PRIMARY AND EARLY YEARS PARTNERSHIP PGCE Primary Education (5-11) with QTS - School Direct PGCE Early Years Education (3-7) with QTS - School Direct PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014 - 2015 Contents Page no. 1 Introduction and course aims 2 2 Key contacts 3 3 Structure of the course 4 4 Assessment 8 5 Trainees’ Responsibilities 13 6 Attendance requirements 16 7 Blackboard 17 8 Referencing 18 9 Teachers' Standards from 1 September 2012 21 10 Miscellaneous 24 11 List of Appendices 26 Although care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in the Course Handbook is accurate at the time of printing, it must be understood that changed circumstances may necessitate cancellation of courses, changes to course content, dates, and other matters dealt with. The University cannot undertake to give notice of such cancellations or alterations, and cannot accept any liability arising out of or in connection with them. Page 1 1. INTRODUCTION Welcome to Sheffield Hallam University. This booklet will inform you about aspects of the course related to university regulations. Please read it so that you get a feel for the course and refer to it when you are submitting assignments, extenuating circumstances etc. If it does not answer a specific question you have, then ask your academic tutor or the student services team via arundelhub@shu.ac.uk. A number of further appendices are available on Blackboard. These include our equal opportunities policy, placement pattern and programme specifications. A full list of the appendices is given at the end of this booklet. The Primary and Early Years PGCE School Direct Courses are part of the University’s routes into QTS Primary & Early Years Education Programme. These courses have been designed in collaboration with School Direct partners to help you achieve an academic award and at the same time Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). 1.2. AIMS OF THE COURSE To enable students to gain Qualified Teacher Status by developing the appropriate subject knowledge, skills and attitudes identified in statutory requirements and nonstatutory guidance To develop students' understanding of the role of the teacher as a professional within a regional, national and international perspective. To enable students to develop their understanding of children as learners and to develop their understanding of themselves as learners, using this to support their development as professional, creative, enthusiastic teachers with a range of effective approaches to teaching. To enable students to develop as reflective practitioners who can critically analyse the nature of educational policy, research and current professional practice. To enable students to become autonomous learners and critical thinkers who can also learn and work collaboratively and appreciate and embrace the principles of lifelong learning. Page 2 2 KEY CONTACTS The list below will help you to contact key staff. The best way to contact staff is to use email. Whenever you send a message make sure you leave your name, course and how you can be contacted. PGCE School Direct Primary and Early Years Course Leader Marie Helks m.helks@shu.ac.uk 0114 225 6683 Student Services Team Tracey Roberts - Student Support Officer Arundelhub@shu.ac.uk t.a.roberts@shu.ac.uk 0114 225 5518 Your Student Services team is based in the Arundel building. Access to the team is via the Helpdesk on the first floor or via email. The team is able to advise on the following; what to do if you are unable to attend what to do if you are unable to submit assignments for a deadline date results progression through the course queries related to Blackboard University regulations and procedures Helpdesk Team arundelhub@shu.ac.uk 0114 225 3636 Located on floor 1 of the Arundel building The Helpdesk forms a single point of contact for student & staff enquires and the submission/collection point for coursework. Page 3 3 STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE The SHU-based element of the Primary and Early Years PGCE School Direct Courses commences on Monday 8th September 2014 and runs until Friday 26th June 2015. Your actual course begins on Monday 1st September where you should attend your first school setting. Attendance at school after 26th June is by negotiation with your School Direct partner. There are two possible models: School Direct ‘Intensive’ (i.e. predominantly Fridays only in SHU with shared delivery of taught training sessions) School Direct ‘Partnership’ (i.e. predominantly Thursdays/Fridays in SHU with no shared delivery of taught training sessions). During the course you will study and be assessed by the University in four modules. Each of these modules is worth a fixed number of credit points at a specific level. If you pass the module then you are awarded the points. In order to obtain a PGCE, you must obtain 60 points at each of levels 6 and 7. Level descriptors (i.e. what you would be expected to achieve in order to pass at levels 6 and 7) are given at the end of this booklet. The aims and outcomes for each module can be found on the appropriate module site on Blackboard. Most of your time on your course will be spent in school. You will spend time in at least two different schools and these will be within your School Direct cluster. This will be assessed against the Teacher Standards (2012) and will contribute towards QTS. Other aspects of school experience will include directed tasks set by the University or school. Assessment of these tasks will contribute towards the academic qualification as well as QTS. It will be expected that you take on more responsibility for the planning, delivery and assessment of learning activities as the course progresses. There is a legal requirement for time spent in school and so it is important that no days are missed. You may be required to make up for lost days. The calendar of your placements in school is given in appendix 1. When not in school each day, you will be fully timetabled (usually 9am-4.30pm, though there may be some occasions when timetabled sessions run up to 6pm and/or take place in the evening. You will be given advance notice if this is the case.) Detailed timetables will be available on the Student Intranet at the beginning of your course. This timetable may change throughout the year so please check it at least once a week. We endeavour to keep changes to a minimum. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 4 3.1 Brief descriptions of modules Module code 6797 Points 6796 40 7986 30 7884 30 20 Module title Module leader Professional Practice and Curriculum Studies 1 Professional Practice and Curriculum Studies 2 Reflecting on Approaches to Teaching Adrian Fearn Exploring a Specialism through Collaborative Development Adrian Fearn Marie Helks Marie Helks Level 6 modules: Professional Practice and Curriculum Studies 1 Professional Practice and Curriculum Studies 2 These two modules will enable you to gain Qualified Teacher Status by focusing on your role as a teacher and will support you in reflecting on teaching and learning across the curriculum as well as examining the wider professional role of the teacher. They will also enable you to develop your own knowledge and understanding of curriculum subjects. Level 7 modules: Reflecting on Approaches to Teaching This module will enable you to explore and develop your understanding of key theories of learning and teaching and effective pedagogical approaches. The focus is usually on Talk for Learning. It will also prepare you for the standard of academic work expected at level 7. Exploring a Specialism through Collaborative Development The module will enable you to develop your professional knowledge in relation to your chosen area of specialism and develop your interpersonal skills to be able to work with other colleagues in collaborative professional development to further yours and their understanding. If, after receiving formative feedback early in the course your academic tutor and you feel it is appropriate, you may be advised to transfer to the level 6 equivalent modules instead of level 7. 3.2 Level descriptors The following descriptors provide details of the academic level that your work will be expected to achieve for levels six and seven. To achieve level 6 you need to demonstrate: 1. a systematic understanding of key aspects of your field of study, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge, at least some of which is at or informed by, the forefront of defined aspects of a discipline; 2. an ability to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within a discipline; 3. conceptual understanding that enables you: Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 5 to devise and sustain arguments, and/or to solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of a discipline; and to describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in the discipline; 4. an appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge; 5. the ability to manage their own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (e.g. refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to the discipline) Typically, if you pass at level 6 you will be able to: 1. apply the methods and techniques that you have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply your knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects; 2. critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution - or identify a range of solutions - to a problem; 3. communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions to both specialist and nonspecialist audiences; and will have: 4. qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring: the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility; decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts; and the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature. To achieve level 7 you need to demonstrate: 1. a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice; 2. a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to your own research or advanced scholarship; 3. originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline; 4. conceptual understanding that enables you: to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; and to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses. Typically, if you pass at level 7 you will be able to: 1. deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences; 2. demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level; 3. continue to advance your knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level; and you will have: 4. the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring: Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 6 the exercise of initiative and personal decision-making in complex and responsibility; unpredictable situations; and the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development. 3.3 School based training The course has been planned in collaboration with our School Direct partners in order to meet the needs of trainee teachers and ensure that trainees achieve the standards required for the award of Qualified Teacher Status. The course follows government guidelines and builds upon the long experience of successful PGCE courses run by this University. The organisation of your school-based training will depend on your school. You will spend some time familiarising yourselves with the organisation and routines of the school and undertaking directed work. Teaching expectations and training opportunities during the non-assessed time in school will depend on your initial needs analysis and personal rate of progress towards the Teaching Standards. You should aim for a mix of individual, group and whole class teaching and ensure that your training plan allows for completion of all the directed tasks. You will undertake two Block Placements (BP1 and BP2). One placement will be in a KS1 class and one will be in a KS2 class (for those on the primary route) or in a KS1 class and in a foundation stage setting (for those on the Early Years route). These placements are formally assessed. Your professional conduct requires you to arrive in sufficient time to prepare for the day ahead, behave in a professional manner at all times and dress appropriately. You will need to attend school on all the days which have been arranged. If you have care responsibilities you may need to make alternative arrangements for the duration of your placements. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 7 4 ASSESSMENT 4.1 Academic Work All trainees must be acquainted with the University Standard Assessment Regulations http://students.shu.ac.uk/rightsrules/index.html Assessment is viewed as an integral part of learning and trainees will engage with a range of assessment activities. The purposes of assessment are to: generate a learning activity identify the academic standard or skill achieved provide ongoing feedback to trainees on their performance assist trainees in identifying strengths and weaknesses enable trainees to gain an award Each module has its own assessment. Details of where to find the hand-in schedule are given on page 11 with further information in appendix 10. Note that some assessments have more than one part, with different parts having different hand-in dates. Trainees will be told at the beginning of each module what the assessment requirements for the module are. Tasks and the criteria for assessment will be given during the module and will also be on the appropriate Blackboard site. If you do not understand what you are to do, please ask your academic tutor. 