Mentor FAQs

As the table above outlines, each Professional Practice is split into three distinct phases to reflect the stage of ITE which that trainee is at. During their introductory phase  trainees focus being introduced to school/professional life, observing good practice and undertaking some initial teaching experiences. The development phase sees trainees take on some responsibility for whole-class teaching and is an opportunity to develop their T&L experiences alongside a slightly increased teaching load. The consolidation phase is the final phase of placement with an emphasis on an increased level of responsibility for whole class-teaching, an increased teaching load and a focus on building on targets from the developmental phase with a view to preparing trainees for their next stage as an ECT (Early Career Teacher). Undergraduate trainees usually undertake the phases in three different settings (over the course of their three year course), PGCE trainees undertake their introductory and consolidation phase in the same setting (with a different setting for the developmental, this is known as A-B-A or the 'home and away' model) and FET trainees undertake all three phases in one setting. The phases of placement will be shown on the curriculum the trainee is following.

As an accredited provider of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) the University is bound by the ITT Criteria (2020) which sets out the following requirements and adheres to these for all ITE and Work Based Learning Experiences:

'Providers should have regard to the Keeping children safe in education statutory guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. They should ensure all trainees have been subject to appropriate pre-selection checks. This will include obtaining and considering Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal records checks and children’s barred list information'

Our procedure in response to this DBS requirement is that every student goes through an enhanced DBS check as part of their conditions for entry/enrolment on their ITE course. Where something is raised on the DBS this is considered on a case by case basis through a triage process with a panel of professionals, comprising representatives from partner schools, settings or colleges and from the Faculty of Education.

Trainee will be able to provide their placement school with proof of an electronic letter from the university at the start of their placement. The DBS letter contains their DBS number and clearance date. Trainees are also able to provide their DBS certificate upon request.

Placements are released to trainees two weeks in advance of the placement starting. Once released trainees are should contact the Lead in their school and provide them with their trainee profile. In return we ask the lead to provide the trainee with the name and contact details of their mentor. Trainees are also asked to clarify with the setting the start time and arrangements for lunch on the first day

Yes. We ask all mentors to undergo mentor training once per academic year. The training run by the department covers all aspects of Secondary and FET placements. Training is run by departmental leadership, online (via Teams), after school hours and in advance of placements starting. Once placements are underway we ask Link Tutors to ensure all mentors are trained within 3 weeks of placement commencing.  If mentors are unable to access mentor training (or do not have capacity for mentoring) then we can ask that a new mentor be allocated or seek to source a more appropriate placement in a different setting.

Each trainee is allocated a Link Tutor for the duration of their PP. This is your first point of contact for any matters relating to placement or the trainee.  Link Tutors have responsibility for all aspects of PP and undertake online support meetings and in-person visits throughout the PP.

• In person visits are utilised as part of our QA processes and provide a valuable opportunity for Link Tutors to see the mentoring in action in addition to observing the trainee teach. These visits tend to occur during the developmental and consolidation phase once the trainee has undertaken some teaching and usually consist of a joint lesson observation (with the mentor) and then involvement in the feedback discussion with the trainee after the lesson (Approx. 90 mins).

• Support meetings enable trainee, mentor and Link Tutor to meet (often online), check progress and ascertain if any further support is needed at that time.  They are utilised throughout the course with a focus on the introductory and consolidation phases and usually involve Link Tutors remotely joining for part of a weekly mentor meeting (although this may not always be possible due to timetabling). Mentors can always request these meetings are done in person if they feel it is appropriate.

• Mentors or leads can always ask Link Tutors for additional meetings or in person visits if they feel it is necessary. Link Tutors will prioritise support meetings or in person visits for new/inexperienced mentors, delivering additional mentor training or supporting trainees who are on cause for concern.

