Placement Handbook
Post-16 and Further Education2016-17
Contents
Introduction 2
Placement Organisation and Management 2
Supervision responsibilities 3
Course structure 5
Behaviour Forum 5
Alternative Placement Experience 5
Placement Structure 6
Trainee Entitlement 6
SHU Procedure for Academic Quality Control 8
Professional code of conduct for trainees 9
Trainees' frequently asked questions 11
Appendix 1: Equal opportunities on placement policy 13
Appendix 2: Course Modules and assessment tasks 15
Appendix 3: Trainee Support and Impact Plan 16
Appendix 4: Partnership Agreement 21
Appendix 5: Placement Report 22
Appendix 6: Course Calendar 23
Introduction
Thank you for offering a placement to one of our trainees on the PGCE and Certificate in Education courses for Post-16 and Further Education. This course gives trainees the qualification they need to teach in the area of post-16 and further education. This includes:
• further education colleges;
• school and academy sixth forms;
• sixth form colleges;
• adult and community learning providers;
• private training companies;
• public services;
• vocational 14-19 education
We offer full-time and part-time routes to complete the programme. Trainees on the fulltime
route will attend placement three days a week, and on the part-time route, one to two days a week.
This handbook provides information for placement providers and mentors. It outlines principles and arrangements for placements, and details the procedures that have been agreed in relation to the training and assessment of trainees following the PGCE/Certificate in Education in Post-16 and Further Education.
We value our collaborative relationship and would like to support you in all aspects of the placement experience. If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Post-16 and Further Education Partnership team, whose contact details are listed below.
Placement Organisation and Management
All placements are organised and managed by the Employability and Partnerships Team:
Student Support Officer / Nicola Ringsell / 0114 225 5250 /Senior Administrator
(Placements) / Abi Nelms / 0114 225 5251 /
Course Leader / Alison Hramiak / 0114 225 6023 /
Post 16 Partnership Lead / Sarah Boodt / 0114 225 6118 /
Alternatively email
Trainee’s role on placement
The course is developed to comply with current legislation. We believe that teachers-in-training are best served by being given ample opportunities to practise and reflect upon the art and craft of teaching. Consequently we advocate a staged approach where trainees move from observation of experienced tutors and engagement in directed tasks, to preparing and working with individual learners and groups; and from supervised practice to more autonomous and independent working.
It is expected that the trainee will be given the opportunity to experience a range of
teaching situations and, where appropriate, be involved in team teaching or in the support of the group tutor, as well as independent lead teaching. In order to satisfy the course requirements the trainees need to complete:
• 30 hours of observation, class support, team teaching and other teacher-related
duties, including staff training, primarily at the start of the placement
• 120 hours of planning and delivering sessions as lead teacher
We recognise that although trainees should attain the Professional Standards, these do not necessarily form a hierarchy of learning, and the process of learning is an individual one, dependent upon experience, shared interests, and appropriate instruction. Tasks set for completion in placement, and assignments submitted for assessment support trainees to integrate theory and practice, using their individual experiences, and tutors' and mentors' subject knowledge. Over time, we expect that trainees will have developed the professional skills and attitudes necessary to undertake a greater degree of autonomy in their practice. This needs to be reflected in the expected level of responsibility negotiated between the placement supervisor/mentor and the trainee.
What are the benefits trainees bring to your setting?
• enthusiasm, up to date subject knowledge and recent academic or industry experience
• willingness to get involved across a range of duties and responsibilities within your setting
• a positive contribution to the development of learning, teaching and assessment within your setting
• continuing professional development opportunities for staff regarding mentoring and
• support of a trainee teacher
Supervision responsibilities
Placement Supervisor I Co-ordinator
The placement supervisor/co-ordinator takes responsibility for co-ordinating the overall placement experience. They take responsibility within their organisation for ensuring that the trainee's experience supports the work of the organisation, and for managing any internal matters that arise as a direct result of the placement. Normally the placement supervisor/co-ordinator will nominate an appropriate member of staff as the trainee's mentor. Occasionally the placement supervisor/co-ordinator may undertake this role themselves. We provide a Mentor Handbook which is available online in the Mentor Toolkit. This handbook provides essential information for mentors and includes key course documentation.
