Mentor & Trainee Placement Documentation

Most of what you need can be found here on the Mentor Support Website, but a handbook is provided here for further information if required (This is probably best accessed electronically, using the index or "Ctrl F" to find the key word/s you are looking for).

(Best printed to A4)

Throughout the year we will remind you through the Weekly Training Plan and emails from secPGCE@ncl.ac.uk / ed.pgce@durham.ac.uk of the expectations, events and deadlines associated with mentoring. 

These versions includes an overview of expected teaching load.

(We recommend printing this to A3)

(Best accessed electronically. Alongside the Weekly Training Plans, this provides a more detailed description of the weekly learning themes and can help forward planning of school-based experiences)

(Best accessed electronically. Alongside the Weekly Training Plans, this provides a more detailed description of the weekly learning themes and can help forward planning of school-based experiences)

(Best accessed electronically. Alongside the Weekly Training Plans, this provides a more detailed description of the weekly learning themes and can help forward planning of school-based experiences)

Concise mentor guide to observing student-teachers that centres observation on pupils’ learning, using an inquiry mindset and descriptive evidence rather than judgement, with practical prompts and principles throughout. 

We are not saying that this is the best example, but it exemplifies the type of lesson feedback, target setting and trainee evaluation that we would hope to see as a minimum for each of the Formally Observed lessons (1/week).

(Best to print to A4 for use during the post-lesson debrief)

You can download an annotated copy with explanations / rationale here. 

Week 4 - ITAP 1a Observing Entry/Exit and Gaining Attention Routines

Week 6 - ITAP 1b Observing Least Intrusive Interventions for Low Level Disruption <<yellow>>

Week 5 - ITAP 2a Cognitive Challenges Discussion Form

Week 14 - ITAP 2b Signature Subject Pedagogies Lesson Observation Form

Guidance for Mentors and Trainees

Week 16 - ITAP 3 Lesson Observation Form

Week 22 and Week 23 - Behavioural Routines and Strategies - Lesson Observation Form

Week 24 - ITAP 4a Explanations Lesson Observation Form

Week 27 - ITAP 4b Questioning Lesson Observation Form

Learning to teach is complex, and just as our pupils may struggle to learn, so too might our trainee teachers. This summary helps remind Mentors of some of the reasons why a trainee might appear to be making less progress than expected... Sometimes a reasonable adjustment or recalibration of our expectations is all that is needed to support the trainee in overcoming a particular challenge. 

(If your trainee is struggling in some way, it is likely that this has happened before! We have tried to provide some helpful advice to the trainee, school and university-based staff in this document as a first step to helping to resolve the issue)