Remember the mentor that you had when you were training to be a teacher?

Remember how important they were to you and your development as a teacher?

That’s the biggest reason mentors give for being a mentor, becoming that same role model they had, but for the next generation of teachers.

The other big reason is to take the next step in your own professional development. Mentoring involves a variety of skills, all of which teachers have already developed successfully in their classrooms and school, and include providing feedback to student teachers and setting targets for their development.

The University of Bedfordshire ITE Partnership will also provide you with a Lead Mentor, to support you in your placement with the student teacher, alongside a community of other practicing Mentors to help guide your journey.

There is a flexible and supportive learning and development programme to help you with all of this which includes a mix of activities which can be completed at a time and place to suit you. Once this training programme is completed a mentor can claim 30 M level credits towards a Masters with UoB for undertaking the role and completing the training.

In addition schools can claim funding for each mentor for the hours of mentor training completed up to 20 hours per mentor at £43.80 per hour (£700.80 for 16 hours or £262.80 for 6 hours - amounts to be confirmed by the DfE) for cover, TOIL, over-time so that schools can enable mentors to do the role; in addition we are continuing to make our normal placement payments.

Mentors who have worked with us before will know that we have worked hard over the last few years to streamline our core mentoring activities and paperwork to ensure that the role is manageable and not overwhelming. We’re adding to this next year by creating some week by week resources to go alongside mentor meetings to ensure everything is really clear and easy to access in a step by step way.

Ready to jump in? contact educationservices@beds.ac.uk for more information

Think you want to develop some skills and understanding about mentoring more generally first? Why not ask about our Aspiring Mentors Programme – contact educationservices@beds.ac.uk

Mentors enable opportunities for Student Teachers to:

• Practice: providing multiple opportunities to rehearse and refine particular approaches, possibly beginning outside the classroom before using approaches in classrooms;
• Discuss and analyse with expert colleagues: interrogating together - with an expert colleague and using the best available evidence (observation/reading) - what makes a particular approach successful or unsuccessful and reflecting on how this approach might be integrated into the Student Teacher’s own practice;
• Observe how expert colleagues work and deconstructing this approach: enabling Student Teachers to work with expert colleagues – using the best available evidence – to critique a particular approach, whether using in-class observation, modelling or analysis of video, to understand what might make it successful or unsuccessful;
• Provide clear, consistent and effective mentoring: receive structured feedback from expert colleagues on a particular approach – using the best available evidence – to provide a structured process for improving the Student Teacher’s practice.

Ready to jump in and be a mentor? contact educationservices@beds.ac.uk for more information

Think you want to develop some skills and understanding about mentoring more generally first? Why not ask about our Aspiring Mentors Programme – contact educationservices@beds.ac.uk

QTS Placement Handbook 2025-26

• QTS Placement Handbook SECTION 1 ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, POLICIES AND PROCESSES – contains:
  • People and places you need to know
  • List of Lead Partners
  • Placement calendar
  • The Mentor and Lead Mentor Learning and Development Programme
  • General Information on Placements
  • Placements for QTS Student Teachers at the University of Bedfordshire
  • Quality Assurance and enhancement of school-based placements
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Discussions with Lead Mentors, Mentors and Student Teachers
  • Chilli-o-meter – support of Student Teachers and Mentors with placement-based learning
  • Placement responsibilities flowchart
  • Safeguarding and staying safe
  • Equality
  • Absence from placement
  • Dealing with issues in placement
  • Placement intervention and support
  • Useful links for support
    
    
• QTS Placement Handbook SECTION 2 PLACEMENT EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS – contains:
  • Professional Behaviours (including Curriculum Area 5 and Part 2 of the Teachers’ Standards)
  • Keeping a Portfolio of Evidence – Student Teacher’s Folders
  • The ITT early Career Framework (ITT ECF)
  • Intensive Training and Practice (ITaP)
  • Placement Based Activity Outlines (PBAOs)
  • Utilising Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Placement
    