4.2 Presenting your work each piece of written work must have a covering sheet (see page 11 and appendix 10 for details of where to obtain a cover sheet) which states module code module title your name (and group if relevant) module tutor's name hand-in date title of the assignment signed statement certifying the acknowledgement of all citations in most cases, your work should be securely fastened in a light binder with a clear cover; do not insert individual sheets into plastic wallets number pages consecutively your work should be word processed; use A4 paper size; provide plenty of space for tutor comment by leaving a generous margin on both the left and right sides of the text and at the top and bottom of the page; use 12 point print and double or 1½ line spacing you must keep a duplicate copy of your work see appendix 4 for the details of the word count policy 4.3 Standards expected for assessed work You are expected to be able to present well researched, well reasoned and well written work. Good writing is clear and simple: use plain English. Write for an intelligent layperson as the audience. Use short sentences wherever possible and pay attention to paragraphing rules. Many assignments require you to write a report or an essay, not to tell a story. It is therefore important to use appropriate language and structure. Written work should be in Standard English using conventional grammar, spelling and punctuation. You are advised to leave sufficient time to proofread and correct your work. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 8 The aim is to make your work as error-free as possible; work containing spelling and grammatical errors is not acceptable. If you are aware that this may be a problem for you please make arrangements to talk with your academic tutor about how to rectify this. If you need help writing essays or reports, you may wish to attend support study sessions. See the Online Student Handbook for details. 4.4 Citation and referencing The convention to be used on this course for all modules is Harvard. You will find more about the Harvard system on page 19 supported by fuller details in appendix 2. 4.5 Submitting assignments The work must be handed in to Assignment Management (room 10102 Arundel Building) by 3pm on the due date. The module tutor will tell you when and where to submit the work if it is different from this. If you are unable to submit work by the required date you need to contact the Student Services team based in the Arundel Building for advice. Please call to the Arundel Helpdesk and ask to speak to someone regarding an extension. If you are unable to attend the University to discuss the matter, please email the Student Services team Arundelhub@shu.ac.uk or ring the Helpdesk on 0114 2253636. A member of the Student Services team will advise you on the options available to you and all information provided is confidential. Submit an exceptional extension request (EER) You will find details of this on the student intranet on: https://students.shu.ac.uk/regulations/extenuation/EER1%2009%2011.pdf Submit an extenuating circumstances form (EC1) This should be obtained from the student intranet on: https://students.shu.ac.uk/regulations/extenuation/EC1%2002%2013.pdf You are strongly advised to submit some work to ensure that you have made a valid attempt on the submission date. 4.6 What if I have a difficulty which means that I cannot produce my best work? This may be what the University terms an Extenuating Circumstance. Please see above instructions regarding seeing a member of the Student Services team to discuss. 4.7 Marking of work All module assignments will be marked in accordance with Sheffield Hallam University regulations. Each module on the PGCE has clear marking criteria and your work is marked against these. Some of your module assessments will also provide evidence that you have met some of the TDA Standards. You will be given a provisional mark which will be confirmed or altered by the Award Assessment Board. All PGCE assignments are marked as either ‘pass’ or ‘fail’. In addition to a mark, tutors will write a comment about your work which will relate to the marking criteria. This feedback, including your use of written Standard English, should be carefully considered. Where appropriate you must act upon the comments made. Where appropriate, the comment sheet will provide evidence of the ways in which you Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 9 meet the Standards for the Award of QTS. It will form part of the discussion between you and your academic tutor. A copy of the comments made by the module tutor goes into your personal file. The confirmed mark is recorded on your individual profile which you can access at http://students.shu.ac.uk/myshurecord/index.html . In each module some of the work is marked twice: the first marker will give the work to a colleague to seek his or her opinion. In this way consistency in marking is maintained. Samples of module work for Levels 6 and 7 are seen by External Examiners and Assessors. OFSTED inspectors may also see your work as part of the evidence for inspection. All marks are provisional until after the Award Assessment Board (AAB). From time to time, as a result of internal moderation or external scrutiny by external examiners, marks are adjusted to better reflect the standard and range of performance by trainees. 4.8 Returned work You will be notified by e-mail when your marked assignments are ready to be returned. Marked assignments will usually be available for collection from Assignment Management (the same room you hand them in). If this is not the case, you will be informed by the module tutor. If any are not collected by the due date they will be disposed of. If you do not understand the comments on the feedback sheet, contact the person who marked the work for clarification. Your marks may be made available on Grade Centre via the blackboard site and your academic tutor will advise you on this. Keep your work safe (paper as well as electronic copies). Keep it at your term time address. In addition to keeping it for your own reference, we may well ask you to bring it in to be seen by External Examiners and Assessors and by OFSTED inspectors. You should also use the feedback to help you set targets for further development. 