The Role of the Mentor

Subject Mentors

Structured and individualised mentoring is at the heart of our model of school based ITT. Each Subject Mentor (SM) will have a non-teaching allowance of approximately one hour per a week to provide their trainee with ongoing support in completing their trainee programme. They will have a lead role in the following:

• Acting as a critical friend and professional role model for the trainee

• Support and guidance for trainees on the Teachers’ Standards, ensuring trainees have access to relevant opportunities for learning to demonstrate they are able to meet the standards and achieve QTS

• A designated weekly review and reflection meeting cycle with the trainee to discuss progress and set appropriate objectives through their WEEP (weekly evaluation of evidence and progress)

• Taking specific responsibility for guiding the trainee to build a portfolio to evidence meeting Teachers’ Standards

• Providing a coherent and consistent high quality level of support and challenge and covering core areas of trainee entitlement (e.g. formal meeting time per week, observations and feedback)

• Attending subject mentor training

• Organising a stepped teaching timetable for the trainee in accordance with training needs

• Ensuring the trainee has opportunities to teach across two key stages in approximately equal proportions

• To introduce the trainee to the ethos and working procedures of the department and its staff.

• To arrange for trainees to work with pupils across the Key Stages and ability range.

• To provide opportunities for the trainees to work with other teachers and support staff in the department, where appropriate.

• To co-ordinate the trainee’s work with other members of staff in the department, ensuring consistency and monitoring feedback.

• To provide regular oral and written feedback on each trainee’s teaching. Written feedback should be given to the student at least three times a week.

• To be involved in facilitating the trainee’s work on subject related issues and coordinating it with work undertaken in Core QTS sessions.

• To contribute to the monitoring and assessment of the students’ progress towards the Standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.

• To attend the SCITT training and briefing sessions in order to share ideas and be updated on programme developments. (Schools are funded to release Mentors for training sessions each year.)

• To support the Quality Assurance monitoring procedures of the Programme and thereby strive for continual improvement in the quality of both school-based and centre-based training.