Plymouth Institute of Education
Professional Conduct –
Roles and Responsibilities
Professional Conduct – Roles and Responsibilities
Page 1 of 9
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF STUDENT TEACHERS
Student teachers are expected to demonstrate throughout all school experience placements
full professional commitment in line with the Teachers’ Standards, Part Two.
In particular, student teachers should:



arrive at the placement at a time negotiated by the mentor;
act as responsible members of the school/setting community, working co-operatively
with fellow students, teachers and other adults in the school/setting community;
be prepared for their work in sessions they are involved in;
work as a member of the team led by the class teacher as the School Based Tutor.
SCHOOL EXPERIENCE PLACEMENTS
During school experiences student teachers may work singly with a class teacher, in pairs or
as a larger group (e.g saturation placements, group visits to settings). The class teacher is
the School Based Tutor who works with student(s) on a day to day basis and supports them
in all aspects of their school based learning.
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SUPPORT DURING SCHOOL BASED LEARNING
SCHOOL BASED TUTOR
(CLASS TEACHER)
If placed in a Teaching
Partnership School
(University Mentor)
A student teacher will
have a weekly visit from a
Plymouth University
Mentor
If placed in an Associate
Partnership School
including School Direct
(University Visiting Tutor)
A student teacher will
have a School Mentor
who works alongside
them throughout the
experience
and
Occasional planned visits
from a Plymouth
University Visiting Tutor
All of the above and the school’s headteacher work from a shared set of guidelines and
understanding of the requirements of the programme because outlined in the Partnership
Agreement.
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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
In all schools class teachers induct student teachers into the class, and support and guide
them in their planning, teaching and assessment of children’s progress. They provide
opportunities for student teachers to observe them teaching (especially in Core and
specialist subjects) and discuss the intentions and outcomes of these sessions with them.
As they observe student teachers, class teachers give oral and written feedback to help
them evaluate children’s progress and improve their classroom practice. Class teachers
make an essential contribution to the assessment of student teachers’ progress throughout
each School Experience. In recognition of this role, the Plymouth Institute of Education
refers to class teachers with direct responsibility for the student teacher on a daily basis as
School Based Tutors.
Associate Partnership Schools work in full training partnership with the Plymouth Institute of
Education. The School Mentors in these schools facilitate the training programmes of
student teachers, including observations of good practice. They supervise and support
student teachers. They are responsible for completing the Weekly Monitoring and
Revaluation Report Form as well as checking the student’s online profile; checking evidence
that stages within the Standards are met and agreeing this when satisfied. The School
Mentor is responsible for writing the final report in conjunction with the student teacher.
In Teaching Partnership Schools, University Mentors supervise, support and assess student
teachers. They liaise with School Based Tutors and head teachers to facilitate student
teacher’s training programmes including observations of good practice and compile reports
on the student teachers’ performance. The University Mentor has responsibility for checking
the student’s online profile; checking evidence that stages within the Standards are met and
agreeing this when satisfied. University Mentors are responsible for completing the Weekly
Monitoring and Evaluation Report Form. They also conduct profiling conferences and
complete the record of this, and the final report in conjunction with the student teacher.
Liaison and support for School Mentors is provided through University Visiting Tutors from
the Plymouth Institute of Education. University Visiting Tutors act as advisers and
moderators for the assessment of student teachers. School Mentors, together with School
Based Tutors, collate and prepare reports on student teachers’ performance.
When working with student teachers, School Based Tutors or School Mentors should follow
the guidance for issuing Early Alert, Cause for Concern or Insufficient Progress at the time
identified on the School Experience calendar for each placement.
Further information about roles and responsibilities of student teachers, School Based
Tutors, School/University Mentors and University Visiting Tutors are described in detail in the
relevant section of the Primary Partnership Portfolio.
The Purpose and Nature of the Plymouth University Professional Tutor
Plymouth Institute of Education is committed to a high quality Professional Tutorial process.
Each student teacher has a professional tutor who they meet with on a regular basis
throughout the academic year.
The BEd and PGCE courses comprise two elements of equal importance:


An Academic qualification in Primary Education
Achievement of QTS
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The Professional Tutor assumes the role of both coach and advocate. Tutorials are intended
to be a mixture of encouragement and challenge, discussing both Academic and
Professional development in light of:



Academic feedback
SCROLL
Placement Reports
High quality feedback and needs analysis from partner schools is taken seriously and always
discussed with the student in Professional Tutorials.
The Professional Tutor will enable the student to develop their own personalised learning
programme to meet identified needs across the academic and professional elements of their
course.
Student teachers are expected to take an active role in their development as a teacher and
an academic, keeping their Professional Tutor informed of their progress and significant
events in their learning or professional development.
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GUIDANCE FOR ISSUING EARLY ALERT,
CAUSE FOR CONCERN & INSUFFICIENT PROGRESS