4.9 Progress information The regulations affecting your academic progress are set out in the Assessment Regulations in the Online Student Handbook. All decisions about your progress are made by the Assessment Boards which are held for each year. In arriving at decisions the Assessment Boards give careful consideration to all the factors which are brought to its attention. To ensure fairness, decisions are made in similar ways for similar trainees. The Assessment Boards consist of the tutors who teach you plus External Examiners and Assessors. External Examiners and Assessors are appointed by the University to ensure that you are treated fairly and that the standards of the course are satisfactory. The marks and judgements made about your progress in modules which you receive before the Assessment Board meets are provisional. At this stage they are recommendations. The Assessment Boards may change the marks you receive. Assessment Boards are held at the end of each year. The dates of Boards will be published on Blackboard. Soon after the Assessment Board you will be able to access your marks which you can access at http://students.shu.ac.uk/myshurecord/index.html . You should check that the block school experience and module marks recorded are accurate. If there seems to be an error please email the Student Services Team on arundelhub@shu.ac.uk Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 10 4.10 What if I do not pass a component? If you do not pass a piece of work attached to a module it is said to be referred. You will be able to access the work you need to do to redeem any failure on Blackboard after the Assessment Board. If you do fail a piece of work, make sure you know where the error was and what you need to do to be successful. You should always seek advice from the tutor who marked your work. Most of your assignments may be eligible for ‘in-module retrieval’ (IMR). This means that there may be the opportunity to resubmit the referred piece of work before the Assessment Board. If this is the case there will be full details on the relevant module Blackboard site. The final module 'Exploring a specialism through Collaborative Development does not have in-module retrieval but is still subject to the normal refer regulations. 4.11 Appeals If you feel that you have not been treated fairly in the assessment of your work, you should raise this with the tutor concerned. If you are in doubt about the decision of the Assessment Board you may have grounds for appeal. See SHU Undergraduate Assessment Regulations for further details. You should discuss the issues with the Course Leader or with Student Services who can advise you how to proceed. 4.12 Cheating A word of warning: cheating and plagiarism are treated with the utmost severity. This includes working too closely with a student colleague, failure to acknowledge source material and plagiarism. You should read the information at https://students.shu.ac.uk/regulations/misconduct/Cheating%20Regulations%2 0201112.pdf for a fuller explanation of cheating and plagiarism and its consequences. 4.13 Submission details Unless specifically told otherwise by your module tutor, all assignments should be submitted to Assignment Management in the Arundel Building (room 10102). See appendix 10 for further details. You can view all your submission deadlines by accessing your student diary via the student portal. 1. You should log on 2. Click on the Support and information tab 3. Click on Assessment Diary 4. Log in 5. You should then be shown a list of the modules you are taking. 6. Click on each module to view their deadline dates. On each module page there will be a print button. Click this to generate and print a submission form with a unique bar code. This form should be filled in and handed in with the assignment. The bar code is then used to track your assignment through the system. Please do not photocopy this form for other assignments (or for friends) as this will void the bar code. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 11 Blank forms are also available from the Assignment Management room. 4.14 Grading of School Based Training and Meeting the Standards for QTS In order to be awarded QTS, trainees must achieve Grade 3 or above in the final review of all Standards following both block placements. If a trainee is awarded grade 4 in one or more Standard in the final review of a block placement, then that trainee is deemed to be referred in the block placement as a whole. They will then have one standard referral opportunity to pass a placement in the specific key stage. Trainees who achieve a grade 3 on BP2 may be expected to undertake additional school-based training before being recommended for QTS. School-based tutors (SBT) through consultation and moderation with university tutors are required to grade trainees against the Standards in school and these recommended grades will be indicated on the Summative Report. This will also include comments about the trainee's achievements and areas for development. Trainees will be graded by tutors on groups of Standards on a 4-point scale. Grading will be based on a holistic judgment about each of the sections. You will be provided with a Partnership handbook that gives details all aspects of placement (including more details of grading). Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 12 5. TRAINEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES 5.1 Information Communications Technology and Computing Trainee teachers need to be able to use IT skills in a variety of ways. As well as learning how to help children develop their IT skills, you need to ensure your own skills are of a sufficient standard. One way of communicating with tutors and other trainees in the University is by the use of e-mail and a virtual learning environment called Blackboard. Details of Blackboard can be found on page 16. You will be given a personal e-mail address at the beginning of your course. You will be expected to use a computer regularly to obtain messages from staff, to be involved in on-line debate and to check your timetable. 5.2 Other core skills As well as the development of IT skills, you need to learn how to present ideas and materials to others write coherently and succinctly analyse arguments and data identify foci for information searches provide support to other people receive support from other people access academic support identify and access relevant material formulate, plan and conduct small-scale work-based research self evaluate learning and performance engage in the process of plan, action, reflect and re-plan These skills are developed throughout the course, but there are particular modules which address specific skills. In particular, the 'Reflecting on Approaches to Teaching' module will provide you with opportunities to develop academic writing skills, group work skills and the ability to search for and retrieve relevant information. If you are having particular difficulties with any of these core skills, then you need to consult your Academic Tutor who will provide you with appropriate advice. 5.3 Approaches to teaching and learning Just as we expect you to use a variety of teaching strategies with pupils, we have planned the course similarly. You will experience lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and independent study. You will be expected to prepare for the taught sessions you attend and carry out follow up work afterwards. Some of the sessions will involve peer tutoring where trainees teach each other in a supportive atmosphere. 