90% of trained teachers remain in local partner schools for employment.

Name

OTT SCITT

Legal name

OTT SCITT

Website

https://ott-scitt.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

OTT SCITT is a schools-led Initial Teacher Training provider in England, part of the River Learning Trust, delivering QTS and optional PGCE programmes across primary and secondary phases through seven regional hubs in Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Berkshire, serving aspiring teachers, career changers, and employed unqualified teachers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Initial Teacher Training

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Train-the-Trainer & Instructor Enablement Services (BPAEANAL)

Keywords

• Initial Teacher Training
• Qualified Teacher Status
• PGCE programmes
• School-based training
• Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fee Programmes: Tuition-fee SCITT courses where trainees pay for their Initial Teacher Training. Fees vary by subject and route. Full-time and part-time options available.
2. PGCE Qualification (Optional Add-on): Optional Master's level PGCE qualification added to QTS programme for additional fee. PGCE awarded by University of Buckingham. Around 30-50% of each cohort undertakes the PGCE.
3. Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA): Employment-based route where trainees are employed by a school and trained through the apprenticeship programme.
4. Bursaries and Scholarships: DfE-funded bursaries and scholarships available for eligible trainees based on subject and qualification, reducing net cost of training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

OTT SCITT (Oxfordshire Teacher Training) is a schools-led School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) provider delivering practical, school-based Initial Teacher Training programmes leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The organisation runs primary and secondary teacher training programmes across Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire via seven regional training hubs, partnering with a network of nursery, primary, special and secondary schools to provide classroom placements, mentoring and curriculum sessions. An optional Master's level PGCE add-on is available through partner universities, and a Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA) route allows trainees to earn while they train.

Product overview

OTT SCITT is a schools-led Initial Teacher Training provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of training programmes leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The core offerings include Primary and Secondary SCITT programmes available in both full-time (one year) and part-time (two year) formats, as well as the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA) for employed trainees. All programmes incorporate the Integrated Curriculum combining Central Curriculum Sessions, Subject Curriculum Sessions, and Placement-based training across two contrasting schools. As an optional add-on, trainees can pursue a Master's level PGCE qualification awarded by the University of Buckingham or completed through Oxford Brookes University. Training is delivered through seven regional Training Hubs across Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire. The organisation also offers a School Experience Programme for prospective applicants and Application Support Workshops. Note: The Assessment Only Route to QTS is not currently offered (2025-26).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary SCITT Programme Initial Teacher Training programme for aspiring primary school teachers covering ages 5-11, including Early Years and SEND specialisms. Leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) on successful completion, with optional PGCE add-on.
• Secondary SCITT Programme Initial Teacher Training programme for aspiring secondary school teachers covering a wide range of subjects including Physics, English, Mathematics, History, MFL, Geography, Social Sciences, Design and Technology. Leads to QTS on successful completion, with optional PGCE add-on.
• Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA) Employed route to Qualified Teacher Status where trainees are paid a salary by an employing school while training. Requires advance support from an employing placement school before application.
• PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) Optional Master's level academic qualification added to any QTS programme for an additional fee. Awarded by the University of Buckingham or completed through Oxford Brookes University. Around 30-50% of each cohort undertakes the PGCE.
• School Experience Programme Placements in partnership schools offering classroom experience (typically one or two days) to help prospective applicants decide if teaching is the right career and strengthen their ITT application.
• Training Hubs Network of seven regional training hubs across Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire providing local bases for Central Curriculum and Subject Curriculum Sessions, including North Oxfordshire, Oxford City, South Oxfordshire, North Wiltshire, South Wiltshire, West Berkshire, and East Berkshire Hubs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 90% of trainees stay within the local partnership of schools for employment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and support.

• River Learning TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTT SCITT is part of The River Learning Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust responsible for a number of schools and a school-centred initial teacher training provider. RLT is responsible for the Governing Body of OTT SCITT and provides oversight of vision, ethos, strategic direction, appointments, and financial performance. OTT SCITT director reports to RLT Board.
• University of BuckinghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Buckingham awards the optional PGCE qualification available to OTT SCITT Associate Teachers. The PGCE is a Master's level qualification assessed through three written assignments drawing on educational research.
• NOW TEACHsupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer changer network providing additional support to applicants throughout their application and training journey. Helps career changers transition into teaching.
• Department for Education (DfE)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApplications to OTT SCITT courses are submitted through DfE's Apply for Teacher Training service. Trainees may be eligible for DfE bursaries and scholarships. DfE provides regulatory oversight of ITT provision.
• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)supportStrategic or Co-development PartnerOTT SCITT incorporates EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit evidence into training curriculum. Episode 5 of their podcast discusses the EEF toolkit with Programme Leader Jen Fiddaman.
• Partner Schools NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of nursery, primary, special and secondary schools across Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire providing placement opportunities, mentoring, and school experience. Schools include The Cherwell School, Larkmead School, and many others. Partnership constantly expanding.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Teach SouthEast: Regional school-centred teacher training alliance operating across south-east England with placement partnerships. Closest structural analogue to OTT SCITT outside its immediate geography and a model for potential geographic expansion.
• Best Practice Network: UK-wide teacher training provider offering School Direct and SCITT-equivalent programmes across multiple regions. Provides tuition-fee and apprenticeship routes comparable to OTT SCITT's portfolio.
• National Institute of Teaching: DfE-established national ITT provider focused on teacher training and professional development across England. Competes with OTT SCITT for applicants and represents a centralised alternative to the regional SCITT model.
• University of Reading (Institute of Education): University PGCE provider serving Berkshire and the wider Thames Valley, including primary and secondary routes. Overlaps directly with OTT SCITT's southern operating geography.
• Ark Teacher Training: School-led ITT programme operated by Ark, a multi-academy trust, offering salaried and tuition routes. Comparable to OTT SCITT in combining central curriculum sessions with extended school placements across a network of partner schools.
• Teach First: UK's largest school-led initial teacher training provider, training graduates and career changers in low-income schools nationally. Operates a similar schools-led model with placement-based training and is a direct competitor for high-calibre applicants in the same recruitment funnel.
• University of Oxford (Department of Education): University-based PGCE provider in the same region, offering Masters-level teacher training routes. Competes with OTT SCITT for high-achieving graduates in Oxfordshire and is a comparable academic-rigour alternative.
• Oxford Brookes University (PGCE): Major university-based PGCE provider in the same Oxfordshire region, also an existing academic partner of OTT SCITT for PGCE delivery. A direct competitor for the same applicant pool, particularly secondary subject trainees.

Regional players

• Surrey South Farnham SCITT: Regional SCITT operating across Surrey with a comparable school-led model and Outstanding Ofsted grading. Structurally similar to OTT SCITT but serving a different south-east geography.

Broad incumbents

• Ambition Institute: Larger national provider of teacher training and continuing professional development, including ITT and early career teacher programmes. Overlaps with OTT SCITT on the teacher development value chain, particularly for ECT support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OTT_SCITT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ott-scitt

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OTT SCITT