    
• QTS Placement Handbook SECTION 3 ASSESSING STUDENT TEACHERS – contains:
  • Assessing Student Teachers: important considerations
  • Assessment process at a glance
  • Expected outcomes and development through training
  • Accuracy in assessment: the correlation of development, feedback and targets
  • Guidance for the weekly meetings
  • Supporting progress – from observing to reporting
  • Target setting and achieving targets
  • Cumulative Evidence Record – guidance notes
  • Profile Review Point (PRP)
  • Recording, reporting and moderation process
  • Enhanced Support and Cause for Concern procedures
  • Enhanced Support and Cause for Concern flowchart and process
  • Curriculum focus intervention process
    
    
• QTS Placement Handbook SECTION 4 DATES, DEADLINES AND TEACHING REQUIREMENTS – contains:
  • BA Primary Education (3-7) (with QTS) Year 1
  • BA Primary Education (3-7) (with QTS) Year 2
  • BA Primary Education (3-7) (with QTS) Year 3
  • BA Primary Education (5-11) (with QTS) Year 1
  • BA Primary Education (5-11) (with QTS) Year 2
  • BA Primary Education (5-11) (with QTS) Year 3
  • BA Physical Education (Secondary) (with QTS) Year 1
  • BA Physical Education (Secondary) (with QTS) Year 2
  • BA Physical Education (Secondary) (with QTS) Year 3
  • BA Physical Education (Secondary) (with QTS) Year 4
  • PGCE Primary (3-7) and (5-11) Full Time
  • PGCE Primary (3-7) and (5-11) Part Time
  • PGCE Secondary Full Time
  • PGCE Secondary Part Time
  • Types of teaching on placement
  • Teaching hours defined

Complete this form annually:

• Mentor Details Form

Information to help you with placements:

• Primary resources
• Secondary resources

Mentor Buzz Communications:

• Mentor Buzz 1 - Mentor Training Funding
• Mentor Buzz 2 - AI on Placement
• Mentor Buzz 3 - Aspiring Mentors

Contact educationservices@beds.ac.uk or 01234 793065

Is the workload of being a mentor really high?

As you know mentoring is extremely rewarding and an immensely valuable role.

We’re doing everything we can to combat any potential concerns about the workload for mentoring, for example:

• We’re not changing the core mentoring activities e.g. frequency of observations and mentor meetings. Also the paperwork requirements will remain the same. We’ve done a lot of work on this over the last few years so we know we’ve scaled this right back so it’s manageable.
• We’re structuring the mentor training to be flexible so that it doesn’t involve travel and so that it can be undertaken online in small chunks in a way and at a time that suits mentors.
• We’ve created a community of practice this year led by Lead Mentors to ensure that there is frequent high quality support, out of school as well as during the visits to placements.
• We’re creating supportive week by week curriculum resources to go alongside the mentor meeting record so that everything is really clear and easy to access and follow in a step by step way.
• There will be 30 M level credits towards a Masters with UoB for undertaking the role and completing the training next year
• Schools can claim funding for each mentor for the hours of mentor training completed up to 20 hours per mentor at £43.80 per hour (£876 for 20 hours) for cover, TOIL, over-time so that schools can enable mentors to do the role; in addition we are continuing to make our normal placement payments.

The University of Bedfordshire ITE Partnership understands and embraces the principles in the DfE (2023) Reducing Teacher Workload resources when considering a Mentor and Lead Mentor’s workload and wellbeing. This is important to further support the retention of Mentors and Lead Mentors. Strategies enacted to ensure this include:

• Mentor training is offered during the school day.
• A variety of Mentor training modes is employed – directed self-study; online webinars; face to face sessions in University and school. This means that there is flexibility in the modes and times of study. It also minimises travel.
• No repeats for training material. The refresher materials are different and developmental from the initial training. In addition, our regional partnership approach, means that where Mentors work across ITE providers there will be no duplication of core Mentor training.
• Streamlining of the amount of documentation completed by Mentors, as well as the mode in which the documentation is completed.
• Regular updates are communicated to Mentors through the templates for Mentor Meeting Records and the monthly Mentor Update email, thus the salient and immediate points for mentoring are surfaced for ease of access.
• If a workload or well-being issue is identified with a Mentor the Lead Mentor and ITE Coordinator in school would work together to resolve the situation. Where this was identified with a Lead Mentor the Head of School of Education and Partnership and Professional Development Leader (and Lead Partner where appropriate) would work together to resolve.