Yes. The Core Content Framework (CCF) is the minimum expectation of curriculum coverage which all ITT providers must ensure as outlined by the DfE. It is underpinned by an evidence base and focuses on 8 key areas, each of which sets out what trainees should know and be able to do by the end of their ITT. The CCF is underpinned by the Teachers' Standards and suggests an instructional coaching approach to mentoring novice teachers. The Early Career Framework (ECF) builds on the CCF and sets out what novice teachers should know and be able to do at the end of their 2 year probationary (ECT) phase post-ITT. 

All of our curricula ensures complete coverage of the CCF.

Trainees do not have to be teaching a set number of hours however they should be given sufficient opportunities to progress through their curriculum. The table at the top of this page outlines the teaching expectations of each placement phase to assist in creating timetables

Secondary trainees should be given a timetable which is full-time (5 days per week) for your setting with the exception of Thursday afternoon. To assist with the delivery of their ITE curriculum and to help manage their workload, Secondary trainees attend online university teaching for the duration of their placement For AY 22/23 this is scheduled to take place on a Thursday afternoon from 1pm. We ask mentors to support us in this by not timetabling any teaching on their timetable during this time. Trainees should remain in school and find a suitable location (such as a meeting room or empty classroom) to engage in their online learning.

FET/Post-14 trainees attend placement Wednesday-Thursday until Easter when this increases Tuesday-Friday.

Yes. Every SFE ITT course has a weekly curriculum which encompasses what trainees should know and be able to do each week throughout their ITT including formative questions to ascertain their progress. This curriculum encompasses what they should know and be able to do each week they are on placement (these weeks are shown in orange). Trainees have a copy of their weekly curriculum and copies can be downloaded from the ITE website. Mentors also receive a weekly comms from Course Leaders which reiterates the curriculum for that week in addition to a summary of pertinent research and resources to assist with the curriculum that week.

No. Trainees make progress towards their recommendation for QTS by completing their Weekly Development Summary and demonstrating progress through the ITT curriculum for their specific course so we ask that mentors support them with this. Such an approach aligns with the guidance from the DfE  (from September 2021) that providers should only use the Teachers' Standards when making a judgement about the award of QTS at the end of the ITT course. This means that trainees should not be collating evidence for the purpose of a 'Teaching Standards file'. At the end of their ITE course trainees have a Professional Reflective Viva in which they make reference to their progress as demonstrated via their WDS submissions. No other evidence or examplars are required.

No.  We have designed a week-by-week curriculum which clearly outlines the expectations of what trainees should know and be able to do each week on their specific course. This curriculum ensures complete coverage of the Core Content Framework and is underpinned by the Teacher Standards. To make progress towards the Teachers Standards trainees need to successfully complete their curriculum. This progress is recorded each week in their Weekly Development Summary.

FET/Post-14 trainees are not following a QTS route however they also have a weekly curriculum which they need to follow each week to ensure complete coverage of their curriculum and the ETF Professional Standards.

During their placement trainees should be viewed as a member of staff within your setting. It is important therefore that they gain the full experience of the role of a teacher/tutor in a manner which is appropriate for their status as novice/beginner teachers. Trainees can and should be involved in all aspects of school life (as appropriate to their workload commitments). For example, attendance at parent’s evening, open days, twilight sessions or other staff training events, and break duties.

As novice teachers, our trainees are given a lesson planning proforma to follow by their Course Leader however they should not be onerous. The proforma will vary depending on the subject the trainee is training to teach. Trainees will benefit from having mentor support and guidance when completing their lesson plans so that they can develop to a point where the support and proforma are no longer needed. This should be at a point where the mentor and Link Tutor are satisfied that the trainee can plan effectively without the need for the form. We ask mentors to provide constructive/formative feedback on their lesson planning and therefore suggest trainees plan at least 48 hours in advance so they have time  send their mentor the plan (and any related resources) and have the time to act on feedback. Trainees struggling to keep to an agreed structure/routine with their planning is often an early indicator that they may be having difficulty with their ITT and may benefit from early and additional mentor and/or Link Tutor support.

