BEd (Primary) Programme
Year 3 School Experience
Spring 2018
Notes of Guidance for Student Teachers, School Based Tutors,
University Visiting Tutors & Mentors
ITT Placements Team
Plymouth University
Plymouth Institute of Education
Room 109, Roland Levinsky Building
Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA
Tel: 01752 585324
E-Mail:
BEd (Primary)
Year 3 School Experience
Spring Term 2018
Date / Detail / AssociatePartnership Schools / Teaching
Partnership Schools
Prior to placement start date / Placement preparation meetings for student teachers on campus. Students living away from campus must have secured accommodation and informed the ITE placements team, completed a travel bursary, contacted their placement school, and the university mentor to introduce themselves / n/a / n/a
Prior to placement start date / Personal preparation meeting with Professional Tutor on campus
University visiting Tutors and Mentors may contact the school and arrange the Partnership briefing meeting one or two weeks prior to the school experience commencing. / n/a / n/a
w/c 8th
January 2018
(Week 1) / School experience begins
Focussed observation (1)
Planning day for SBT/student teachers / SM & SBT meet with University Visiting Tutor (UVT) for a 45 minute briefing meeting in school.
UVT meets student teachers (15 minutes per student) and conducts well-being and preparation check.
SBT – Focussed observation (1) / SBT meets with UM for a 45 minute briefing meeting in school.
UM meets student teachers (15minutes per student teacher) and conducts well-being and preparation check.
SBT – Focussed observation (1)
w/c 15th January 2018
(Week 2) / Observation and completion of Monitoring & Evaluation Form (M&EF) (1) Upload grade to Pebblepad
Focussed observation (2)
Early Alert issued no later than Friday 19th January 2018. / SBT – Focussed observation (2) / UM
SBT – Focussed observation (2)
w/c 22ndJanuary 2018 (Week 3) / Focussed observation (3) / SM – Focussed observation (3) / SBT – Focussed observation (3)
w/c 29th January 2018(Week 4) / Joint observation and completion of Monitoring & Evaluation Form (M&EF) (2) Upload grade to Pebblepad
Focussed observation (4) / SM / UVT
SBT – Focussed observation (4) / UM / SBT
SBT – Focussed observation (4)
w/c 5th February 2018
(Week 5) / Observation and completion of Monitoring & Evaluation Form (M&EF) (3) Upload grade to Pebblepad
Interim Assessment Point for Planning (see page 13 )and transition to Final Placement Weekly Review document
Focussed observation (5)
Cause for Concern issued no later than Friday 9th February 2018. / SM and UVT
SM – Focussed observation (5) / UM and SBT
SBT – Focussed observation (5)
w/c 12 February 2018 / Half term Week
Opportunities for campus based intervention and support for student teachers
w/c 19th February 2018 (Week 6) / Observation and completion of Monitoring & Evaluation Form (M&EF) (4) Upload grade to Pebblepad
Focussed observation (6)
Deadline for submission of interim grades / SM
SBT – Focussed observation (6) / UM
SBT – Focussed observation (6)
w/c 26th February 2018 (Week 7) / Focussed observation (7)
Moderation Meeting by request / SM – Focussed observation (7) / SBT – Focussed observation (7)
w/c 5th March 2018
(Week 8) / Joint Observation and completion of Monitoring & Evaluation Form (M&EF) (5) Upload grade to Pebblepad
Focussed observation (8)
Insufficient Progress should be issued no later than Friday 9th March / SM and UVT
SBT – Focussed observation (8) / UM and SBT
SBT – Focussed observation (8)
w/c 12th
March 2018 (Week 9) / Focussed observation (9)
Visits will be made by External Examiners / SM – Focussed observation (9) / SBT – Focussed observation (9)
w/c 19th
March 2018
(Week 10) / Observation and completion of Monitoring & Evaluation Form (M&EF) (6) Upload grade to Pebblepad
Focussed observation (10)
End of school experience.
