Education Noticeboard

16 November 2023 Welcome to the Education Noticeboard. A round-up of news, guidance and key updates for education settings.

Included in this update:

Director Update

Dear colleagues

It is always nice to be able to share positive stories with you all, and there are several of them in the Education Noticeboard this week. This includes sharing the news that Telford & Wrekin Council are delighted to have launched their White Ribbon Campaign. Information on how to pledge support to this campaign is below.

Other stories include a mention of the effort made by schools and settings for Anti-bullying Week, and Odd Socks Day in particular. There have been several social media posts about pupils and teachers embracing difference, acceptance, and kindness, which is great to see.

Generally, a shorter edition than the previous few weeks, but still containing some important information, including the ways that the Pre-suspension Hotline service is changing, updates from the Admissions and Attendance Support Teams plus information about the council-wide move to using Zivver. As always there are links to access details of upcoming CPD courses, which are available for booking.

It is Children in Need this Friday, an event which is always enthusiastically committed to by pupils and staff alike. I am sure there are exciting activities planned in schools and settings across the borough. As always, we would encourage you to send stories and photos to education.noticeboard@telford.gov.uk or tag us on social media with @TelfordWrekin.

Have a great rest of the week.

Simon

Simon Wellman
Director: Education & Skills

Primary children visit to Southwater One to meet the Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council

A message from Councillor Shaun Davies

Thank you to the children from St George’s Primary, Tibberton and St Lawrence CE Primary Schools who made a special visit to see me at Southwater One last week.

These are just some of the schools I have visited throughout the year and this time it was the children’s chance to ask me even more questions and help me to wish all of our residents a very Merry Christmas… all will be revealed soon!

If you would like Cllr Davies to visit your school in the new year please get in touch by emailing Nicola.woodley@telford.gov.uk.

School pupils and teachers wear odd socks in support of Anti Bullying Week

Odd Socks Day marks the start of Anti-bullying Week, and schools across Telford & Wrekin wore their most colourful on Monday in support.

Anti-bullying week is coordinated by the Anti-bullying Alliance. Make a noise about bullying is the theme for 2023, and odd socks day is an opportunity to encourage people to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes us all unique.

Pupils across the borough enjoyed a range of related activities, including Randlay Primary School. Pupils there enjoyed designing their own pair of odd socks to mark the day – as well as wearing their own odd socks of course!

A great year for Work Experience

The Education Business Links Team were delighted to see the number of work experience placements that were arranged with the support schools and employers. With over 3,000 young people from the Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin area participating in work experience during the last academic year – yes, work experience was definitely back!

The Burton Borough School saw a particularly successful year, with a great number of students on work experience. The success of which is due to be celebrated at their Work Experience Awards ceremony later this month.

On 24 November 2023, Burton Borough School will be hosting the annual Education Business Links Work Experience Awards, to recognise the students and employers that have gone above and beyond during the work experience programme in July. There are four awards in the student category:

Punctuality & Professionalism.
Creativity.
Using Initiative.
Overcoming Difficulties..

In the business categories there are various awards including ones for Best Training Provider, Best Overall Experience and Most Helpful Mentor. There is also an award for Work Experience Student of the Year, sponsored by Telford College. All nominees have been invited to attend the evening where nomination certificates will be presented, and winners announced.

The order of events for the awards is available to download.

Telford & Wrekin Council launch White Ribbon Campaign

Telford & Wrekin Council have launched their White Ribbon Campaign, encouraging people but particularly men and boys to sign up to a pledge to ‘Never use, excuse or remain silent about men's violence against women’ and would appreciate your support in sharing this campaign. Sign up to the pledge online:

Pledge: White Ribbon Telford

We’re also inviting people to support the campaign at the Parkrun on 25 November 2023 by wearing white and helping create a human white ribbon at the end of the run.

The Pre-suspension Hotline service is changing

Due to continued high demand upon the service, access to the Pre-Suspension Hotline Service will be changing.

As of Monday 6 November 2023, the Pre-Suspension Hotline will be replaced with a Microsoft Form. The form will provide schools the opportunity to stipulate details of incidents as they arise, enabling the BSAT team to screen the needs more successfully, ensuring the service provides the best support and outcomes for our young people.

