Mentor Briefing for part-time PGCE Consolidation Placement November 2017

Contacts Consolidation Placement Director: Ann Jones T: 01904 876532 E: a.jones@yorksj.ac.uk Placement team office T: 01904 876663 (Rachael Brook) E: placements@yorksj.ac.uk

Weekly emails will be sent to mentor / link tutor and student teacher throughout the placement with reminders of key requirements. Please check that you are receiving these as they may be sent to the school office.

The Student Teachers Are studying their PGCE on a part-time basis. They began the programme in September 2016 completing half of the programme last year and the remaining half this year. All university based elements of the programme, and all academic assignments will be completed before the current placement. They undertook the Developmental Placement in Spring 2017. It will be a year between that and the current placement.

Dates in 2018 Preparation: 22nd and 23rd January 29th and 30th January Week beginning 12th or 19th February depending on the date of half-term Planning check: By Friday 23rd February Block experience: Monday 26th February to Friday 4th May (8 weeks with 2 weeks Easter break) Mid-point moderation appraisal: Week beginning 19th March Interim report: Monday 26th March Intervention Day: Thursday 29th March (Support day in university for students at grade 3 at this point) Exit Interview: Week beginning 23rd or 30th April

Key features of the Consolidation Placement: Preparation Days Gather contextual information, start School Based Tasks and get to know the children, the classroom and school routines. Expectations are clearly set out in the SE handbook. 40% teaching groups and whole class, 40% planning and preparation and 20% working alongside class teacher Planning must be in place and signed off by the mentor no later than Friday 23rd February.

Key features of the Consolidation Placement main Block Student teachers move from 60% to 80% timetable, aiming to be, as far as possible, the class teacher. Six appraisals (minimum) spread evenly over the 8 weeks. There may be an additional early reading appraisal (either phonics or guided reading).

The assessment process for the Consolidation Placement Midpoint Moderation Appraisal (one of the six) with mentor and link tutor (week 4). Interim report (submitted via STASS) – by Monday 26th March. Exit Interview with link tutor (week 7or 8). Triangulation meeting and report (student teacher, class teacher and mentor reviewing the placement and producing summative reports, overall grading and targets for NQT induction).

Planning Teaching should only be undertaken by student teachers based on clear and prior planning. Student teachers in EYFS should follow the planning used in their setting. Student teachers in KS1 and 2 must prepare medium term plans in advance and plan for every taught session. YSJU pro-forma does not need to be used. If planning has not been approved, the student teacher must NOT start their placement and the link tutor and SE Director must be informed.

Medium term planning Student teachers may use school medium term planning pro forma structures as long as these include all the elements identified on the University medium term pro forma: - Number of weeks / sessions. - Length of sessions. - Learning objectives. - Success criteria (steps to learning). - Teaching and learning activities. - Resource implications. - Assessment opportunities. Medium term planning may take a variety of forms such as thematic, skills based or ‘creative curriculum’ planning.

Short Term Planning Student teachers can you their chosen pro forma which should include: Key learning objectives referenced to NC/ELGs etc. Success criteria Assessment plans Use of other adults [if appropriate] Activity/differentiation/special considerations Resources Vocabulary Brief outline of session including key questions as appropriate Evaluation of learning and teaching/next steps Expected timings

Monitoring and Assessment Significant expectations around monitoring and assessment. We expect the student teachers to: Start with basics provided by YSJU Increasingly take on more of the school’s approaches and/or their own approaches developed alongside the school Have robust cycles of planning, teaching, assessment Maintain clear and useful records

Non-contact time Throughout the placement student teachers should have10% PPA and 10% CPD time each week. This should be timetabled. Student teachers should be proactive in planning their CPD. The focus should be on developing weekly targets. Professional development should be recorded in the new CPD tracker.

Gathering evidence Student teachers should be encouraged to identify (with the support of mentors) practice which demonstrates their achievement of the Teachers’ Standards. This should be noted in the Record of Professional Development throughout the placement and shared with the mentor.