Reports should be completed electronically by this date and emailed together with a Word document of the final profile towards the Teachers’ Standards to the Partnership Office by Friday 23rd March 2018 / SM
SBT – Focussed observation (10) / UM
SBT – Focussed observation (10)
Quality Assurance Record – Year 3 School Experience
Checklist and Weekly Monitoring and Evaluation Record for School Based Tutors, School/University Mentor and University Visiting Tutor. (Copies of this QA record should be placed at the front of student teachers’ Practical Teaching Files).
Observation Feedback Record
Student teachers should be observed and have a feedback and learning conversation on a weekly basis. This is a minimum requirement but further focussed observations may be required or negotiated.
Week / Tutor(School Based Tutors, School Mentors, University Visiting Tutors/Mentors / Monitoring & Evaluation Report
Observed / Focussed Observation
Feedback Given / Initials / Student Teacher’s Initials / Date
Week 1
w/c 8th January
Week 2
w/c 15th January
Week 3
w/c 22nd January
Week 4
w/c 29th January
Week 5
w/c 5th February
Half Term
Week 6
w/c 19thFebruary
Week 7
w/c26thFebruary
Week 8
w/c 5thMarch
Week 9
w/c 12th March
Week 10
w/c 19th March
1. Introduction
The Final School Experience is designed to enable student teachers to demonstrate that they aspire to meet the Teachers’ Standards to the highest possible level.
All student teachers understand that they are guests in a working school environment. The school will prioritise the needs of their pupils above all else. As a student teacher the expectation is that they will recognise, respect and demonstrate flexibility in their approach to meeting the requirements of the school experience programme and the needs of the school. In doing so they will be clearly demonstrating Part 2 Teachers’ Standards.
Student teachers placed in KS1 classes may well be required to work with Reception age children. Where this is the case it is essential that student teachers read the Notes of Guidance - Early Years (Section 10 of the Primary Partnership Portfolio) and take steps to ensure they are sufficiently prepared for working within the EYFS prior to starting the placement.
The student teachers will come to the placement with their files prepared (see proforma section of the Primary Partnership Portfolio) ready to begin using them so that by the end of the first week that there is clear evidence:-
· having met with the designated Safeguarding Officer and jointly signed the Safety and Ethics Proforma.
· undertaken observation of the School Based Tutor maintaining routines, classroom organisation, rules, responses and expectations throughout the academic year in preparation for their own NQT year;
· undertaken observation of developing relationships between the School Based Tutor, the pupils and their parents and family in preparation for their own NQT year;
· opportunities to observe how the School Based Tutor assesses pupil knowledge, skills and understanding;
· opportunities for effective and sustained teaching of the core subjects, recognition of impact and progress for pupils;
· opportunities to teach their specialist subject across the whole age range;
· opportunities to teach across the Areas of Learning if in the Early Years Foundation Stage;
· opportunities to make appropriate use of Information and Communication Technology;
· planning for pupils who have particular educational needs, working within the Code of Practice, implementing individual education plans and knowing where to get help in order to give positive and targeted support;
· how the school implements SMSC and promotes fundamental British Values;
· observing good practice in core and specialist subjects, including, where possible and appropriate, observation of subject leaders and leading teachers, focusing on pupils’ learning as well as teaching strategies;
· opportunities to observe and become involved in any areas where the school has particular curriculum strengths;
· undertaking assessment and monitoring activities;
· rigorously addressing targets identified during earlier school experiences and university based modules, and detailed in the student teachers’ professional development profile and on the online profile to ensure own progress;
· student teachers will have set up and organised files required as exemplified in the proforma section of the Primary Partnership Portfolio.
· opportunities to teach phonics/spelling/grammar as appropriate to groups and whole class, and receive focussed observations and recorded feedback;
· opportunities to teach mathematics as appropriate to groups and whole class, and receive focussed observations and recorded feedback.
Data Protection
The confidentiality of our student teachers is respected and measures are taken in order to prevent any unauthorised disclosure during the course of their studies at the Institute of Education, Plymouth University. All personal information will be treated strictly in terms of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Our School Partners must be aware of this requirement and refer to the school experience team should they be contacted by a relative, friend or external body. The standard response, should such any enquiry be made, would be that the school is unable to make any comment about the student teacher and to provide the contact details of the school experience team.