Please download the new procedural flowchart and link to the Pre-Suspension Hotline Form.

We ask schools to now refer into the service by completing the Pre-Suspension Hotline form and following this, the team will triage the request and the relevant worker will make contact with school.

For further information, please contact Darren Lennon or Claire Hughes on 01952 385601.

Update – Telford & Wrekin Determined Admission Arrangements 2024/5

In November 2023, Telford & Wrekin Council updated its admission arrangements following advice from the Office of Schools Adjudicator to provide further clarity on how applications from infant to junior school and children of staff are considered. An updated version of the admission arrangements is now available to download:

Download: Determined Admission Arrangements 2024/25

First School Attendance Surgery: Friday 24 November 2023

Schools will be aware that the Department for Education guidance ‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance’ expects the LA to be sharing good practice and also have a responsibility for communication and advice.

Therefore, we have introduced these surgeries for schools to refer cases or to join us to listen to how schools and AST have worked together to manage complicated cases. Or, where school attendance related individual cases can be discussed (anonymised) in the surgeries.

The surgeries will be held via Microsoft Teams, on a half-termly basis. They will take place on a Friday morning. The first one will take place on Friday 24 November 2023.

You are invited to attend these Microsoft Teams sessions for free by requesting a place via the CPD booklet. Please complete the booking form and return it, via email, to CPDSchool.Improvement@telford.gov.uk.

For more information please email attendancesupportteam@telford.gov.uk or call 01952 385220.

Education triage and Zivver

The council has moved to Zivver – a secure email solution.

Zivver allows us to send personal and/or sensitive data securely. Personal/sensitive information in a Zivver message (email) is encrypted and sent securely, and only the intended recipient(s) can open the email. Zivver is used via Outlook and makes secure mailing as simple as possible.

Benefits of using Zivver include:

enabling us to securely send emails that contain sensitive information via Outlook, removing the need to sign into separate systems, such as SCS,
enabling us to see when our email and its attachments have been accessed,
enabling us to manage others' access to emails we’ve sent them using Zivver,
enabling us to recall a Zivver email sent in error,
enabling external recipients to send secure replies back to Council officers, and
enabling us to send very large attachments via Outlook (up to 5TB).

From Monday 13 November 2023 education triage has started to email all education settings via Zivver where the email content contains personal and/or sensitive data.

You will have 14 days to access the email received via Zivver, after this time it will expire and no longer be accessible to recipients.

You will receive a message when you are emailed via Zivver from education triage. You click on ‘open message,’ and it will then prompt you to receive an email code. You will then be emailed a code to access the message. Once the code has been delivered the recipient/s can enter the code. Once the code has been submitted the message will then show. You can then either reply to the message via Zivver or save the content of the message.

We have worked with our DPO and IDT to agree the use of this system for education triage because of the personal and sensitive information shared by education triage with education settings. All officers have received training in the use of Zivver. If you have any problems in accessing Zivver please liaise with your IT department.

This is a good time to consider if schools and colleges have informed education triage of who you want to receive communication from education triage in your school and college. Some schools and colleges have set up a group safeguarding inbox which allows for monitoring by multiple DSL team members and does not rely solely on one person.

Trauma Informed Practice session: Tuesday 28 November 2023

Information on sources of further information to support Trauma Informed Practice is available to download, ahead of a session being held on 28 November 2023:

Download: Trauma Informed Practice leaflet

Ofsted post on the schools & Further Education Blog: How we inspect safeguarding in schools

A new post, How we inspect safeguarding in schools has just been published on the Ofsted: schools and further education & skills (FES) blog.

In this blog, Ofsted consider safeguarding through the course of an inspection. They explain some of the main activities they undertake, and why - with lots of references to keeping children safe in education (KCSIE).

To read the new post please visit the GOV.UK website:

How we inspect safegaurding in schools

Parents Opening Doors update

PODS Family Groups Have Been Rebranded

Following feedback from our members ‘Family Groups’ have been rebranded and will now be referred to as ‘PODS Social Support Groups’.

Everything else will remain unchanged, parents, children, siblings and wider family members are all welcome.

Please look out for the next available one, we look forward to seeing you.

