Mentoring ITT

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Good Practice in Mentoring TraineePrimary Teachers

in Wales

September 2001


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Contents Page

1. Introduction 1

2. Written guidance 2

3. Training for mentors 4

4. Mentoring in schools 6

5. The impact of effective mentoring 10

6. The way forward 14


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1. Introduction

Purpose of thereport Increasingly, higher education institutions are working inpartnership with primary schools to mentor trainee primary

teachers in schools. Mentors are designated teachers whotake responsibility for trainees when they are in their school.The purpose of this report is to outline features of goodpractice in mentoring and to identify the impact that effectivementoring has on all those involved in the mentoringpartnership. The report should help higher educationinstitutions and their partner primary schools to evaluate andimprove the mentoring of trainee primary teachers in Wales.

Evidence base forthe report The report is based on information obtained from a survey offive initial teacher training providers and a sample of theirpartner schools carried out during the spring and summerterms 2001. HMI examined partnership documentation, helddiscussions with college tutors, mentors and trainees andobserved mentor training sessions. The report also draws onevidence from the full inspections of the three initial teachertraining institutions inspected during 1999-2001.

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2. Written guidance

Written guidancefor mentors andtrainees

Where partnership arrangements are well established,supporting written guidance for mentors and trainees is ofgood quality. The partnership requirements, roles andresponsibilities of mentors and expectations of trainees areidentified and described effectively. Practical guidance ispresented clearly and concisely and, in consultation withmentors, regularly updated.

An increasing number of schools produce written guidancefor trainees in their schools. This information provides auseful introduction to school life for the trainees. In the best

cases, trainees received this written guidance prior to startingtheir school placement.

Features of effective written guidance include:

a clear outline of the principles of partnership;

policies for mentoring trainees that are relevant to thelinguistic and geographical context of the schools andpartner education institution;

background information on the school;

requirements and expectations the school has of trainees;

advice on the management of partnership and qualityassurance procedures;

well-defined roles and responsibilities for all those involvedin the partnership;

useful check lists and prompts for trainees, college staffand school mentors;

guidance on providing support for trainees to plan andassess;

specific requirements for assessing trainees progress;

advice on assessing trainees teaching and completion of

assessment forms; examples of good written feedback and target setting;

contact names and addresses to aid communication withinthe partnership;

evaluation forms to allow trainees to feedback on thestrengths and shortcomings of their experience in school;and

partnership files that are colour coded and are user friendlyfor schools.

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3. Training for mentors

Training for

mentors by highereducationinstitutions

Most higher education institutions provide regular training

sessions for mentors. Training is effective when it meets thespecific needs of both mentors and schools. In the bestpractice, new mentors receive well-planned induction and aretrained in the various stages of trainees courses.Experienced mentors receive regular updates and contributeto training sessions by sharing good practice. Training isparticularly effective where mentors are encouraged torecognise the importance of developing their ownschool-based training programmes. This enables trainees tobecome part of the whole life of the school quickly andconfidently.

Features of effective mentor training in higher educationinstitutions include:

practical advice and guidance for mentors, sometimes inthe form of video exemplification;

opportunities for mentors to discuss their experiences ofworking with trainees;

regular updates on current issues;

a focus on good mentoring practice;

workshops based on moderating and assessing traineesperformance during their school placement;

examples of effective written observation and feedbackcomments provided by experienced mentors; and

training through the medium of Welsh where required.

Training forschools

Key features of effective mentor training in schools include:

close links with the training provided by the highereducation institution;

regular updates to staff about college requirements and thestandards expected of trainees;

a thorough introduction to the role and responsibilities ofmentor; and

monitoring by the senior staff from the school and thepartner higher education institution.

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Examples of good practice in mentor training

Case study 3:effective mentortraining by thehigher educationinstitution

Two college tutors provide mentor training for all the teachersin one partner school. During the training, staff become

familiar with the requirements of the partnership. Theydevelop a good understanding of their role as mentors andestablish a system for moderating the work of the trainees intheir school. In exchange, the headteacher provides a veryuseful session for trainees in the higher education institutionon assessing, recording and reporting on pupils progress.