Student teachers are told that:
‘We will not normally release data about you to your parents, partner or other relative or an external enquirer under any circumstances without having received your specific written consent.’
Further details are available on the Plymouth University website. The specific written consent referred to here, must be sent in the first instance to a member of the academic team and copied to the Programme Leader in order that the student teachers’ permission is clearly communicated.
2. Information relevant to all placements
All student teachers will have attended a briefing meeting prior to placement commencing. All School Mentors and/or School Based Tutors will be briefed about the placement in their own school during the first week to ensure clarity of expectations from all Partners.
All student teachers are required to contact both the placement school and their University Visiting Tutor or University Mentor prior to placement commencing.
BEd Year 2, BEd Year 3 and PGCE Placement 2, student teachers must also send an electronic copy of their previous school experience report to their University Visiting Tutor or University Mentor.
All student teachers are required to read “Keeping Children Safe in Education” DfE, September 2016 and acknowledge that they have done so in the placement checklist for the start of placement in each set of Notes of Guidance.
a) Leave of Absence During School Experience Placement
The health and well-being of student teachers is paramount, and they should take care to remain well and appropriately rested during school experience placements. Inevitably, a small percentage of student teachers will succumb to minor ailments when on placement which may require 24/48 hours rest and absence from school. Other leave requires greater consideration, and is not necessarily granted.
Illness during school experience
Student teachers who become ill during school experience must personally inform the school by telephone before the start of the school day, on the day that they become ill. They also need to inform the university by contacting the ITE Placements Team, Tel: 01752 585324 or . They should also inform their University Mentor/Visiting Tutor if they are due to visit on that day. If the illness persists a doctor’s note may be required.
Absence as a result of accidental injury or hospitalisation
Student teachers who cannot attend the school experience placement due to unexpected accidental injury or hospitalisation must personally inform the school on the day of their absence before the start of the day, and they should also inform both the Partnership Office and their University Mentor/Visiting Tutor as above. A letter from the doctor or hospital may be required.
Requesting leave of absence during school experience placements
Any request for leave of absence during a school experience placement must be gained from the Headteacher in the first instance, who will judge whether or not it is appropriate in line with school policy that is applied to all other members of the school staff. If the request is granted the student teacher will then seek further verification from the Programme Leader by completing a Leave of Absence Form. This will be considered and may or may not be granted.
It is appropriate to seek Leave of Absence for:
· planned hospital visits/appointments;
· school visits and interviews for first teaching posts;
· the funeral of a close family member.
It is not appropriate to seek Leave of Absence for:
· an interview unrelated to securing a first teaching post i.e. a holiday job;
· an interview relating to a post within the university i.e. hall of residence manager;
· the funeral of a person who is not a close relative (each school will have specific guidance on this);
· attending a wedding;
· traveling to a wedding abroad or at a distance;
· childcare issues.
As part of the Primary Partnership Agreement schools have the right to ask a student to leave for a range of reasons which includes matters of safeguarding, if they have concerns that the progress of the pupils in the school is being hampered by poor attendance, or disruption caused by unnecessary or unauthorised absence. The appropriate documentation and procedures can be found on page 37 of the Proformas document (14b) which can be found in the Primary Partnership Portfolio.
b) Practical Teaching Files
A detailed set of guidelines for all school experience placements can be found in the Primary Partnership Portfolio and student teachers will have prepared their files in advance and had them checked by their Professional Tutors.
The maintenance and upkeep of these files, which are clearly tabulated to indicate where evidence of their progress can be found, is their professional responsibility. However, it is incumbent on the School Based Tutor, School Mentor, University Visiting Tutor and University Mentor to support them in this.
c) English
There is an expectation that all student teachers will observe, teach and be given feedback on the teaching of all aspects of English as appropriate to the age phase or key stage in which they are working. They need to continuously develop their awareness of the impact of teaching phonics, spelling and grammar, as well as their practice. They should also find out the approaches that are used in the other age phases/key stages in the school and have evidence of 2 focussed observations that they have made of this.