DISABILITY FOCUS WORKSHOP

Date: Monday 20 November 2023
Time: 12.30-2pm
Venue: PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

Please join us for a workshop to review Hospital Transformation Plans and talk about the needs of our disability community and sensory considerations for the layout.

We are involved in a number of opportunities for feeding experiences and this is an opportunity for you to have an overview and discuss what is important to you. Including accessibility, inpatients, daycare, transport, design and layout of rooms, etc.

Free refreshments and parking.

Booking link: Hospital Transformation Plans - Disability Focus Workshop

PODS MenSpace

Date: Tuesday 21 November 2023
Time: 6-8pm
Venue: PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

Join us at the MenSpace group. A group dedicated to male carers.A chance to put the world to rights over cake and coffee!

These groups are guided by you, you can talk about whatever you want, and give us all chance to help each other out. You will also be able to influence how these groups run in the future by feeding back what you want from the group and how we can achieve this.

Booking link: PODS MenSpace

Parent & Friends Association Open Room

Date: Tuesday 21 November 2023
Time: 12noon-2pm
Venue: PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

This group is aimed at those parents/carers of young people aged between 14 and 25 to have a chat and share experiences over tea, coffee, and biscuits.

Loads of relevant information will be available during the group and I will be available to answer any questions or discuss specific difficulties.

If you are unable to make it, please feel free to contact: matt@podstelford.org.

Booking link: PFA Open Room

PODS Social - Anime (12-25s)

Date: Wednesday 22 November 2023
Time: 6pm-7.30pm
Venue: PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

PODS are hosting a Social Session for young people aged 12 years to 25 years and their siblings. All our Social Sessions have a very relaxed atmosphere but there is always a specific focus. This session is: ANIME.

All the materials needed will be provided to all the young people booked. Young People are welcome to bring their own anime creations and/or references.

Parents/carers to stay on the site during the session. All tickets are non-refundable.

Booking link: PODS Social - Anime (12-25s)

PODS Code Club

Date: Wednesday 22 November 2023
Time: 4pm-5pm
Venue: PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

PODS Code Club is running sessions for children from 7-13 years old during Term Time. The children will be learning to code in SCRATCH. Along with learning how to code, the children will also be building upon their skills like problem solving, collaboration and communication.

Session costs are non-refundable, parent/carer/PA must remain on site for the duration of the session. Please ensure every child/young person attending has a ticket, those attending without a ticket will be turned away. Adult tickets are NOT required.

Booking link: PODS Code Club

NEW! Tourettes Action Telford Group

Date: Friday 24 November 2023
Time: 10am-12noon
Venue: PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

Tourettes Action Group welcomes all families who have a child or young person that may be affected by Tourettes (or tics) in Telford. We welcome anyone to attend to find out more about this condition and to receive support and share experiences. Our group leader is trained and supported the national 'Tourettes Action' organisation.

Free carparking and refreshments.

Booking link: Tourettes Action Telford Group

PODS Stop Motion Video Club

Date: Wednesday 29 November 2023
Time: 4-5pm
Venue: PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

Does your child/young person like to make videos? If yes, then PODS is starting an after school Stop Motion Video Club to enable the children and young people make stop motion videos using Lego.

All equipment and items needed will be provided. Contact Uma at uma@podstelford.org for any details.

Booking link: PODS Stop Motion Video Club

PODS Blists Hill Family Group

Date: Thursday 30 November 2023
Time: 10am-12noon
Venue: Blists Hill Victorian Town, Telford, TF7 5UD

Come and join us at PODS Family Group in Blists Hill Victorian Town for a chat, relax and meet with friendly faces. Ask us for some advice or just enjoy a walk around the village.

Tickets are available at a subsidised cost of £3 per person. PODS will provide 1 tea/coffee/soft drink to each person booked, however you will have to purchase your own other refreshments if required.

Places are limited and booking is essential, open to all PODS members living in Telford and Wrekin. Please note that the tickets are non-refundable. Children, of any age, are welcome however if they are under 2 years old, no ticket is required.

We will be meeting at the entrance at 10am, please let us know if you will be late or can no longer make it so as the group can enter on time.

