1. Maximising your progress on your professional placements
Friday 31st August

2. Overview and aims
Consider your role and how this will contribute to the effectiveness of your placement and your development
Understand the role of your moderation link tutor
Understand the importance of the training plan and how this can support your development in school
Guidance on best practice use of the training plan
Further develop your understanding of how to make the most of your experiences and training both in school and university

3. Support from the University Moderation Link Tutor
The University Moderation Link Tutor will:
Provide a link between school and university
Be your first point of call with any placement-related issues
Make up to six visits to the trainee in school to carry out joint lesson observations with the School Mentor
Moderate mentor judgements and placement provision
Regularly review the teaching file and professional development file (refer back to intro to course notes for more detail on these)
Support the development and review of any action plans considered necessary for the trainee

5. Aims of the training plan:
To support trainees’ self-management of their professional development over the PGCE programme, including target-setting and review of progress against these targets.
To facilitate mentor engagement with a trainee’s development over the whole PGCE programme, including target-setting and review of progress against these targets.
To record training and professional development which takes place both in and outside of placement

6. Training plan: Trainee’s role
Keep the training plan up to date and available for the mentor and university staff to view at all times
Communicate and engage with mentors on a weekly basis through a timetabled meeting
Ensure that the key discussion points from the professional discussions with your mentor during your weekly meetings are recorded in the training plan – share with mentor
Collaboratively agree targets/actions with mentor and record in training plan – use these targets to help drive your development
Constructively raise with moderation link tutor if weekly mentor meetings/lesson observations are not happening
Inform Sally/Julie if your mentor has not attended mentor development sessions and/or seems unsure about Warwick expectations

7. Training Plan: Role of mentor
Agree a time for a weekly meeting (ideally timetabled in advance) with the trainee during placements to review training and discuss trainee development
Mentor and trainee to have a professional conversation about the trainee’s development during that week and the placement as a whole
Support the trainee to monitor their progress against the termly and weekly short-term development targets
Mentor to regularly sign training plan to acknowledge progress has been made against targets
Signpost the trainee to colleagues with a particular expertise, subject specialists etc. to enable them to observe and learn from good practice across the school
Highlight to the trainee and link tutor in a constructive manner if the training plan is not being used as effectively as it could be

8. Training Plan: Role of moderation link tutor
University moderation link tutors will review your training plan on placement visits to ensure that it is an effective record of your development
If the training plan is not being used effectively, moderation link tutors will challenge the trainee and inform the mentor to ensure the issues are addressed quickly

9. What does a good Training Plan look like?
Up-to-date
Professionally presented but can be handwritten – some sections can be typed if you prefer but don’t do things twice!
Pertinent targets that are regularly reviewed so there is clear evidence of progress
Professionally reflective
Clear evidence of progress against termly and termly assessment profiles and targets (long term targets set at start of each term and weekly targets set during mentor meeting)
Clear and succinct notes to summarise your weekly meetings with your mentor/class teacher

11. Targets – demonstrating your progress
You will have at least one lesson observation a week (mentor or class teacher etc.) and you will agree on collaborative targets with your mentor based on this lesson
Lesson observation forms will be added to your professional development file
In addition, you will meet with your mentor once a week to discuss your professional progress (this is in addition to feedback on your lesson). Together, you will review progress since the previous week and agree targets for the upcoming week based on this professional discussion.

12. Termly targets will be set during the first group tutorial at university – but start thinking about these… What do you think the areas are that you want to focus on in your first term as a student teacher? What are you feeling anxious about? What might you find challenging? How will you know you have achieved these?

13. Nobody wants a mentee who… Everybody wants a mentee who…
The importance of your character and your attitude when approaching your new mentor/mentee relationship
Nobody wants a mentee who…
Everybody wants a mentee who…
Group activity – sugar paper and pens on tables to present as they wish!

14. No one wants a mentee who…
Is only being mentored because they think it is what is expected
Never really thinks about their own professional practice and what works well
Thinks that they can suck their mentor dry of all their tips and tricks rather than develop their own approaches
Cannot be bothered to think carefully before a mentoring session, what they want to get out of it
Sees asking for help as a sign of weakness and failure
Acts the helpless victim who just wants to be given the answer

15. Everybody wants a mentee who…
Understands that schools are busy places and thinks about others as well as themselves
Is always thinking about the impact they are having on the children and their learning
Is self-aware
Is proactive and takes ownership over their own development
Comes prepared to mentor meetings and takes an active part in professional discussions
Is not afraid to ask for help and support
Has sought and acted on advice and guidance provided by colleagues
Is an integral part of the school team
Is kind and considerate and shows good manners - a please and thank you goes a long way!

16. Pause for thought…
What will you try to do to make a positive first impression and to show your mentor that you are a gold star mentee?

17. What do I need to do now? Training Plan tasks:
Pen portrait with relevant personal and professional experiences (complete in induction week if not yet done)
Subject Knowledge audits and action plans (ongoing)
Log of schools (ongoing) – complete for host school, add to during the year
Safeguarding training (ongoing)– add induction week session, add to throughout the year
Progress log (ongoing) – complete initial self-assessment, add to after each assessment profile
Professional development log (ongoing) – add any INSET at start of academic year and keep adding to this

18. Other jobs… Start a teaching file
Put your training plan and a copy of your WADs in your Professional Development file
Start to familiarise yourself with the teachers’ standards
Think about the targets you want to set for yourself for the first term
Think about how you are going to make and sustain that positive first impression