Is it difficult to work with the Lead Mentors?

In most cases Lead Mentors are also tutors at the University. Their role is to be supportive of you as a mentor and the student teacher working together. There are lots of details about their role and their visit in the Placement Handbook, so you can see what to expect before you ever meet them. In addition you will always be able to ask questions of educationservices@beds.ac.uk or 01234 793065. We all work together to help you to be the best mentor you can be.

What if my student teacher has lots of additional personal or learning needs?

Student teachers manage busy lives and schedules as well a studying. At times the needs of something else going on in their life might impact on their abilities to concentrate on becoming a teacher. Don’t worry it’s not your job as a mentor to solve all the problems a student teachers might have. As well as EST and the Lead Mentor there is a large support system at the University. We have Placement Support Coordinators to work with the student teachers to guide them through getting the right support at the right time. These can be reached through EST if needed. In addition there is a range of services that the University proves for student teachers to access. Your role is to be supportive and guide the student teacher back to the University to get the help they might need.

It's been a while since I was a student teacher, what if I’m out of date with the stuff the student teachers are learning now?

There is a lot of material to help you to understand the student teacher’s curriculum on this website. In addition mentor training and development sessions will bring you up to speed. Further we’re creating supportive week by week curriculum resources to go alongside the mentor meeting record so that everything is really clear and easy to access and follow in a step by step way. These will tell you what you need and when you will need it. You are not expected to be the expert in everything. There are other people in your school who may be able to support your student teacher in particular areas better than you can for example the SENDCo. There’s no problem with you facilitating opportunities for student teachers to work with your colleagues – let them do some of the support.

I don’t have time to do the mentor role due to my wider responsibilities in school

We strongly encourage schools to select the right person to be a mentor and support them to do the role with adequate time to undertake training and meetings and so on. We’re really clear when we talk to schools about who the mentor will be that they are the right person for the job. If you are having problems, please don’t hesitate to contact the person in school who organises the ITE placements and see if there is anything they can do to alleviate the pressures you are feeling. You can also speak with your Lead Mentor who may be able to find some workable solutions or share alternative approaches that have been effective for others they have worked with in the past. You are not expected to be the expert in everything. There are other people in your school who may be able to support your student teacher in particular areas better than you can for example the SENDCo. There’s no problem with you facilitating opportunities for student teachers to work with your colleagues – let them do some of the support.

How do I know that being a mentor for a student teacher with the UoB ITE Partnership will be worth my time?

The University of Bedfordshire (UoB) ITE Partnership accepts that learning never stops and therefore it is consciously and proactively committed to enhancing the skills, knowledge and understanding of our Mentors and Lead Mentors. In addition we expect that individual Mentors and Lead Mentors will take ownership of their learning and development over time. Showing a commitment to continuing to professionally develop as a Mentor or Lead Mentor will help confidence, competence, consistency and quality.

The University of Bedfordshire ITE Partnership creates a safe and inclusive learning environment for Mentors and Lead Mentors. Training is current and evidence informed with collaborative opportunities included in order to share expertise. Regular feedback and support for Mentors and Lead Mentors enables them to take ownership of their own development.

The UoB ITE Partnership realises that professional development for Mentors and Lead Mentors needs to be balanced with other working and personal commitments. Therefore it is expected that training takes place during the working day. In addition the programme of training that has been developed is deliberately flexible in approach to enable work-life balance and minimise travel time. Mentors and Lead Mentors can:

• Attend and participate in the face to face annual conference
• Attend and participate in online webinars
• Read, listen and watch resources online
• Join the conversation with other Mentors through the networking communities
• Talk informally with ITE Coordinators in school and other colleagues and reflect on progress
• Research to keep themselves current and up to date
• Become an active member of the committees and working groups in the UoB ITE Partnership

The success of the UoB ITE Partnership’s commitment to professional development is seen through the Mentors and Lead Mentors who are:

• engaged in learning activities, having completed the minimum requirements for training
• satisfied and retained in their role
• impacting on the quality of the experience of student teachers in schools
• promoted to new opportunities.