Booking link: PODS Blists Hill Family Group

Meeting the OFSTED Requirements for Equality and Diversity for Governors Training: Tuesday 21 November 2023

Meeting the OFSTED requirements for Equality and Diversity for Governors training is taking place next week.

This course for Governors will enable them to develop an understanding of their role and responsibilities in relation to equality and diversity and the promotion of fundamental British Values. It will explore ways of promoting positive approaches to equalities and diversity and look at why issues around equality and diversity need to be central to the ethos of a school. It will also provide opportunities for governors to consider the key OFSTED and national legislations and guidelines relating to equality and diversity in schools.

This course is an evening session and takes place on Tuesday 21 November 2023, 6-8.30pm.

Key Outcomes

Delegates will gain an understanding of:

how schools can meet their duty to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and foster good relations between pupils and staff.
how embedding equality and diversity in the school can support all children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development
how schools can meet the needs of minority ethnic pupils and those learning English as an additional language.

Cost per delegate *
Telford & Wrekin Local Authority Schools & Academies	£99
Non Telford & Wrekin Local Authority Schools & Academies	£118.80
* 10% discount per delegate for two or more bookings on the same course from the same school As this course is being delivered online the standard delegate fee has been reduced to reflect savings made on venue costs.

For more information please download the course flyer.

Please contact CPD school improvement or Multi-cultural Development Team directly, via email to multicultural.development@telford.gov.uk if you wish to enrol on this course.

Schools Financial Value Standard 2023/24

Maintained schools are required to complete an annual Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) checklist. The 2023/24 checklist can be found on the GOV.UK website together with guidance documents and additional resources.

Schools Financial Standard 2023/24 checklist

The checklist is the same as 2021/22 & 2022/23, i.e. there are no changes to the 30 questions.

Please note that the dashboard that was formerly part of the SFVS can now be found – pre-completed – on the schools financial benchmarking website, as follows:

Search for your school on the schools financial benchmarking website .
Select ‘start a comparison’.
Select ‘self-assessment dashboard’.

Question 19 on the SFVS checklist refers to this.

As in previous years the SFVS needs to be completed returned to the Local Authority by 31 March, i.e. 31 March 2024. Please return to andy.wood@telford.gov.uk.

If you have any queries on the SFVS please don’t hesitate to contact Andy, using the email address above, or your school’s finance officer.

Creating Active Schools: Support whole school outcomes

Over the last 18 months, Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin have supported 18 schools as part of the Creating Active Schools (CAS) national pilot. The key message from the pilot is that it has helped schools to start embedding physical activity into their ethos and culture.

The impact so far of 18 schools using the CAS framework:

74% reported that behaviour had improved.
80% reported that behaviour had improved.
87% reported that movement and physical activity are a daily habit and are embedded throughout the whole school.
93% of schools reported that pupil wellbeing had improved.
100% reported that staff mindsets had changes and staff are more likely to advocate for movement and physical activity.

Further impact so far:

Emotional regulation has improved - Children can process their thoughts and feelings better.
Learning - Pupils have better concentration in class and stamina has improved. Regular use of active breaks helped pupils to focus better.
Pupil engagement - Schools are responding to pupil feedback around how they want to be active and involved in the clubs and games being offered.
100% of schools reported that pupil activity levels had increased.

All schools found that building physical activity into their school’s practice had much wider benefits than just improving children’s fitness and activity levels. Behaviour, wellbeing, social skills, focus and concentration in the classroom all improved.

Interested in learning how our pilot schools are achieving these results?

Find out more on the Creating Active Schools website or send an email to Claire.mansfield@energizestw.org.uk.

Early Years Foundation Stage Celebration Conference: Saturday 16 March 2024

The Early Years Foundation Stage Celebration Conference, for all Early Years providers, practitioners, leaders and managers, will take place on 16 March 2023, 9.30am-4.30pm at the Beaconside Conference Centre in Stafford (ST18 0BF).

The theme of the event is Building Cultural Capital through a Creative Curriculum and will focus on the development of children's artistic and cultural awareness to support their imagination and creativity.

The event is fully funded by the Stronger Practice hub.