Please follow this link: https://sites.google.com/a/my.shu.ac.uk/mentor-toolkit-v3/
Working with the trainee
In your formal role as Placement Supervisor/Co-ordinator, you will:
• conduct an initial interview with the trainee
• ensure that all trainees are provided with a suitable induction in their placement;
• facilitate the attendance of mentors at Partnership training, events and meetings;
• ensure that meaningful targets are being set and supported;
• monitor/co-ordinate the dispatch of forms and reports by the agreed dates;
• meet all trainees on a regular basis to help monitor the quality of experience;
• complete the summative report at the end of the placement (or each year for part-time)
More informally you may:
• provide support on a day to day basis;
• offer advice on the various situations which will arise during placement;
• ensure that trainees are supported and observed in their teaching (especially in the early days);
• conduct Assessments of Teaching in accordance with the Assessment of Teaching Handbook.
Setting Targets
On occasions the Placement Supervisor/Co-ordinator may need to ensure that opportunities are provided to help trainees meet targets and also to support mentors to provide. It is important to note that Ofsted has emphasised the need for clear, very specific targets which reflect the 2014 ETF Professional Standards. Targets should be manageable and achievable within a defined time interval.
Where it is identified that targets are not being met this should be reported to the trainee and a Trainee Support and Impact Plan (TSIP) should be completed. The personal tutor should be notified University Based (personal) Tutor at the earliest opportunity. This is a supportive measure and will ensure that the trainees and mentor receive the necessary support for the successful continuation of the placement.
Responsibilities and obligations of the University
• transfer payments to the placement organisation for each trainee placement; amounts and dates as agreed on receipt of trainees' completed summative reports;
• provide access to the Placement Handbook which gives details of trainee entitlement, the programme curriculum, assessment and quality assurance procedures;
• provide support to the placement organisation in relation to any issue or concern by nominated staff;
• provide tutors to visit during each placement;
• involve representatives from partnership institutions in the programme management.
Special Measures (or loss of teaching hours due to unforeseen circumstances)
Where a placement organisation is placed in special measures, or subject to other unsatisfactory monitoring processes, the trainee will usually be removed as soon as possible and an alternative placement sought. On rare occasions this may result in a trainee having to temporarily withdraw if an alternative cannot be found promptly.
University Staff - Partnership Lead, Student Experience Manager and Partnership Administration Team
The Partnership Lead and Student Experience Manager, together with the Partnership Team will manage the placement activity in relation to the placement providers. The specific responsibilities of the Partnership Team are to:
• secure placements with partnership organisations;
• establish partnership agreements with partner organisations;
• liaise with organisations regarding partnership and placement issues, supported by the Partnership Lead;
• liaise with tutors regarding specific trainees as necessary;
• monitor the quality of placement provision;
• facilitate communication between placement organisations and the University;
• ensure that all staff involved in partnership are clear about procedures and roles;
• maintain and update relevant documentation for Placement Supervisors and trainees;
Personal Tutors
The Course Leader and Personal Tutors will manage the partnership activity in relation to the trainees, with the support of the Partnership Lead. The specific responsibilities of the Personal tutor are to:
• monitor the academic progress of individual tutor group trainees;
• monitor and support trainees to meet the Professional Standards;
• agree interim and final attainment grades through discussion with trainees and mentor;
• liaise with all relevant mentors to establish clear lines of communication between the University and the mentor in order to triangulate support for tutor group trainees;
• monitor completion of the Professional Portfolio for tutor group trainees;
• supervise target setting with trainees;
• provide references for tutor group trainees;
• facilitate discussion and peer support through tutor group (this may be done via the virtual learning environment);
• where appropriate, facilitate access to other support agencies for tutor group trainees.