All Edge Hill trainees have passed an enhanced DBS check which means they are safe to work with children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We would suggest however that mentors do not leave trainees unattended when teaching their lessons at the outset of placement or if the trainee is having difficulty managing a class. However, trainees need to learn to take sole responsibility for a class and part of this is being able to teach without their mentor or another expert colleague in the room. We would suggest that if the trainee is well-developed in their practice, there are no concerns about their abilities to manage the class and an expert colleague is easily accessible should issues arise, then it can be appropriate to leave the trainee unattended on occasion and for short periods of time. You should also check with your ITE Lead as settings often have their own guidance in place for this.

Formal lesson observations should occur once per week throughout placement and should be an informative and constructive experience. They should be recorded on the lesson observation form and only be carried out by the mentor (or lead if they have attended the mentor training). Feedback should be constructive, identify areas of strength and suggest opportunities the trainee needs to develop further. We encourage trainees to be observed with as a wide a range of lessons/groups as possible.

In addition, all trainees are issued with a blue notebook (the 'blue book') to capture informal lesson observations on a daily basis. This can be completed by any expert-colleague and in manner agreed with the trainee (often this is WWW and EBI or similar). Trainees are asked to write a brief response/reflection to their Blue Book comments. To help manage the workload of colleagues and trainees, we suggest trainees are observed via the 'Blue Book' no more than 3 times per day.  

No. Our Post-14 PGDE trainees follow a curriculum which enables them to work towards meeting the ETF Professional Standards. Once completed and in post as a teacher, trainer or tutor in the sector, they are then eligible to apply for QTLS status (Qualified Teacher Learning Skills status) as part of the professional formation process. Once gained, QTLS is equivalent to QTS. More information can be found here.

Trainees should be given opportunity to teach the full range of content and ability in the subject and age phase which they are training to teach. They should also be mentored by an expert-colleague who is an expert in that subject. This ensures we are compliant with the requirements laid out by Ofsted for ITT. (See here for further information)

Secondary trainees should predominantly be teaching pupils aged 11-16 years in their subject (eg. Geography, Physical Education), across Key Stage 3 and 4 (years 7-11) and in mainstream education. They should also have opportunity to teach GCSE/BTEC courses in their subject. Secondary trainees training to teach Biology, Physics, or Chemistry can and should be expected to teach outside of their specialism across all 3 phases of their placement. Similarly, Secondary trainees training to teach History, Geography or Religious Education can be expected to teach some Key Stage 3 'humanities' on their consolidation phase. We encourage all Secondary trainees to gain experience teaching A level or BTEC (16-18 years) if the opportunity arises in their setting and their mentor is in support as this assist in developing them as novice teachers and assists with employability.

Post-14/PGDE trainees are training to teach in the Further Education and Training (FET) sector. They should be given opportunity to teach the full range of content and ability in the subject which they are training to teach (as appropriate to the FET phase) recognising that for those training to teach Post-14 Maths and English this may predominantly be teaching Post-14 learners who are undertaking GCSE re-sits. Post-14/PGDE trainees undertaking their placement in a VI form which is attached to a Secondary school cannot teach pupils in Key stage 3. They should only teach GCSE age pupils in their subject on a minimal basis (for example, a Post-14 trainee training to teach in Sociology in a VI form could teach pupils aged 17-18 years for 8 hours a week on Sociology A level and undertake GCSE Sociology with learners aged 14-16 years for 1 hour a week).

Some Secondary and Post-14 trainees are claiming a bursary which is tied to the subject they are training to teach and the hours they need to undertake. Please speak to your Link Tutor before making any changes to timetables.

If a trainee is absent for a short pre-planned absence (for example, to attend an interview) then it is appropriate for them to set work for the classes which they will not be able to teach. They may need support and guidance from their mentor to ensure cover work is appropriate.