Key Note speakers:

Alice Sharpe: Nationally acclaimed, Early Years expert in Leading Pedagogy.
Dr Sandra Mathers: Lecturer and Early Years Specialist from the Department of Education at the University of Oxford, and a member of the Talking Time Research Team.

Workshops include:

Drama & Performing Arts (Hippodrome Education Network).
Early Years Art Specialist.
Creative Curriculum.
Music Specialist.

More information:

Look out for the next release of cutting edge workshops in the field of Early Years.
There will be a vibrant marketplace including possible stands from Numicon, Twitch, Early Talk Boost.
EEF EY Research Project Stands will be there, potentially including Talking Time, Number Sense & SMILE.
Free resources will be available to take home.
Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Easy transport links via bus and train plus a free car park.

Telford Skills Show: Thursday 14 March 2024

Bookings are now being taken for the Telford Skills Show, on 24 March 2024, at Telford International Centre.

The event will run from 10.30am to 7pm.

Telford Skills Show: School booking link

Building Lives: The Willmott Dixon delivery suite

The Willmott Dixon Building Lives delivery suite offers a virtual and in person range of activities from school Curriculum Support through to Work Experience.

Ready made programmes give students:

Opportunity to network with industry professionals, gain a reference and build on your CV.
Virtual site tours.
Q&A panels.
Speed networking.
A range of fun and challenging projects and tasks focused.
Employability guidance.

For more information, including contact details, please download the flyer:

Download: Willmott Dixon Building Lives delivery suite.

Details of CPD courses to the end of Autumn Term 2023

The CPD Booklet for the whole of the 2023-24 academic year can be viewed via Telford Education Services.

Courses can be booked by completing and returning a CPD booking form to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk.

Safer Recruitment Administration (HR course)	Monday 20 November 2023	3pm to 5pm
Literacy Pathway – Group 1	Monday 20 November 2023	Morning
Literacy Pathway – Group 2	Monday 20 November 2023	Afternoon
Assessment - termly update (CPD 502)	Tuesday, November 21, 2023	9.15am to 10.45am
Meeting the OFSTED requirements for Equality and Diversity for Governors (CPD 717)	Tuesday 21 November 2023	6pm to 8.30pm
Assessment - termly update (CPD 503)	Wednesday 22 November 2023	4pm to 5.30pm
Raising Awareness of Prevent (SG 101)	Wednesday 22 November 2023	9.30am to 11am
Quality First Teaching for SEND - part 1 (LSAT 516)	Wednesday 22 November 2023	4pm to 5.30pm
Let's Talk PANTS Early Years Insight Briefing	Wednesday 22 November 2023	6.30pm to 7.30pm
Accredited Safer Recruitment Training (HR course)	Thursday 23 November 2023	9am to 4.30pm
Healthy Happy Active Holiday Providers Briefings	Thursday 23 November 2023	3pm to 4.30pm + 6.30pm to 7.30pm
School Attendance Surgery (AST 005)	Friday 24 November 2023	9.15am to 12noon
Let's Talk PANTS Insight session - KS1-2 and SEND (moved from 7/11)	Tuesday 27 November 2023	10am to 11.30am
Managing English as an Additional Language in Early Years Settings (CPD 710)	Tuesday 28 November 2023	1.15pm to 3.30pm
Literacy Pathway – Group 3	Tuesday 28 November 2023	Morning
Literacy Pathway – Group 4	Tuesday 28 November 2023	Afternoon
Induction Training for New Governors (GO 502)	Wednesday 29 November 2023	9.30am to 3.30pm
Early Years Coordinators Termly Update (EY 007)	Thursday 30 November 2023	4pm to 5.30pm
Child Protection Supervision (SG 203)	Thursday 30 November 2023	9.30am to 12.30pm
Children with a Social Worker – online briefing (see separate article)	Thursday 30 November 30 2023	4pm to 5pm
Preventing and Dealing with Racist Bullying (CPD 533)	Wednesday 6 December 2023	1pm to 3.45pm
Governors' Responsibilities for Exclusions (SG 104)	Wednesday 6 December 2023	5pm to 7pm
Literacy Pathway – Group 1	Monday 11 December 2023	Morning
Literacy Pathway – Group 2	Monday 11 December 2023	Afternoon
Literacy Pathway – Group 3	Tuesday 12 December 2023	Morning
Literacy Pathway – Group 4	Tuesday 12 December 2023	Afternoon
EAL for Beginners (CPD 726)	Tuesday 12 December 2023	1.15pm to 3.30pm

Free online briefing – Children with a Social Worker: Thursday 30 November 2023

A free online briefing will take place 30 November 2023, from 4pm to 5pm, and will provide an opportunity to explore and understand good practice relating to ‘Children with a Social Worker’.