Course structure
Mode / Placement days / SHU days / Teaching hoursLead teaching / *Associated teaching
Full-time / Mon, Tues, Wed / Thurs, Fri / 120 / 30
Part-time / 1 to 2 days per week, negotiated with placement provider / Thurs am & pm / 60 year 1
60 year 2 / 15 year 1
15 year 2
* e.g. shadowing other teachers, team teaching, meetings, staff development events, course and programme events, parents' evenings etc. over the duration of the course.
Behaviour Forum
The Behaviour Forum takes place on 4th and 5th January, 2017. On the first day, trainees visit other settings to observe strategies for promoting behaviour for learning. On the second day, trainees attend a forum at SHU, with expert guest speakers to consolidate their experience and further develop employability skills.
This is a mandatory element of the programme, and all trainees should attend. Part-time trainees should attend once during their course, but they are welcome to attend in both years of their course, subject to the agreement of their employer.
Alternative Placement Experience
Trainees are expected to undertake an alternative placement experience. This will take place from 27-03-17 -05/04/17. This is a mandatory part of the course and provides trainees with an invaluable experience that enables them to widen their perspective on the management and teaching of their specialist subject within a different Post-16 context. It will offer them an insight into a different organisation within the region and enhance their employability. Part-time trainees are responsible for organising the alternative placement experience themselves - ideally within their cohort if there is another group member who delivers the same or similar subject; however the University Partnership team will also support them in sourcing an alternative placement if required. Trainees must liaise with both their mentor and personal tutor to keep them informed of their alternative placement - where they will be going, and who may be replacing them if an actual 'swap' is taking place.
We ask Placement providers to support the alternative placement experience, by hosting the alternative placement for a new trainee.
Placement Structure
Prior to starting any teaching practice all trainees are required to attend a meeting with the Placement Supervisor/Co-ordinator and mentor to ensure they are suitably prepared. A member of the partnership team will contact the placement organisation to arrange an initial interview with the trainee. During this interview both the placement organisation and the trainee will be able to assess the placement suitability. Details of curriculum areas and timetable requirements may also be discussed at this stage.
Trainee Entitlement
The trainee is entitled to copies of all reports relating to their progress. Reports should clearly indicate areas of strength as well as areas for development. Feedback on an AoT should take place within 3 days of the AoT, and the trainee should receive their written feedback within 5 working days of the AoT. The trainee is also entitled to regular time with their mentor to discuss their progress on the course and set personal targets for development. We recommend that this should be at least 1.5 hours' per month.
The Partnership Team will endeavour to take into account relevant personal circumstances of trainees, such as responsibilities as a parent or carer and distance to travel when allocating placements.
Below is a recommended outline of training to be organised by the placement organisation to support the trainee on the full time or the part time course.
During Placement
The Placement Supervisor/Co-ordinator and mentor will be responsible for the trainee's placement experience within the organisation, and will play a key role in monitoring the trainee's learning and teaching whilst on placement. The Course Leader, or personal tutor should be notified if issues arise, and a Trainee Support and Impact Plan should be put in place (Appendix 3).
Placement Induction
This induction should, wherever possible, take place during early September, and be on-going throughout the initial weeks of placement. Placement induction should include:
· introduction to the organisation and the department in which the trainee will be placed;
· arrangement of timetable;
· meeting with Placement Supervisor/Co-ordinator and/or mentor;
· induction of placement policies and processes e.g. Safeguarding, Health & Safety, Equality & Diversity etc., and relevant key staff as appropriate;
· a schedule for the observation of experienced tutor/s from a range of curriculum areas);
· curriculum planning for the proposed timetable;
· providing trainee with necessary passwords, access to physical and electronic resources, name badge, staff ID, etc. as appropriate.
Teaching Practice
Trainees should be given the opportunity to experience a range of teaching situations and, where appropriate, be involved in team-teaching or in the support of an experienced, qualified tutor. The trainee should begin lead-teaching incrementally from the beginning of October, although this is flexible according to individual progress and development needs. By Semester 2 it is expected that the trainees will have developed the professional skills and attitudes necessary to undertake a greater degree of autonomy in their practice, and the majority of their teaching should be lead teaching hours.