If the trainee is unexpectedly absent (for example, due to illness), then we would suggest to them that they send their mentor any lessons/ resources which they were going to deliver. However, we do not expect trainees to send in any cover work in the same manner as one may expect from a qualified teacher. This is done in consideration of the trainee's well-being and with the expectation that the trainee will have provided their mentor with their lesson in advance (for the purpose of receiving feedback) which the mentor is able to deliver on their behalf.

All safeguarding concerns should be raised with the Designated Safeguarding Lead in your setting in the first instance and in accordance with the guidance and procedures in your setting.  You should also email foesafeguarding@edgehill.ac.uk detailing the nature of the concerns and alert the relevant LT that you have a safeguarding concern. These actions should be undertaken as a priority. FOESafeguarding@edgehill.ac.uk is a confidential inbox managed by the Faculty Safeguarding Lead who will be best placed to respond/action as appropriate.

If a trainee needs to report a safeguarding disclosure during their Professional Practice they should follow all procedures in their setting and complete the Safeguarding Reporting Form

1. • Low level/initial concerns: If you have any concerns about the progress your trainee is making, please discuss this with them in the first instance and inform the relevant Link Tutor. Please also tick 'yes' on the WDS when asked if the trainee requires additional support. If concerns are persistent despite additional mentoring and/or Link Tutor support, the cause for concern process can be initiated. 

   • Ongoing concerns: As above. Please also indicate this on the progress report when asked if the trainee needs additional support in each aspect (tick yes) and tick that the trainee can proceed but with additional support. If concerns persist despite additional mentoring and/or Link Tutor support, the cause for concern process can be initiated. 

   • Ongoing to the extent that you are unsure about progression to the next phase of placement: As above but tick 'refer to Associate Head of Department' on the bottom of the progress form. At this stage cause for concern will almost certainly be initiated by the AHoD (if this has not been done already and the trainee has not made expected progress).

You may also find it useful to refer to our Professional Practice policy.

The Cause for Concern (CfC) process aims to intervene and support trainees who may be experiencing difficulties and challenges within a Professional Practice. A trainee is deemed as being ‘cause for concern’ if they are not meeting the necessary curriculum benchmarks for their course and/or expected standards of attendance, punctuality or professional conduct. The ‘triggers’ for the CfC process may include:

·   Mentor indication via the Weekly Development Summary (WDS) that the trainee is not making sufficient progress despite additional support being provided

·   Trainee disengagement with the WDS process lasting longer than 2 weeks (for example, not uploading their WDS on a weekly basis despite reminders)

There are 3 steps in the CfC process:

1.  Despite additional support from the Link Tutor and/or mentor, trainee is not making sufficient progress and both Mentor and LT agree that CfC needs to be started. Additional support from may include (but is not limited to) additional targets, support meetings, assistance with lesson/resource planning, assistance with workload management.

2. At the earliest opportunity, mentor, LT, and trainee meet to agree targets which trainee needs to action to remedy their progress. This can be done via an online if this is quicker than an in person visit. Targets should be specific, actionable, and achievable within a week, rather than ‘learning goals’.  The CfC form is completed in the meeting  by the LT detailing nature of concerns, support already provided and targets agreed. Form is shared with mentor, LT, trainee and AHoD (ITT).

3. Mentor, LT and trainee meet 7 days after CfC meeting to review targets & update form. Actions taken:

   1. 1. 1. 1. Sufficient progress made: CfC ended and progress monitored via WDS

            2. Sufficient progress partially made: CfC extended for another 7 days (at which stage stage 3 is repeated)

            3. Sufficient progress not made and placement is concluded: The LT refers this to the AHoD (ITT) for a meeting with trainee and LT (& mentor if appropriate) to consider appropriate next steps. This may include a further opportunity to re-take the placement in a different setting (in its entirety or in part), transfer to non-QTS (where the option is available), or withdrawal from the course.