5.4 Professional conduct It is essential that you conduct yourself professionally at all times Correct professional conduct is currently defined as: Trainees must conduct themselves in a professional manner when in school or other placement or at University. This means being punctual, dressing appropriately, using language appropriately, responding to requests for information made by staff, being polite and considerate to others and engaging in scheduled tasks and complying with the Code of Conduct for trainee teachers. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 13 If you fail to act professionally as described in the statement above, you will be warned about your conduct by the school based tutor and co-ordinator or by your academic tutor as appropriate. If the unprofessional behaviour persists you will be asked to meet with your academic tutor to discuss your conduct and to agree a set of targets for improvement. A copy of this will be kept on file. If you fail to meet these targets you may be required to withdraw from the course. In exceptional circumstances where professional behaviour is deemed to be totally unacceptable, you may be temporarily suspended from the course pending investigations according to the standard University disciplinary procedures. 5.5 Ethical issues relating to schools, children and teachers When reflecting on or writing about your experiences, you must not name any school, child or teacher. As a general rule, do not use photographs or video film of children in your work. If you wish to use visual images of children in school based research, you must first gain the permission of the children, parents and your supervising tutor. (Further details can be found in appendix 7). If you use any work of a child you must ensure that his/her name has been removed or replaced with a pseudonym. In this latter case you should state that all names are fictitious. 5.6 Code of conduct in school You will find that school placements provide a stimulating environment in which to learn and practise your professional skills. During your placements you will work closely with children and other adults in the establishment. This Code of Practice has been written to help trainees to act professionally in these circumstances. There are certain points of conduct to observe, and certain things to find out about as soon as possible, so that your school placements run smoothly. You need to find out about legal requirements and placement procedures for such things as accidents and visits. You must endeavour to adhere very closely to the normal placement routine for discipline and control. A sudden deviation (e.g. unusually friendly approach, or rearranging the furniture) from the regular staff’s routines is tactless, can unsettle the children and can create chaos, all of which can cause bad relationships. It is important for you to observe the placement routines and follow them fairly closely, introducing changes very slowly and gradually and then only in consultation with the placement staff. 5.7 Code of Practice Section A - Protection of the Child The paramount duty of anyone working in a work placement which involves the achievement and well being of young children is to protect the child from harm. i. Assault It is illegal to strike a child, and trainees are required to obey this law, however great the provocation. A trainee who does strike a child will be withdrawn from the placement immediately. ii. Children leaving the premises Parents have a right to expect that their children will be safe in the establishment which serves them, and therefore a trainee must never send a child outside of the Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 14 establishment without the placement manager’s permission. Trainees must never take a child out of the establishment without the prior permission of the placement manager. iii. Professional distance Under no circumstances must trainees ever invite children back to the University, or their homes, or enter into any association with them other than in their professional capacity as temporary members of staff. Trainees are very strongly advised that it is extremely foolish to allow unnecessary physical contact with pupils. If a trainee needs to see an individual pupil privately at any time this should be in a public part of the establishment where the conversation can be seen, but not necessarily overheard by other members of staff. This will enable the trainee to mount a strong defence against any subsequent allegations of improper conduct. Trainees must not expose pupils to unnecessary temptation by leaving money and valuables in places where they can be stolen. iv. Health and Safety Trainees on placements have the same Health and Safety rights and responsibilities as any other employee in the workplace. They must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and of the health and safety of other people who may be affected by their actions. They must also co-operate with the employer in complying with the employer’s legal duties. 5.8 Sheffield Hallam University Code of Conduct Whilst on placement trainees are still members of the University and the Sheffield Hallam University Code of Conduct, Disciplinary Procedures and policies of the University still apply. 5.9 Professional standards of behaviour Any breach of the minimum standards of professional behaviour will be a cause of grave concern. It calls into question the suitability of that person to work with children on placement and will result in disciplinary action being taken. Definition of such breaches will be in relation to: a) Any written codes of conduct which staff in the establishment are required to follow and of which the trainee should reasonably be aware. b) Any behaviour jointly judged by responsible, experienced staff in the University and in the placement to be grossly, and/or recklessly inappropriate. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 15 6 ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS The course you are following is academic and professional. It is an intensive course in which the professional work-based aspects are a legal requirement. The teaching and learning strategy demands active participation. A key feature of active participation is your responsibility to other trainees; attendance and punctuality are parts of that responsibility. There is an expectation that you will attend all timetabled taught sessions and peer group work sessions associated with individual modules. Tutors will keep registers and will inform your academic tutor of unexplained absences and lateness. Whilst in school there is an expectation that you will function as a normal member of staff with regard to attendance. Attendance is part of your professional conduct. You must attend school for all scheduled days. Days missed through illness may have to be compensated for by additional days. If your attendance and punctuality give repeated cause for concern, the module tutor or school co-ordinator will notify your academic tutor who will formally write to you warning you about your failure to meet standards of professional conduct. You will be required to meet with the academic tutor to agree a plan of action, a copy of which will be given to you and another placed on file. Should you persist in failing to meet the targets set, you will fail the professional development requirements of the professional standards and may be required to withdraw from the course. This information will be kept on file and referred to when your reference is being written. 