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Appendix 3: Initial Training Meeting

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

Dependent on their course/ year of training, trainees are categorised as Level 1, 2 or 3.

  • Level 1: BA ITT Year 1                                                                                                    
  • Level 2: BA ITT Year 2, PGCE Foundation Placement & WBR 1
  • Level 3: BA ITT Year 3, PGCE Consolidation Placement & 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).
  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 (e.g. health and safety, marking, prevent, safeguarding, e safety, behaviour).
  5. Arrangements for trainee access to pupils’ school and class records agreed.
  6. If lessons are taught by outside agencies (e.g. PE, Music) consideration should be made regarding how the trainee can fulfil the requirements of the Training Plan e.g. 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. Trainee must contact their school and LT at the earliest opportunity, and should seek permission for pre-arranged absence (e.g. 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 + 1 hour e.g. 20%, and should be arranged with the CBM, so joint planning (PPA) takes place.
  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 Class Based Mentor (CBM).
  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. Trainees are formally observed once a week by the CBM/another observer (e.g. subject specialist) and receive formal feedback. All trainees must be observed in phonics and Year 3 Undergraduate finalists must be observed in their elective subject.
  14. CBMs complete the Lesson Feedback Record (handwritten/electronic) and annotate a copy of the lesson plan (supplied by the trainee to the CBM 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 both forms 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 CBM, 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.
  18. Trainees are required to receive support for certain activities (e.g. playground duty and practical lessons with potential health and safety issues).
  19. The LT is responsible for monitoring the trainee’s Teaching and Learning file e.g. checking lesson plans and evaluations are being completed and evidence of profile children. Trainees must take any opportunity to fulfil aspects of their Student Tracker and date when completed.
  20. The Primary Mentor Zone found on the Partnership Portal is a one-stop shop for Mentors, providing video guidance and support, training opportunities, and information on Mentor Certification.

Assessment expectations

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

  • Level 1 (BA ITT Year 1) trainees have Areas of Professional Learning against which to ascertain progress . This is recorded as: On Track/Not on Track.
  • Level 2 (BA ITT Year 2, PGCE Foundation Placement & WBR 1) trainees have Areas of Professional Learning against which to ascertain progress . This is recorded as: On Track/Not on Track..
  • Level 3 (BA ITT Year 3, PGCE Consolidation Placement & WBR 2, SDS) trainees use the Teachers’ Standards to assess progress. This is graded as: Met/Not Met.

Signatures / 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, CBM and LT.