The overall aim of the briefing is to work with school leaders to create a culture of high aspirations and to bring greater awareness to the disadvantages that this cohort of children can experience.

Delegates will be introduced to the ‘Children with a Social Worker Team’ of Education Advisers, and the briefing will include:

Responsibilities.
Key research and data.
Key concerns (such as attendance, suspensions and modified timetables).
Communication with social care and other professionals.

Delegates will also have an opportunity to share what they need from members of the team - in terms of advice, support, guidance and training.

To book your place on this free online briefing, please send an email to cpdschoolimprovement@telford.gov.uk with your name, school name and email address.

Children in Need: Friday 17 November 2023

Children in Need takes place this Friday, to raise money for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. Children and young people across the borough will be enjoying a non-uniform day and taking part in various activities to raise money.

What is BBC Children in Need?

Children in Need is the official charity of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). It raises money for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. The charity’s aim is to improve the lives of thousands of children by ensuring that their childhood is safe, happy and secure. They want to give every child the chance to reach their full potential in life.

What projects does Children in Need fund?

Children in Need works with a wide range of organisations, funding over 3,900 charities and projects that support vulnerable children and young people all over the country. Some involve providing activities for children with disabilities, some support children who care for a disabled parent, and some provide funding to help families who have suffered the death of a child or parent.

Twinkl have collated a number of resources for schools to use, as well as activities which can be enjoyed at home. There are also fundraising resources.

For more information visit the official Children in Need website.

Offer a trainee teacher placement

This is an update from the Department for Education

Teacher training would not be possible without school placements. Schools are an essential part of training. School placements allow trainee teachers to get a variety of experience to enable them to:

meet all the teachers’ standards
achieve qualified teacher status (QTS).

We know that many schools view supporting the training of the next generation of teachers as part of their professional purpose. By providing school placements, they enable the pipeline of new teachers to the profession. This may also provide an opportunity for schools to identify talent for their own school recruitment needs.

This guidance explains the role of initial teaching training (ITT) placement schools from September 2024.

Overview of school placements

During their training, trainees must complete at least 2 school placements over 24 weeks (or over 32 weeks on 4-year undergraduate ITT courses). Trainees need to:

teach children and young people:
- in their specified age range
- from different backgrounds.
gain experience of different approaches to:
- teaching
- school organisation
- management.

Placements should encompass these requirements.

While on placement, trainees should spend a minimum of 15 hours per week in a classroom setting. This could include:

observing
teaching
co-teaching.

ITT courses must enable trainees to experience teacher contact time at 80% of a full teaching timetable (as is typically defined in the school where the placement is taking place) for 6 weeks during their school placements.

Placements take place at different times during the school year. They typically last between half a term and a term in length. Accredited ITT providers should discuss the different placement options with placement schools.

Placement schools also provide the trainee with a school-based mentor to support their learning and development.

Offer an ITT placement

To offer a trainee teacher an ITT placement in your school, you need to partner with an accredited ITT provider. Contact your nearest teaching school hub to get advice on offering an ITT placement.

If you already offer ITT placements, you’ll need to check that your existing ITT provider is accredited to offer teacher training courses from September 2024. If they are not, you’ll need to contact your local teaching school hub to get advice. They’ll be able to help you find a local accredited ITT provider to work with.

Before the ITT placement begins

Schools host placements for trainees who are on a:

fee-funded (non-salaried) route
salaried route.

Most trainees undertake a fee-funded ITT course. This means that they fund the course, often with the support of tuition fee and maintenance loans. Trainees on fee-funded routes will need to complete 2 contrasting school placements. These are typically about half a term to a term in length. For some subjects, there are bursaries and scholarships for eligible trainees on a fee-funded ITT course.