6.1 Absence through illness To report your absence from university timetabled sessions please complete the university absence reporting form. If you are absent for between three and five days you must submit a self- certification form (available from SHU Space). For absences, due to illness, longer than five days a doctor’s certificate should be submitted. Forms should be submitted in accordance with procedures in the Student Handbook. If you are too ill to attend any part of a placement in school you must inform the school and the University via email to ehpartnership@shu.ac.uk before the start of the school day. 6.2 Returning after absence You will be expected to 'catch up' on the work you missed while you were absent. It is your responsibility to ask other trainees to let you know if any directed tasks were set and ensure that these are carried out. Do not contact the module tutor to ask for notes or details of what you missed. You may photocopy notes made by another trainee (with their permission) but you must not do so if they are part of an assessed piece of work. If you have missed a scheduled tutorial session you may not be granted another unless you have very good grounds for non-attendance. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 16 7 BLACKBOARD The university uses a virtual learning environment called Blackboard. For your PGCE course you will find that the resources on Blackboard are organised into two sections: 1. 2. Module sites Organisation site A brief summary of these two areas is as follows: Module sites These sites are only available to PGCE trainees and contain information about the modules you will be taking. There are 4 academic module sites: Professional Practice and Curriculum Studies 1 Professional Practice and Curriculum Studies 2 Reflecting on Approaches to Teaching Exploring a Specialism through Collaborative Development You will need to access these module sites for information about directed tasks and information about assignments. You may also find them useful for an outline of what is taught in each session and for resources related to each module. Each site will also contain a set of discussion boards. You can use the discussion boards for assignment queries as well as general discussions about subjects covered in the module. Some assignments will require that you post information on the module discussion board. Tutors will also use the discussion boards to pass on module information so it is important that you check them all regularly. Organisation site There is only one general site that you need to access: Primary & Early Years Programme Organisation This site is available to all trainees on any primary or early years QTS course at SHU. It is used to share information that is used by all trainees (e.g. admin information, teaching resources) and for sending information that does not relate to a specific module or a specific course. The site also provides a link to the ‘Partnership Portal’. This is where you will find all the information about your teaching practices including (when finalised) details of which schools you have been allocated. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 17 8 REFERENCING FOR ALL WRITTEN WORK 8.1 First Principles Whenever you refer to either the work or ideas of someone, you must acknowledge this. Similarly, if you make a direct quotation from someone’s work, this should be noted accurately. You will need to acknowledge your source in two places: In the main body of your text In the list of references at the end of your piece of work It is a good idea to get into the habit of keeping some kind of organised record of the books, journal articles, electronic sources and whatever else you may use in your research at the time that you use them – if you only keep half a reference, you may not be able to trace the full details of that piece of work at a later date. 8.2 Citing References - Referring to the work of others The following examples follow the Harvard reference system When you refer to someone else’s work or ideas in the body of your own piece of work, this can be acknowledged by quoting the author and date of the work in brackets: E.g. It has been suggested (Brown, 1995) that the effectiveness of this method …. This leads the reader to the list of references at the end, where the full reference appears. Quoting the work of others If you wish to make a direct quote from someone’s work you should include the author’s name, date of publication and page number in your text. E.g. Jones (1992, p.126) suggests that, “we all recognise the need to keep production costs down”. Or, it has been suggested that, “we all recognise the need to keep production costs down” (Jones, 1992, p.126). 8.3 List of References You should include a list of references with each assignment that includes all works to which you have referred and no references to works to which you have not referred. Unless explicitly requested, you should not include a bibliography. In principle, your references should contain sufficient information for any reader of your work to be able to trace the material you have used. Your references should be arranged in alphabetical order by name of author. In the following paragraphs there are some examples of how various items may be referenced. In general, the most important point is that, whichever format you choose, you should stick to that one format throughout your piece of work. The method demonstrated below is the Harvard method. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 18 Books The main items you will need to note are: author, title, publisher. You will find all of this information on the book’s title page. The reference should be laid out as follows: Armstrong, M (1992). Human Resource Management: strategy and action. London: Kogan Page. For multiple authors, reference all of them up to a maximum of three. If there are more than three, use et al. If a book is later than the first edition, quote the edition number. Dibb, S et al (1994). Marketing: concepts and strategies. 