FACULTY OF EDUCATION

SCHOOL DIRECT –Primary Sub Meeting

Meeting:16th October 2014 – Abraham Moss

Issue/Action to be taken / Status
  • Website partnership/resource page to be re-ordered (for all courses, but placing SD with the other routes in context) and SD documentation made to be made more easily accessible for schools and students and more specific to SD route
/ DH to re-order website across courses (DONE) and update SD documentation, Handbook and SBT Block Placement A (1st ) (DONE); rest status ongoing
  • Communication between University and schools needs to be easier, emails do not always reach the right person; blog page for news open to all participating teachers to be established and a Twitter account for teachers/schools
/ DH to establish and circulate web addresses to all schools; Twitter established @mmusdprimary (DONE); blog page tobe set up before Block B placement
  • Moodle and email main source of University communication with SD students; they all have accounts and should check these daily, an absolutely bare minimum once a week; some students are not doing this and missing important announcements and information
/ DH to remind students again via Moodle and in taught sessions, that this is essential (DONE); school colleagues to reiterate this message back in school to students
  • Concern that there is a perceived miss-match in the guidance and experience of students at Crewe and Birley; concerningparticular over timetable changes and cohort leader support
/ DH to speak with KB (DONE) to consider ways to address this; KB to check that Moodle pages are in line with the ones at Birley – status ongoing
  • University days; these are ring fenced and students should not be expected to go into school for any part of a day that is designated a University day. This is time for reflection, personal and group study, reading etc. It is important that there is a shared understanding of this
/ DH to make this clear in all course documentation and to students via Moodle and in taught session (DONE); school colleagues to convey this message back in school and to students
  • Some secondary schools who lead do not always disseminate information, or provide training for primary schools within an alliance that is appropriate for students; was useful to have secondary colleagues in the meeting today to help address this
/ DH to discuss with KM and try to establish the precedent that where possible secondary school reps come to PS sub-group meetings; status ongoing
  • Foundation Curriculum Areas; pedagogy and assignment to be led by the school (as requested by schools last year); information in the programme handbook, available on the website
/ Colleagues to relay this back to alliance schools, colleagues and students in schools in school; status ongoing
  • Crewe representation at meetings; need for KB to be present at Steering Group Meetings if possible
/ DH to discuss with KB (DONE), KM and ES and see if this is a possibility.

Notes

Feedback from 13/14

  • Good standard of trainees.
  • High levels of employment upon completion.
  • Handbook very useful
  • Website difficult to navigate, documents and links not always obvious

Feedback regarding Induction 14/15

  • Came too late for students, they need inducting to the course before commencing fully in school, to avoid mixed messages and expectations; but schools like them in early; next year’s induction to be discussed at the next meeting
  • High calibre of trainees in general, although some with little experience so taking longer to get to grips with school than last year’s cohort
  • Students seem to be enjoying the course and are advanced in their understanding in University sessions, because of recent and relevant experience in school.

General Feedback

  • Some Students express concern at being at the Crewe campus; not where they expected/wanted to be based.
  • There is an error in the SBT handbook; SD students are not required to do the activities in the maths booklet this year; they have not been given one. DH apologised for the confusion.

QA Partnership Tutors

  • QA role across sites to be reviewed and confirmed.

Next Meeting

  • DH to circulate Agenda to be amended/added to by schools before the next meeting.

DH October 2014

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