1. BA (Hons) Primary Education: BA1 Teaching Experience 2019-20
Placement Briefing for Class Mentors
BA1 Teaching Experience Lead: Helen Ryan-Atkin
Copies of key docs to share in sessions

2. Four separate weeks w/c 4th Nov 2nd Dec 3rd Feb 9th March
Placement dates
Total: 8 weeks
Four separate weeks w/c
4th Nov
2nd Dec
3rd Feb
9th March
Block placement: 27th April – 22nd May Reflection and Sharing Days at Brooks w/c 1st June
Briefly explain about the Reflection and Sharing day.
Easter holidays: these are longer than the school’s holidays, and we suggest that you do not arrange to take any leave over that time until you know your school’s holidays, as you may need to make up time in the MMU holidays from any days you have missed up to that point.
Summer half term: several schools have a two-week half term, usually going into w/c 1st June. This is a typical time for students to make up absences from their Block, so again, do not book any holidays in the first 2 weeks of June in case this applies to you.
MMU Easter holidays: –

3. Key documents
BA1 Specific Placement Booklet
Generic handbook for all year groups
Paired and Pod Placement Guidance
Interim and Final Report
All placement information for students on Moodle.
Resources for schools on the Partnership website.

4. Paired Placement Guidance
Students will be engaging in one of four ways at any one time:
Team teaching
Lead teacher
Group teacher
Peer observation
See Paired Placement Guidance booklet on the website
There are alternative RoLOs for paired placements, to save your CM having to complete a full RoLO for each of you, each week.

5. Communicating with MMU
Concern about student welfare or progress against Standards
Personal Tutor (PT) – who is also the UVT
BA1 TE Unit Leader (notified by PT tutor if serious)
Counselling Services:

6. BA1 students graded Pass/Fail at Final Report stage
Changes from last year
BA1 students graded Pass/Fail at Final Report stage
At Interim Report stage, only 4 Standards will be assessed:
Part 2: Personal and Professional Conduct
S3: Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge
S4: Plan and teach well-structured lessons
S7: Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment
Show Report

7. WEEK
% teaching
FOCUS 1
OBSERVATION; GETTING TO KNOW THE SCHOOL; PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT 2
5% (groups)
OBSERVING TEACHING AND LEARNING AND BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT 3
10%
READING PROVISION IN SCHOOL, INC. PHONICS 4
20%
INTERIM REPORT; MATHEMATICS ACROSS THE SCHOOL 5
30%
WORKING ON INTERIM TARGETS 6
40%
SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING 7
50%
P.E./P.D.; ASSESSMENT 8
FINAL REPORT STAGE
Go through the BA1 Booklet together to see Mentor’s responsibilities.
Up to 50% = professional development time, inc. file-time. PPA may be included in this – to be arranged with CM.

8. How students are assessed
Their own lesson evaluations and reflections (written evidence)
Weekly RoLOs by CM
Specific Phonics and Maths RoLOs
Teachers Standards/ Primary Grading Criteria
Self-evaluation against Personal and Professional Conduct (Teachers’ Standards Part 2)
TE Interim and Final Reports
Informal feedback
Peer assessments if in pairs or pods
Explain what a RoLO is and show the proforma. Show phonics and maths RoLOs.
The Teachers Standards are those laid out in the interim and final reports.

9. Being a reflective teacher
We want the students to ask themselves:
What difference did I make?
What worked well?
Not so well?
Why (not)?
For whom?
Next time….

10. Attendance and Absences – instructions to students
39 days in school (BH Friday 8 May)
Students complete Attendance Form on a weekly basis, signed by CM. Upload to TE Moodle site.
More than 2 days absence should be made up.
Known absence:
Negotiate with school and APP tutor. Inform Placements Team
Leave a copy of any of your plans with your class mentor.
Over your 3-year degree programme, you are required to attend 120 days in placement, where you plan, teach and assess. In your first year, this will also include observing and getting to know the school routines.
You will record your attendance each week, and ask your CM to verify and sign it. Upload this to our Moodle page. Your APP tutor will discuss any prolonged absences with you, or absences which are likely to have an effect on the successful completion of your placement. In order to keep on top of your 120 days attendance, we ask you to make up any more than 2 days absence: discuss the best time to do this with your CM. It is likely to be in the MMU Easter holidays, when schools usually only have 2 weeks, and at the end of your placement at the beginning of June. For this reason, we ask you not to book holidays during these times.
If you miss more than 2 days, we ask o
Attendance and punctuality are important professional requirements and expected by schools and the university. Attendance is required during placement and university sessions to ensure optimal professional development and meet the Teachers’ Standards and university regulations. Prolonged absence from a school placement due to ill health may require students to defer their placement to the following year.
Students are not allowed to take time off for family celebrations, holidays, weddings etc. these must be taken in MMU holidays/weekends. It is the student’s responsibility to inform family and friends of these regulations. Any breach of this will be taken very seriously, and could result in a school terminating the placement.
Known absence to include things like your driving test, and important medical appointment. MMU will not condone absences for weddings or holidays –.

