Sherborne Area Schools' Trust (SAST) 

Applications will reopen on 11th October 2022 

If you are living in or outside of Dorset and looking to train to teach, the Sherborne Area Schools' Trust (previously the North Dorset Teaching School Alliance) could be the route for you.  

SAST is made up of many schools, including five secondary schools in Dorset that can offer secondary training places. 

Applying for a SAST training vacancy counts as one of your three options, if the subject you are looking at is also available with MSC or Crispin School Salaried places, all of these will count as separate choices.

For example, you could apply: 

1. Sherborne Area Schools' Trust (with MSC as the trainer)

2. The Mid Somerset Consortium

3. Crispin School salaried routes (Maths and English only)

Remember! All candidates have three choices when applying, we encourage applicants to use all options.

Candidates that are successful in gaining a place with SAST (Secondary only) will be trained by the MSC and will be based in one of the schools listed below.

We recommend SAST places for candidates living in Dorset, the Yeovil area or those particularly interested in one of the schools below. Please click on any of the schools to learn more.

SAST only offers School Direct Fee-Paying courses, candidates looking for salaried places should look at our Crispin School Alliance places.

Remember! All MSC trainees, regardless of route, will need to travel to the MSC training facilities once a week on Tuesdays and will also be required to travel to local schools in the Somerset area.

Please note, SAST places vary in interview methods (see below) and may also be impacted by current COVID restrictions. 

Potential trainees who are selected for interview will be informed by email and given a date for interview. The interview process will include:

• Teaching – potential trainees are asked to teach a pre-assigned topic to a group of students. 
• A meeting with the department –a subject specific group exercise where the potential trainees meet the HoD, the mentor and 1 or 2 other members of the department to assess suitability to work with the department via a subject based discussion.
• Student panel – potential trainees will be interviewed by a panel of students
• Generic lesson observation (1/2 lesson)
• An observation of a lesson (outside of the applicant’s specialism) in conjunction with a member of the Selection Panel. A discussion of the lesson will be part of the final interview
• Formal interview – panel interview with members of the Selection Panel (and if available a member of the appropriate HEI) 

  If you are looking for another subject please refer back to our subject list.