From LSA to Teacher

Background

Coming into Initial Teacher Training as an experienced Learning Support Assistant, Alison initially questioned what the transition to teacher training would feel like.

“As an experienced LSA, I wondered how I would feel about teacher training.”

With extensive experience supporting pupils in classrooms, the move into a lead teaching role represented both an exciting opportunity and a significant professional shift.

Training Year: Bridging Experience with New Practice

Portsmouth SCITT provided a carefully balanced training experience, combining high-quality professional input with practical, hands-on opportunities that built directly on Alison’s prior experience.

“SCITT has provided a wonderful balance of professional input from the best subject leads across the city and opportunities to take part in practical events.”

Training extended beyond the classroom, including enrichment opportunities at venues such as UTC, the Mary Rose Museum, visiting theatre groups, the Music Hub and the school library service—bringing curriculum learning to life and modelling high-quality practice.

Stepping into the Teacher Role

School placements were a key part of the transition from LSA to teacher, offering the chance to experience the full reality of classroom responsibility:

“The school placements offer the experience of a real class situation and all the other elements of teaching that are not easy to recreate in the SCITT classroom.”

One particular challenge was developing confidence with teaching technologies, including SMART boards, PowerPoint and visualisers. This was addressed through targeted support and further tuition during centre-based training, ensuring the trainee felt confident and well-equipped.

Importantly, trainees felt listened to throughout the year:

“The students had a voice and the SCITT team was responsive to our needs and requests.”

Support and Mentoring: Never Alone

A defining feature of the experience was the consistent, responsive support from the Portsmouth SCITT leadership team and mentors:

“One of the most important points to mention is the ongoing support and professionalism of the SCITT leadership team and mentors.”

Whether through informal check-ins or direct contact, support was always accessible:

“Whenever I had a concern, I could contact one of the team through various mediums and I received a very prompt response. You never felt alone - if you asked for help it always came.”

Why This Matters

This journey from LSA to teacher highlights Portsmouth SCITT’s strength in recognising and building on prior experience. Through expert-led training, practical placements and highly responsive support, Portsmouth SCITT enables experienced support staff to confidently step into teaching roles.