2nd ed. London: Houghton Mifflin Company. If a book has an editor, indicate this by putting (ed.) or (eds.) after the name(s). To quote a chapter in an edited book: Miller, J. & Glassner, B. (2004). ‘The “insider” and the “outsider”: finding realities in interviews’. In: Silverman, D. (Ed.). Qualitative Research: theory, method and practice. Pp. 125-139. Journal Articles To fully reference a journal article, you will need: author, date, title of article, journal title (in full), volume number, issue number and page numbers. Lankshear, C. & Bigum, C. (1999) ‘Literacies and New Technologies in School Settings’, Curriculum Studies. 7 (3). Pp. 445-465. All of this information can be obtained from the cover and first pages of the journal issue, but will not necessarily appear on the top or bottom of pages inside the journal (and therefore not on a photocopy you may make of an article). Remember to make a note of the full reference for each article that you use at the time you use it. Theses You will need to provide: author, title of thesis, degree statement, degree awarding body, date. Stevens, P. The implementation of Investors in People. Management. Sheffield Hallam University, 1994. MSc Human Resource Conference Papers You will need to provide: author, title, date of conference, place of conference. Smith, C. & Richards, J. (2005) 'Insights into children's writing on screen: an exploratory study'. Paper presented at United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) conference, University of Bath, 2005. Electronic Sources Just as for printed sources, when citing electronic sources, you need to give enough information so that your reader can retrieve the data to which you refer. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 19 (a) CD ROM (full-text) For a newspaper or any other full-text article taken from a CD ROM, you will need to give author, title of article, journal/newspaper title [CD ROM], volume and page number(s). Maitland, A. Retailers balk at BSE-free beef plan. August 1996, p.8. Financial Times, [CD ROM], 28 For items from other full-text databases, provides as much detail as you can, following the basic order shown above. Mintel International Group Ltd. ROM], July 1995. Garden Tools: Market size and trends. Mintel, [CD (b) CD ROM (bibliographic) You may need to reference an abstract you have read on a bibliographic database. You will need to provide author, title of article, [CD ROM], journal information, name of the database and, if available, reference number of the item. Lacobucci, D. (et al). The quality improvement customers didn’t want. [CD ROM] Harvard Business Review, 74 (1) Jan/Feb 1996. Abstract from: ABI/Inform, item no. 01135624. (c) Internet Resources World Wide Web Sites You will need to give as many of the following items as are available: author, title, date, publisher, date you accessed the material (because the ‘site’ may be updated between the time you use it and the point at which a reader refers to it) and URL (Uniform Resource Locator – the ‘address’ of the site). CIA World Fact Book, 1995: Ecuador. Visited: Nov. 1996. URL: http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/ed.html. Hoffmann, M. (1996). A student’s guide to referencing on-line information sources in social studies. Visited: Sept. 1996. URL: http://cua6.csuohio.edu/. ~ernie/courses/cite.htm E-Mail correspondence If you need to reference material you have gathered from an e-mail correspondence, you will need to give: author, date of message, subject of message, recipient's name, [Online], and availability (i.e. recipient’s e-mail address). Rogers, W. (19 September 1996). ‘The nutritional value of the potato’ [e-mail to P. Squire], [Online]. Available e-mail p.squire@uwe.ac.uk. Further Guidance There is further guidance on referencing in ‘The LITS Guide to Referencing and Citations’, an e-book which is available through the Library Catalogue. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 20 9 TEACHERS' STANDARDS FROM 1st SEPTEMBER 2012 PREAMBLE Teachers make the education of their pupils their first concern, and are accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in work and conduct. Teachers act with honesty and integrity; have strong subject knowledge, keep their knowledge and skills as teachers up-to-date and are self-critical; forge positive professional relationships; and work with parents in the best interests of their pupils. PART ONE: TEACHING A teacher must: 1 Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils establish a safe and stimulating environment for pupils, rooted in mutual respect set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions demonstrate consistently the positive attitudes, values and behaviour which are expected of pupils. 2 Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils be accountable for pupils’ attainment, progress and outcomes plan teaching to build on pupils' capabilities and prior knowledge guide pupils to reflect on the progress they have made and their emerging needs demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how pupils learn and how this impacts on teaching encourage pupils to take a responsible and conscientious attitude to their own work and study. 3 Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge have a secure knowledge of the relevant subject(s) and curriculum areas, foster and maintain pupils’ interest in the subject, and address misunderstandings demonstrate a critical understanding of developments in the subject and curriculum areas, and promote the value of scholarship demonstrate an understanding of and take responsibility for promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of standard English, whatever the teacher’s specialist subject if teaching early reading, demonstrate a clear understanding of systematic synthetic phonics if teaching early mathematics, demonstrate a clear understanding of appropriate teaching strategies. 4 Plan and teach well structured lessons impart knowledge and develop understanding through effective use of lesson time promote a love of learning and children’s intellectual curiosity set homework and plan other out-of-class activities to consolidate and extend the knowledge and understanding pupils have acquired reflect systematically on the effectiveness of lessons and approaches to teaching Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 21 contribute to the design and provision of an engaging curriculum within the relevant subject area(s). 