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Initial training meetings

The Initial Training Meeting is a remote meeting led by the Link Tutor and requires access to our online assessment system (Abyasa).

Dependent on the stage of training, trainees are categorised as Level 1, 2, or 3.

  • Level 1: BA ITT Year 1, PGCE Foundation,                                                                                  
  • Level 2: BA ITT Year 2, PGCE Development Placement and WBR 1,
  • Level 3: BA ITT Year 3, PGCE Consolidation Placement and WBR 2, School Direct Salaried,

Placement expectations

  1. Number of LT visits outlined and contact details exchanged.
    • Level 1: x1 Initial Training Meeting (optionally remote) and x1 Monitoring & Quality Assurance (M&QA) visits (school visit, including an observation). Sign off meeting (remote, approx. 15 mins).
    • Level 2 and 3: x1 Initial Training Meeting (remote) and x2 Monitoring &Quality Assurance (M&QA) visits (at least one should be a school visit including a formal observation). Sign off meeting (remote, approx. 15 mins). Please note: one M&QA visit is required in both the development and consolidation phases for our PGCE trainees. If remaining in the same school, another ITM is not required.
  2. Flexibility of training plan discussed.
  3. Code of conduct for school understood, including social media and mobile phone use.
  4. Trainee aware of key school policies (such as health and safety, marking, Prevent, safeguarding, e safety, behaviour, GDPR, and data protection).
  5. Arrangements for trainee access to pupils’ school and class records agreed. It is understood that trainees are to use and store pupil data in line with UK General Data Protection Regulations.
  6. If lessons are taught by outside agencies (like PE, Music) consideration should be made regarding how the trainee can fulfil the requirements of the training plan (like arranging to teach PE to another class in the school).
  7. Trainee is aware of time to arrive in school, expectations to attend staff meetings/extra-curricular activities/ planning meetings.
  8. Absence from placement is recorded by the trainee via Abyasa ‘student absence’ tab. Trainees must contact their school and LT at the earliest opportunity, and should seek permission for pre-arranged absence (such as medical appointments).
  9. DBS: St Mary’s University Registry Department is responsible for ensuring all trainees are DBS checked before the start of a school placement. An email will have been sent to the school confirming this. Trainees are NOT required to show any certification. The trainee must notify the university if there is a change in their DBS status.
  10. Trainee’s PPA time agreed in advance. Partnership recommends this is the same time allocation as an ECT plus one hour. For example, 20%, and should be arranged with the mentor, so joint planning (PPA) takes place. All PPA should take place at school and be distributed across the week.
  11. If the trainee is not teaching, they may be out of the classroom fulfilling aspects of their training plan, unless requested otherwise by the mentor.
  12. Trainee should be supported with the process of planning lessons. Finalist trainees are encouraged to plan more independently. Agreement of when lesson plans are to be completed by and checked (see training plan for detailed planning expectations).
  13. Primary trainees are formally observed once a week by the mentor/another observer (such as a subject specialist) and receive formal feedback. All primary trainees must be observed in phonics and Year 3 Undergraduate finalists must be observed in their elective subject. Secondary trainees are formally observed on a twice-weekly basis (one observation for each Key Stage).
  14. Mentors complete the Lesson Feedback Record (handwritten/electronic) and annotate a copy of the lesson plan (supplied by the trainee to the mentor prior to the observation). It is the trainee’s responsibility to complete the first half of the Lesson Feedback Record prior to the formal lesson observation and upload all paperwork to Abyasa following the lesson.
  15. Coaching question prompts are provided on the Lesson feedback record to guide coaching style dialogue as part of the formal feedback conversation.
  16. Lessons are not graded pass/fail. Instead areas of strength/development are noted on Lesson Feedback Record. If any part of the lesson was inadequate, this should be made explicit in feedback.
  17. In the absence of the usual teacher, the trainee should continue with the planned teaching load. However, the trainee must not be used as supply cover. In addition, for insurance reasons trainees should not teach PE alone (if applicable to their programme).
  18. Trainees are required to receive support for certain activities (such as playground duty and practical lessons with potential health and safety issues).
  19. The LT is responsible for monitoring the trainee’s paperwork, such as checking lesson plans and evaluations, are being completed. Trainees must take any opportunity to fulfil aspects of their student tracker and date when completed.
  20. Mentors are required to engage with St Mary's University training over the course of the placement, further details of which can be found in the Mentor Zone.

Assessment expectations

At the end of the placement, trainees are assessed by the mentor/LT/PCM.

  • Level 1 trainees have areas of professional learning against which to ascertain progress. This is recorded as: On Track/Not on Track.
  • Level 2 trainees have areas of professional learning against which to ascertain progress. This is recorded as: On Track/Not on Track.
  • Level 3 (finalist) trainees use the Teachers’ Standards to assess progress. This is graded as: Met/Not Met.

Signatures and confirmation of meeting

At the end of the meeting all parties are required to sign and date the Initial Training Meeting template on Abyasa. There is a space provided for entries from the trainee, mentor and LT.