Key features include:

all school staff become familiar with the requirements ofthe partnership;

the headteacher makes a valuable contribution to thecollege-based course;

recognition of the need for mentors to introduce a systemfor moderating their assessment of teaching; and

evaluation that is used to update information.

Case study 4:well targetedmentor training

One higher education institution organises a training sessionfor mentors on the use of information and communicationstechnology in college-based and school-based work, an issueidentified in Estyn inspection reports. The session includes agood quality presentation by college tutors and experienced

mentors. As well as developing an understanding of howinformation and communications technology is included in thecore subjects in the college-based course, mentors receivevery useful information about relevant websites for use withpupils and trainees in their own schools. As part of thesession, a small group of final year trainees outlines theirschool-based experience of information and communicationstechnology. The trainees comments highlight the differencein the quality of this aspect of provision between partnerschools and help to identify effective practice. Mentorsdevelop a clear understanding of what trainees andcollege-based staff expect during school placement.


training which focuses on an area of development andsupport identified in Estyn inspection reports;

training provided jointly by mentors, college tutors andtrainees;

helpful information for mentors to use with both traineesand pupils; and

encouragement to mentors to share information with otherteachers in their school.

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4. Mentoring in schools

Mentoring as awhole schoolactivity

Effective practice in school-based mentoring often reflects awhole-school commitment to supporting trainee primaryteachers. Where schools are committed to the partnership,the mentors role and the growth of mentoring skills is animportant aspect of staff development. In these schools, it isusual for several staff to be trained as mentors. Trainees inschools that work in this way have access not only to theirmentor, but also to the expertise of other teachers in theschool including those with subject specialisms, co-ordinatorsand those who demonstrate best practice. Usually, a memberof the senior management team organises the mentors in the

school, provides trainees with tutoring in pastoral andwhole-school aspects and acts as the link with the highereducation institution.

Effective mentoring is enhanced in schools where there arewell-developed and managed systems in place to plan,monitor and evaluate the work of both mentors and trainees.Such schools have high expectations of the trainees. Staffconsider trainees as colleagues and treat them accordingly.In these schools, staff recognise trainees need forwell-targeted support as an important aspect of effective

mentoring. In the best practice, headteachers give carefulconsideration to the needs of pupils, staff and trainees whendeciding on the number and frequency of placements theirschools can offer.

Features of effective planning for trainees work in schoolinclude:

an introduction to the school which includes specificdocumentation about the school, its context, ethos, staffing,procedures and policies and daily routines;

access to schemes of work, teachers planning,assessment procedures and resources, including ICT;

a timetable which enables trainees to observe and teachtheir chosen specialist age range and gain experience ofother year groups in the primary phase;

planned opportunities to develop a clear understanding ofissues related to continuity, progression and transitionwithin and between key stages; and

a timetable that enables trainees to teach pupils with arange of abilities across the primary curriculum subjects.

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Planning foreffectivementoring inschools

Most mentors are familiar with elements of the traineescollege-based course. In the best cases, mentors use thisinformation to link college-based and school-based training toprovide a coherent and developmental experience in the

school for the trainee. In the best cases, the mentor, collegetutor and trainee jointly plan and regularly review the schoolplacement to ensure that the trainees strengths areenhanced and their needs met. The mentor identifies areasfor the trainees development and sets targets from theirindividual assessment profile.

Many schools have developed good seminar programmes fortrainees. These programmes are usually organised and ledby the senior member of staff with responsibility formentoring. This is usually a series of weekly sessions that

enable trainees to gain further understanding of whole-schoolissues, for example equal opportunities, assessment andspecial educational needs.

Effective supportand guidance fortrainees

Assuring thequality of

assessment

In those schools where mentoring is particularly effective,mentors understand the responsibility they have to providewell-targeted support and guidance to trainees. Mentors aresensitive to trainees needs, help them to analyse theirdifficulties and to work out the most effective solutions.Where practice is good, mentors organise regular individualsupport sessions for trainees. These sessions focus on theweeks activities and each trainees progress in relation totargets set. Mentors provide constructive feedback from theirown and others observation notes and together they andtrainees set further targets for the following week. As a resultof this support, the best trainees can accurately identify thestrengths and shortcomings in their teaching and canevaluate pupils learning. Trainees can then use thisinformation to help them plan future lessons.