11. Unexpected absence:
Contact the school YOURSELF by TELEPHONE as early as possible (8.30 at the latest).
Keep the school informed on a daily basis.
the Placements Team, and your Personal Tutor.
Text messages to CM are NOT acceptable
Doctor’s note if you are absent for more than five consecutive school days.
You will need to apply for Exceptional Factors (click to follow the link to the guidance) if you have an absence that will impact on your placement being delayed in any way and at any stage, i.e. if you are not able to complete your placement at the scheduled time.

12. Interim Report Stage
w/c 9th March (deadline )
May be before or after Personal Tutor visit
Graded on Standards 3,4,7 and Part 2 – ‘On Track’/’Needs Support’ (not a numerical grade
NB Students need to be ‘On Track’ in Part 2 of the Standards, in order to be graded ‘On Track’ overall, regardless of the gradings of other Standards.
CM and student set targets together
Student writes response to each target
CM sends report to PT.

13. Post-interim Focus on your targets in week after Interim
Observe your CM who will demonstrate good practice in target areas.
Observe/talk with other teachers, focusing on targets.
Focus of Weekly Review in week after Interim should be targets from report.

14. Final Report stage w/c 18th May
CM prepares the Final Report, in discussion with you and PM
Graded on ALL standards, Pass/Fail (not a numerical grade) CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR
CM and you agree 3 targets for BA2
Report sent to Personal Tutor.
NB: ALL standards need to be passed in order to pass overall.
Explain that if a student fails, they have to re-sit in order to progress to BA2. We will try to find them a placement in the summer term, but traditionally, students have to re-sit in the following year, and therefore cannot proceed into BA2 until the following year.

15. The Lesson Study Activity for Paired/Trio Placements
Taking on different roles: teacher, support role and observer
Use the MMU Lesson Observation sheet.
Discuss how this has deepened your understanding in your Weekly Review and Reflection Meeting
Lesson Study
If you are in a paired or trio placement, joint-plan some lessons, and observe each other in different roles – teacher, TA, observer - and discuss the experience and your observations. Use the Observation Proforma as a guide for your discussions.

16. Mentor’s role
Induction: who is who..? what to do if ..? where is .? School policies.
Agreeing timetable on a weekly basis
Provide Schemes of Work/Medium Term Plans
Lesson Observations - 1 per week, agreed, written feedback, focus on the Standards.
Informal feedback
Progress Meeting - 1 per week, timetabled, protected – recorded on Weekly Review and Reflection
Student’s files – comment on planning, teaching, assessment, evaluations, reflections and tasks - check and sign
Complete TE Reports - Interim and Final
Joint observation with MMU tutor and confirmation of progress

17. Observing your student(s)
Informal feedback on any part of the interaction with children
Formal RoLO each week from Week 3
Students can observe each other for their professional development if you see fit but not completing a RoLOs for each other
Separate Phonics and Mathematics RoLOs
Alternative RoLO for Paired Placements
Peer observations
Students observing
Specific focuses each placement week.
Do a joint observation if possible to show them what to look out for.
Show student obs sheet.

18. Weekly Review Meetings
Arrange a dedicated meeting time with your student
An opportunity for student to reflect on their week – WWW/EBI – use lesson evaluations
Discuss progress against relevant Standards.
Review your lesson evaluations
Review the last RoLO and discuss targets
Discuss following week’s plans and actions
Update on focus for each week
Student to put completed forms in TE file

19. Students becoming involved in the wider school life
Behaviour management around the school
Playground duty
After-school clubs and activities
Class assemblies
School functions
Attend staff meetings and training
Phase/year planning meetings
Engage with parents where possible
Get to know all members of staff (not just teachers)

20. Supporting a struggling student
Before/around Interim:
Intervention Support Plan
Contact UVT (PT) if no progress
If no progress by Interim, student graded ‘Needs Support’
Problems after Interim
Contact UVT again
Senior Moderator Visit
Student at risk of not passing placement
Look at the ISP form.
Contact the UVT/PT and encourage students to contact PT if a personal issue.
Discuss and set achievable targets in the Weekly Mentor Meeting and plan how to address them together.
If a student continues to struggle, complete an Intervention Support Plan (ISP) – replaces ARoF form.
For ISP – UVT/PT will attend the meeting where possible.
If still an area for concern at Interim, student will be graded ‘Needs Support’. At Final, a Senior Moderator visit will be arranged.

21. The UVT/PT visit
UVT to meet with student re: progress and TE. Checks file.
CM and UVT jointly observe part of a lesson. Focus on targets that relate to previous RoLO. CM completes RoLO.
Agree targets for next RoLO. Discuss strengths and targets with student.
UVT and CM to discuss student progress across the placement using Grading Criteria/ placement requirements.
NB – UVT visit could be before or after Interim Report
If visit is before or after Interim Report, a phone or discussion about the interim grades is probably useful.

22. We tell the students about being professional
GDPR
Safeguarding
Time-keeping
Dress
Attitude
Social media
Mobile phones
Understanding the demands on staff time

23. Student files
Students should have the ‘Contents of Teaching Experience File’ (found in the Teaching Experience Handbook) at the front of their file.
Teaching Experience files must be set up and well- organised before they begin the placement.
CM to grade students on their files at Interim and Final Report Stage (see Interim and Final Report).
Students told to keep their files in school at all times, as CM/PM/HT are entitled to look at them. Must be available for MMU tutor visit .

24. Examples of Class Mentoring
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