5 Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils know when and how to differentiate appropriately, using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively have a secure understanding of how a range of factors can inhibit pupils’ ability to learn, and how best to overcome these demonstrate an awareness of the physical, social and intellectual development of children, and know how to adapt teaching to support pupils’ education at different stages of development have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs; those of high ability; those with English as an additional language; those with disabilities; and be able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them. 6 Make accurate and productive use of assessment know and understand how to assess the relevant subject and curriculum areas, including statutory assessment requirements make use of formative and summative assessment to secure pupils’ progress use relevant data to monitor progress, set targets, and plan subsequent lessons give pupils regular feedback, both orally and through accurate marking, and encourage pupils to respond to the feedback. 7 Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment have clear rules and routines for behaviour in classrooms, and take responsibility for promoting good and courteous behaviour both in classrooms and around the school, in accordance with the school’s behaviour policy have high expectations of behaviour, and establish a framework for discipline with a range of strategies, using praise, sanctions and rewards consistently and fairly manage classes effectively, using approaches which are appropriate to pupils’ needs in order to involve and motivate them maintain good relationships with pupils, exercise appropriate authority, and act decisively when necessary. 8 Fulfil wider professional responsibilities make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support deploy support staff effectively take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues communicate effectively with parents with regard to pupils’ achievements and wellbeing. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 22 PART TWO: PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT A teacher is expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct. The following statements define the behaviour and attitudes which set the required standard for conduct throughout a teacher’s career. Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by: o treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position o having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions o showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others o not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs o ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law. Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality. Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 23 10 MISCELLANEOUS 10.1 What do I need to do if I change my name or address? You must notify the administrative team of the following changes: your name providing documentary evidence e.g. marriage licence your address term time or home Do not neglect this task as it can delay messages which may be important to you. You can update details of a new address or emergency contact telephone number online via http://students.shu.ac.uk/myshurecord/index.html 10.2 References When applying for a teaching post, please try to encourage the school to email the Student Services Team as this is the quickest way for us to deal with the request; E-mail: arundelhub@shu.ac.uk Or use the following name and address ITE REFERENCE ADMINISTRATOR Division of Education and Humanities Sheffield Hallam University Arundel Building Charles Street City Campus Sheffield S1 1WB Tel: 0114 2253636 Do not give the name of your tutor or course leader. Your academic tutor will write your reference and it will then be passed on to the reference administrator. If you need a reference for any other reason you should approach your academic tutor for permission to use his or her name. Failure to do this may result in no reference being prepared. 10.3 Writing away for information in connection with the course From time to time you may need to seek help from outside agencies in connection with your module work. This should be done with the knowledge and approval of appropriate University staff. If University headed note paper is used it must have a member of staff's signature. 10.4 Messages and information Check your email and information on Blackboard (modules and Primary & Early Years Programme Organisation) on a regular basis. It is particularly important to check the discussion boards on Blackboard as urgent messages about changes to the course (and other important information) will be posted here. From time to time we may need to contact you urgently. We will both email and phone you, but we can only do this if you let us have your phone number. Similarly we can only post a letter to you with reasonable success if your term time address is correctly recorded. Your maximum cooperation is expected in these matters. Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 24 10.5 Getting a message in case of emergency The only way to be sure that we get the message to you is if you leave exact details of your timetable (rooms, times, who the tutors or where you will be working or having lunch) with the people, (particularly child minders, nurseries, and the head of your children’s school but also parents, guardians and partners) who are likely to need to contact you. If they are able to tell staff where you are, we will do our very best to give you the message. However, in the absence of detailed information on where you are, we are not likely to be successful. 10.6 Information for Disabled Students This paragraph is aimed, in particular, at disabled students who may not have told relevant staff of their disability, either at enrolment or afterwards. If this applies to you, it is important to let the Student Services know at the earliest opportunity. This is vital for three reasons. Firstly there is no way of ensuring fair assessment of your work, for instance at exam time, if staff are not aware of your disability. Leaving such a decision to the last minute could work against you. Secondly, there are a number of support services available to disabled students, such as the Hearing Impaired Support Service. Thirdly, without accurate records of disabled students, the University is not able to make full use of the resources (e.g. funds, equipment) available to disabled students. For further details, contact Student Services on (0114) 225 3964 E-mail disability-support@shu.ac.uk Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 25 11 APPENDICES There are a number of appendices available electronically on Blackboard. Go to the Professional Practice and Curriculum Studies 1 module site, click on the ‘course information’ button and then on ‘course handbook’. The appendices are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. PGCE placement pattern 2013-2014 Referencing procedures Route management Word count policy Equal opportunities policy Equal Opportunities on Placement Policy Taking Photos of children in schools Programme specifications Level descriptors Assignment submission information Exceptional transfer between PGCE and ProfGCE award Sheffield Hallam University PGCE School Direct Course Handbook 2014-15 Page 26