Trainees on salaried routes are paid a salary while they train to teach. They are typically employed by the school. These trainees will also have a shorter contrasting placement at another school that is typically about half a term in length.

Schools can also recruit to a vacancy by becoming the employing school for a trainee under a salaried route. For the postgraduate teaching apprenticeship and school direct (salaried) route, DfE offers grant funding to contribute to the trainee’s salary and training costs in certain subjects. This is paid to the accredited ITT provider, and they are responsible for ensuring that all funding designated to support salary costs reaches the employing school. For more information, refer to Funding: initial teacher training.

If you’re interested in providing a school placement or becoming an employing school, contact your local teaching school hub or email becomingateacher@education.gov.uk.

Assign a school-based mentor

Many schools find that having staff involved in mentoring trainees and new teachers has a positive impact on teaching practice across the school. Reflecting on and articulating what makes effective teaching on a regular basis is highly beneficial for school improvement.

If you’re offering an ITT placement from September 2024, you’ll need to be able to assign a school-based mentor who can spend at least 1.5 hours with their trainee per week. Each school-based mentor must complete up to 20 hours of initial mentor training with an accredited ITT provider. This training will help mentors understand:

what’s involved in the mentor role and the skills they need
the ITT core content framework and its underpinning evidence
the ITT curriculum which the trainee will be following.

Mentors do not need to complete the training before they can begin to support trainees. However, the training should be aligned to meet the trainees’ needs throughout their ITT course. Accredited ITT providers can also consider any relevant prior learning that mentors have completed including as an early career framework (ECF) mentor. This may reduce the total hours of training a mentor needs to complete.

You’ll be able to claim funding for the actual hours training undertaken by the mentor to a maximum of 20 hours. More information about the general mentor grant is available in the initial teacher training reform funding guidance. We’ll publish information on how schools can apply in spring 2024.

Lead mentors

The accredited ITT provider will allocate a lead mentor to support the delivery of their ITT courses.

A core role of a lead mentor is to:

support and train school-based mentors
supervise school-based mentors
make sure all trainees are receiving sufficient mentoring and support during their placements
check placements align with their trainee curriculum and the ITT core content framework.

During the ITT placement

Every trainee will receive 1.5 hours per week of mentoring support. This is to ensure that a trainees’ in-school, practical experiences are coherent with the training curriculum.

Mentors have a critical role in providing trainees with feedback on a particular approach. Mentors should use evidence to provide a structured process for improving the trainee’s practice and understanding of key concepts.

Offer intensive training and practice

Another way that schools can get involved in ITT is through supporting intensive training and practice. This is a new curriculum element of all ITT courses leading to QTS from September 2024. It involves:

an intensive focus on theoretical learning for an area of teaching
putting this theoretical learning into practice immediately
getting expert, focused feedback on the practice.

An accredited ITT provider will design and deliver intensive training and practice. However, some elements of intensive training and practice will need to take place in a school environment, such as live classroom practice.

Intensive training and practice are not a part of the school placement. Schools offering ITT placements may also decide to support practice elements of the intensive training and practice. However, schools do not have to offer ITT placements to be involved in intensive training and practice, and some schools have expertise that would make them particularly well placed to support delivery of intensive training and practice.

To get involved in intensive training and practice, contact your local teaching school hub. If you’re in an existing ITT partnership, contact your accredited ITT provider.

Wellington Christmas Lights Switch-on

Wellington's Christmas Light Switch on event will take place on Saturday 25 November 2023, from 2-5pm. Church Street and Market Street roads will be closed from 3pm.

All Saints Church, 2-4pm

Puppet show.
Have your photo taken with the Christmas mascots.
Silly Santa Science Show.

All Saints Parish Centre, 2-4.30pm

Meet Santa in his grotto.
Festive face painting and glitter tattoos.

Wellington Market Square, 2-5pm

Event starts at 2pm, hosted by BBC Radio Shropshire's Paul Shuttleworth, followed by various entertainment with the lights being switched on at 5pm.

Late Night Market, 5-10pm

Entry is £1, kids go free.

Full timings are available online.

This entry was posted by Claire on Wednesday, 15 November 2023.

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