There should be three Link tutor visits In preparation days or early in main block   Visit 2: Stage 1 of exit process (week 4) Shared appraisal at mid-point to support target setting Visit 3: Stage 2 of exit process (week 7 or 8) Exit interview in final two weeks of block (+ moderation of judgements)

Documentation: mentors and student teachers Consolidation Experience Handbook detailed expectations for the placement Appraisal handbook All the necessary forms for mentors for appraisals Planning and Assessment Guidance Planning and assessment information and documents for student teachers Dealing with Placement problems Guidance if things go wrong

Four School Experience files Well kept files are required for passing this placement. 1. Teaching file Everything needed for one week in the classroom 2. Planning and archive file Long and medium term plans, schemes of work etc. Overviews where appropriate Archive of lesson planning 3. Record of Professional Development Student profile document Reflective learning journals Grading Guidance School based tasks 4. Monitoring and Assessment File Samples gathered under 11 headings to support the exit interview process

Weekly reflective learning journal and the record of weekly meetings Please try to arrange a regular weekly meeting with the student teacher Consider Friday or Monday so that the RLJ can be read, discussed and acted on in the following week Mentors need to decide whether they are happy with an electronic copy and if so, when? Lay your ground rules about communication outside school

Weekly reflective learning journal and the record of weekly meetings The first sections of the RLJ should be completed by the student teacher and discussed with the mentor during their weekly meeting. The RLJ should then be completed through discussion between student teacher and mentor. It should be informed by lesson evaluations, and by an overview of the whole week. Student teachers should be demonstrating sustained competence throughout the week. During the weekly meeting the reflective learning journal should be used to help identify targets for the forthcoming week.

The Emerging Professional We expect student teachers in their final placement to be: Reflective Increasingly autonomous Demonstrating sustained competence in the classroom Demonstrating potential to become an NQT

Student teachers should become increasingly autonomous Planning, teaching and assessment of whole class Own professional development, including the use of CPD time Coping with the daily rigour of the job An ability to cope with change/be flexible

Potential to become an NQT Meet all Teachers’ Standards Fulfil all aspects of the role of the class teacher Highly respected by learners and colleagues Positive attitude Willingness to learn and be available to help

The mentor role Support Appraise Classroom management Professional development and wider involvement in the school For completion of school based tasks Planning, teaching and assessment Lessons Professional performance and characteristics Files

Formative feedback All appraisals should result in: Constructive, formative feedback; Subject specific feedback Target setting related to the TS Supporting the student teachers in understanding how to improve e.g. from RI (Requires improvement to become good) to Good or Good to Outstanding Refer to the ‘Good to Outstanding booklets’ to support this development

Placement Grading Final grades are identified at the end of the placement in discussion between mentor and link tutor. Grades of 1 = Outstanding, 2 = Good, 3 = Requires improvement to become good and 4 = below standard. All grades are appropriate to the stage of the student teachers' training. Final grades are embedded in the student teacher’s reference.

Dealing with problems Clear procedures in the ‘Dealing with Placement Problems’ booklet Most problems are small and can be solved quickly at school level Anything bigger or longer term MUST involve YSJU at an early stage. Don’t wait till time is short! Contact link tutor first or Consolidation Experience Director if it’s urgent/major Students at grade 3(RI) or below will need additional targets in place using the YSJU Requiring Improvement Action Plan pro-forma

Finally – SUMMING UP Refer to the Handbook regularly and weekly emails Discuss the student teacher’s targets from the Developmental Placement and how to address them Ensure the student teacher is ready to start the block – satisfactory files and medium term planning Plan a timetable for the whole block if possible Arrange weekly meetings and discuss student teacher’s reflections and grades

For nurturing our student teachers Thank you For nurturing our student teachers All documentation can be found on our website: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/careers-placements--opportunities/placements/