Early Alert (Form A)
Cause for Concern (Form B)
Insufficient Progress (Form C)
PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED
Early Alert
If the student teacher appears to be finding it difficult to engage in the school
experience within seven working days of the start of their school placement, the
Early Alert proforma (FORM A) should be used by the School/University Mentor
in discussion with the student teacher to initiate intervention and give the student
appropriate support.
This form should be sent to the Partnership Office who will inform the
Programme Leader, Professional Tutor and appropriate member of the school
experience team.
Cause for Concern
If the student teacher is giving cause for concern then following discussion with
the student teacher, the Cause for Concern proforma and action plan (FORM B)
will be issued by the School/University mentor. This should be no later than the
date identified in the placement calendar in the relevant Notes of Guidance.
The original is retained by the student teacher and a copy is either emailed or
faxed to the Partnership Office.
If the student teacher does not meet targets within the timescale
Insufficient Progress
School / University Mentor should complete the Insufficient Progress proforma
and action pan (FORM C). The original is retained by the student teacher and a
copy is either emailed or faxed to the Partnership Office.
A moderation visit will be arranged by negotiation with the school. As part of the
moderation discussions, a decision will be made recommending pass or fail. The
student teacher may also be visited by an External Examiner to quality assure
the decision.
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GUIDANCE FOR ISSUING EARLY ALERT
If a student teacher is not fully engaged with the school experience, Early Alert (FORM A) is
issued by the school or university mentor in negotiation with the School Based Tutor within the
first seven working days of the placement. It may be issued for the following reasons:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Poor attendance
Pastoral concern
Concerns over potential impact on children’s learning
Professional conduct
Early Alert must be reported to the Partnership Team via the Partnership Office within 24
hours of being issued by using the proforma contained within the proforma section of the
Primary Partnership Portfolio.
A short action plan devised by the student and mentor will be shared between the School
Based Tutor and university. This is an informal, supportive intervention to ensure that all
student teachers have the opportunity for a successful placement.
GUIDANCE FOR ISSUING CAUSE FOR CONCERN
Where a student teacher is giving cause for concern, the Cause for Concern proforma (FORM
B) will be issued by the School or University Mentor in negotiation with the School Based Tutor
by the mid point of the placement and no later than the date identified in the placement
calendar in the relevant Notes of Guidance. It may be issued for the following reasons:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Poor attendance
Pastoral concern
Concerns over potential impact on children’s learning
Professional conduct
Lack of expected progress against the Teachers’ Standards 2012
Cause for concern must be reported to the Partnership Team via the Partnership Office within
24 hours of being issued using the proforma contained within the proforma section of the
Primary Partnership Portfolio. This identifies the areas of concerns and the actions required.
The action plan devised by the student and mentor will be shared between the School Based
and University Tutor. This is a formal intervention which will include SMART targets and have
to be achieved within a time frame. Unless these are met the student teacher is unlikely to
pass the school experience. In some extenuating circumstances, the time frame may be
extended but guidance should be south. It may also be issued twice if the time scale allows.
GUIDANCE FOR ISSUING INSUFFICIENT PROGRESS
Where a student teacher is making insufficient progress, the Insufficient Progress proforma
(FORM C) will be issued by the School or University Mentor in negotiation with the School
Based Tutor, no later than the date identified in the relevant Notes of Guidance. It may be
issued for the following reasons:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
Poor attendance
Pastoral concern
Concerns over potential impact on children’s learning
Professional conduct
Lack of expected progress against the Teachers’ Standards 2012
A student teacher fails to meet the targets set under cause for concern
Issues arising from moderation
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In addition, the student will receive a visit from a member of the Partnership team who will
make a final assessment in consultation with the School Based Tutor, School Mentor and
other senior staff in the school. Those students who are unsuccessful will receive tutorial
support from the university.
Withdrawal of a student teacher from School Experience at the request of the
Headteacher of the placement school
This procedure should be followed when the headteacher of a placement school requires
that a student teacher be withdrawn from the school before the period of the placement is
completed.
The headteacher, in accordance with her/his overall responsibilities for the leadership and
management of the placement school and in consultation with the Plymouth Institute of
Education tutor with identified responsibility for School Experience and Partnerships, may
terminate a student teacher’s placement at any time. In exceptional cases this may be done
without notice. At the point of termination, the student teacher will be informed in
writing by the headteacher or the identified University tutor on her/his behalf:i.
of the termination.
ii.
Of the reason(s) for it (see criteria given below);
iii.
that the Assessment Panel will recommend to the Assessment Board that a fail
mark be awarded for that period of School Experience.
The reasons for withdrawal normally fall into one or more of the following categories:i.
Professional misconduct which has broken the relationship of trust and confidence
that must exist between student teacher and the placement school or behaviour
which has endangered the safety and well-being of teaching colleagues, pupils or
other adults in the school.
ii.
Persistent breakdown in professional working relationships with teaching
colleagues, pupils or other adults in the school resulting from the student teacher’s
actions.
iii.
Failure to demonstrate professional learning, to respond to professional advice or
act on it effectively.
iv.
Negative impact on the children’s ongoing learning and excessive workload for
school teaching team
The Programme Leader will be advised if this situation arises.
The Assessment Board may recommend that a student teacher is not offered a retake of
School Experience in these cases.
Briefing and Moderation meetings
Each period of school experience is supported by briefing meetings held at a variety of
locations across the Partnership. In the final stages, assessment against the Standards is
supported by moderation meetings. Again these are held at a variety of locations across the
Partnership. These meetings are a crucial part of the Partnership’s quality assurance
procedures and form part of the ongoing tutor training programme. As such they are whole
day sessions for which schools are paid a contribution towards the cost of their supply cover.
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All partnership schools that are participating in each school experience are required to
attend briefing meetings. The class teacher, as the School Based Tutor, will be updated on
the tutoring role that they will be undertaking.
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