Belfast Boys' Model School
Belfast Boys' Model School has been educating young people in North Belfast for generations and today serves more than 1,200 pupils. As a member of the senior leadership team, Conor McManus has spent 25 years at the school and now mentors trainee teachers undertaking iQTS through Tes Institute.
He explains how the programme is helping the school develop future teachers and address recruitment challenges.
Why did you choose Tes Institute?
We first became aware of Tes Institute when one of our partner schools asked whether we could support a teaching assistant who was undertaking the programme. At the time, we had limited knowledge of iQTS, but after speaking with the trainee and exploring the programme ourselves, we quickly recognised its potential.
We had several members of staff who had excelled in support roles and demonstrated strong potential in the classroom. We wanted to find a pathway that would help them progress into teaching while allowing us to see how they developed within our school environment. Tes Institute provided a route that aligned well with those ambitions.
What did your school hope to achieve by offering iQTS with Tes Institute?
Like many schools, we are facing teacher shortages, particularly in certain curriculum areas. We saw iQTS as an opportunity to develop talented individuals already working within education and address those staffing challenges.
We currently have two trainee teachers undertaking the programme in subject areas where recruitment can be difficult. The programme is helping us build a sustainable pipeline of future teachers while investing in people we know have the potential to succeed.
How has Tes Institute supported your school to achieve your goals?
Tes Institute has been excellent from the outset. As this was a completely new process for us, we had a lot of questions, particularly around applications and administration.
The Tes team are always available to provide guidance, whether through online meetings, emails or discussions around specific requirements. Tes Institute helped us navigate any challenges and ensured our trainees were able to progress successfully.
How have you found working with Tes Institute?
Our experience has been extremely positive. One of the things that stood out most was the depth and quality of the programme content.
The course is robust and challenging in all the right ways. It is not simply a box-ticking exercise. Trainees are expected to meet high standards, develop their understanding of pedagogy and apply that knowledge within their own school context. That gives us confidence that those completing the programme are well prepared for a career in teaching.
As a mentor, my role is to listen, guide and help trainees connect the theory they are learning through the programme with what that looks like in practice within our school.
I also act as a link between trainees, departments and school leadership, helping to ensure they understand the culture of the school and the approaches we want to see in the classroom. Alongside the support provided by Tes Institute pathway tutors, mentoring allows us to tailor development to our own context and expectations.
What has the impact of the course been on your school and staff?
The impact has been very positive. Our staff have embraced the programme and have been incredibly supportive of the trainees. Departments have worked closely with them, helping to develop both subject knowledge and classroom practice.
Feedback from colleagues is positive, and there is a strong sense of collaboration around the programme. Staff regularly share observations, successes and areas for development, creating a supportive environment that benefits everyone involved.
The programme has also generated interest across the wider school and leadership team, who can clearly see the value of developing future teachers in this way.
What would you tell another school that is thinking about working with Tes Institute?
I would strongly recommend it. The programme provides an excellent opportunity to upskill and recruit future teaching staff while gaining a detailed understanding of how they teach and whether they are a good fit for your school's culture.
Rather than recruiting solely through an interview process, schools have the opportunity to see trainees develop over time and shape that development to align with their own expectations and values. It is a highly effective way to build teaching capacity for the future.
How would you sum up your experience with Tes Institute in a sentence?
Tes Institute offers a positive, robust and innovative approach to teacher development that is helping schools rethink how they recruit, train and retain teachers.