The lead contact in your school may be able to assist in this instance by helping with cover arrangements or offering to observe (if they have undertaken mentor training). In addition,  trainees can be observed via their blue book by any expert colleague. We also suggest that where the mentor can only observe specific classes (for cover reasons for example), that the focus of the observation be varied and derived from the curriculum for that week (e.g. adaptive teaching, assessment, how pupils learn etc).

The trainee is responsible for reporting any absence in line with the procedure and polices in place for all members of staff in that setting. They should also inform their mentor and Link Tutor every day they are absent, inform both the setting of their expected return date, and send any cover work (this may be more appropriate for those on a consolidation placement).  If you have concerns about a trainee (including their attendance or punctuality) you should contact their Link Tutor in the first instance. Whilst trainees are not required to complete 120 days on placement, they are expected to maintain the level of attendance which will be expected of them once qualified and required to engage fully with their curriculum. They are made aware that if they are routinely absent or absent for long periods of time, they may struggle to make the necessary progression and this may hinder their progress on the course. Trainees are able to request leave from university (inc. placement) for religious observances.

Your Link Tutor is always the first point of call for anything related to Professional Practice. If you struggling to get in touch with them you may find it useful to email our partnership team (educationpartnership@edgehill.ac.uk) or the Associate Head of Department who has specific responsibility for ITE. In SFE this is Dr Sjay Patterson-Craven (sjay.patterson@edgehill.ac.uk). Both will ensure your query is resolved with the appropriate Link Tutor.

As part of their ITE experience trainees benefit from being exposed to the full life of the school, this includes any Ofsted inspections. If a school receives notification of an inspection, trainees should adopt as 'business as usual' approach unless they are directed to do otherwise by their mentor or lead. For example, whilst there is no requirement to do so, some schools prefer that lessons are not taught by ITE trainees during the inspection period. We would ask that trainees are involved in the Ofsted preparation and inspection process as much as the school deems this to be reasonable for novice/ITE trainees.

If their school/college is open then trainees should attend. This includes periods of strike action when the setting may be running a collapsed or reduced timetable. We would ask that if their mentor is absent due to strike action, another appropriate colleague is identified to support in the interim. All Edge Hill ITE trainees are encouraged to be a member of a teaching union. Therefore whilst it is highly unlikely, trainees can engage in strke action as per any guidance provided by the union of which they are a member.

We would be delighted to work closer with Partner schools to support pupils. We have opportunities for schools to bring their pupils to campus for aspirational days including a tour of the campus and taster sessions. There are also sessions and workshops aimed at Year 12 and Y13 based on offering information on higher education options and access. Please contact a member of the team to discuss further by emailing educationpartnership@edgehill.ac.uk. If you would like subject specific support (e.g. History, English, Geography etc) please speak to your Link Tutor who will put you in touch with the relevant Course Leader.

We actively encourage all members of our partnership to contribute to our delivery and ITE provision. Examples include involvement with recruitment interviews, being a member of our Partnership Development Group or designing and delivering sessions. We are also keen to explore the use of lead mentors across the partnership. Please contact sjay.patterson@edgehill.ac.uk (Associate Head of Department: ITE) or your Link Tutor to discuss any of this further.

Please contact educationpartnership@edgehill.ac.uk  and a member of the team will be in contact to discuss this with you. It may also be relevant you to consult our partnership agreement. This outlines the roles and responsibilities of Edge Hill, our trainees and our partners.

The ITE Partnership site houses a list of all the CPD sessions running throughout the A/Y. Sessions are free to attend and online and can be viewed here. We also have a range of academic routes available such as the PgCert in Mentoring and Coaching and our suite of MA courses. In addition, we warmly invite and encourage all mentors to attend our Reading the Evidence Base group. This is an online group who meet once a month to discuss and critique the evidence base which underpins the Core Content Framework. If you would like to join this group please email Nicola.Looker@edgehill.ac.uk