About Us

The Department for Education accredits Epping Forest Schools Partnership Trust (EFSPT), operating as West Essex SCITT for the delivery of initial teacher training (ITT)

Epping Forest Schools Partnership Trust and our partnership schools, believe that teaching is an exciting, challenging and rewarding profession. Our vision is to offer the highest standard of education for all, both in our local community and the wider area.

 

The home of West Essex SCITT is St John's CE Primary School, which is located in Buckhurst Hill, on the edge of Epping Forest, which is London's largest open space of approximately 6,000 acres. The forest is of national and international conservation importance, with two thirds designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation, providing a great place to work and live. We are very close to Buckhurst Hill station on the Central Line with a 20 minute access to central London.

Our main training centre is based at The Alderton Junior School in Loughton. We also hold our centre-led sessions at a variety of venues across Epping Forest including Epping Forest Museum, Copped Hall in Epping and at other partner schools. Our training is delivered by a range of expert facilitators from across our partnership.

The majority of our partnership schools are accessible by Central Line Tube, Overground or major bus routes.

 

Our teachers are excellent practitioners and are eager to share their skills, knowledge and vision with the next generation of teachers.

We pride ourselves on having a proven track record in training and professional development. All of our trainees who graduated from the course over the past three academic years have secured employment. Many of our trainees go on to secure full-time teaching positions within the Epping Forest Schools Partnership Trust. We work in collaboration with Saffron Teaching School Hub. For 2024/2025, West Essex SCITT is the accredited ITT Provider for courses delivered by FIPC (Hazelwood Schools) and Saffron Teaching School Hub.