Most mentors observe trainees on a regular basis. Mentors

ensure that they provide trainees with a written record of theobservation including judgments and targets for improvement.They also provide the trainees with oral feedback on eachobservation. In the best practice, mentors recognise theneed to provide reports which are evaluative and which areclearly related to the standards trainees are expected toachieve. Mentors ensure that the trainees and the link tutorfrom the higher education institution both receive a copy ofthe reports.

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A number of schools have introduced procedures formoderating their assessment of trainees achievements.These include joint observation of trainees teaching by theheadteacher or the senior mentor and sometimes senior

mentors from other schools.

Examples of good practice

Case study 5:mentoring whichsupportspreviouslyidentified targets

Before meeting a trainee, the mentor reads the informationprovided by the higher education institution. This includesinformation on the trainees background and qualifications aswell as a copy of the school report from the previous schoolexperience. This report indicates that the trainee needs toimprove her understanding and application of Y CwricwlwmCymreig in the second school experience. At their first

meeting, the mentor asks the trainee to reflect upon her firstschool experience. On the basis of this information thementor plans a timetable with key staff in the school. Thisincludes observation and teaching experiences to broadenthe trainees understanding of Y Cwricwlwm Cymreig.

Case study 6:mentoring whichidentifies andsupports newtargets

In a school with a large number of trainees, the mentor auditsthe trainees confidence in, and experience of teachingvarious aspects of the national curriculum. The mentororganises demonstration lessons in subjects where thetrainees lack confidence or prior teaching experience. In thisway, good practitioners and subject co-ordinators share theirexperience effectively. In some cases, the mentor usesvideos of good practice instead of demonstration lessons.The audit also identifies a number of trainees as lackingconfidence in teaching physical education. The schoolorganises a series of demonstration lessons from across keystage 1 to key stage 2 that exemplify progression in pupilslearning and provide key teaching points. The mentor andtrainees discuss issues arising in a follow-up seminar.


targeted support for trainees based on their individualneeds;

trainees improve at identifying continuity and progression inpupils learning and apply this to their own teaching; and

a follow-up seminar session, which provides a goodopportunity for trainees to discuss what they have seen.

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Case study 7:effective feedbackand moderatingsystems

Mentors in one school give written feedback on nearly all thetrainees lessons. This is in addition to meeting therequirements of the higher education institution. Thisfeedback, on a proforma designed by the school, consists of

about five brief sentences and an action point. Mentors feelthat the process gives their observations a clear focus and isan efficient use of time. Mentors observe the traineesteaching and make rough notes on the proforma. Thetrainees appreciate this detailed written feedback that buildsinto an impressive file of issues. They can then refer back toand reflect upon these later during the experience and backat college. The senior mentor sets up a system to moderateand evaluate the work of mentors and the progress made bytrainees in the school. This system of written feedbackenables the senior mentor to keep a close check on the

quality of the mentors and the trainees work. It also ensuresthat the support provided by mentors is consistent andappropriate.


regular ongoing written feedback provided for trainees;

the effective monitoring of trainees progress by mentors,college tutor and headteacher; and

the moderation and evaluation of trainees and mentors

work by the senior mentor ensures consistency in thetraining provided by the school.

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5. The impact of effective mentoring

Participation inmentoringpartnerships

In effective mentoring, partnership has a beneficial impact onall those involved. The higher education institution, its partnerschools and the trainee primary teachers all gain fromeffective partnership working. All partners are appreciative ofthe stimulating dimension that mentoring provides and enjoythe challenge of working in partnership.

The impact ofeffectivementoring onschools

Participation in mentoring partnerships encourages schools toreflect on and improve their own practice. Staff and pupilsbenefit from opportunities to share new ideas and initiativeswith trainees. Schools also benefit from the subject expertise

and prior experiences some trainees bring with them.

Schools have adopted a number of different systems toenable mentors to undertake their role effectively. Forexample, this may involve the mentor exchanging classeswith the class teacher to observe the trainee teaching. Theheadteacher may also teach the mentors class so that bothclass teacher and mentor can support the trainee. Issuesidentified through joint observation and the subsequentdiscussions with the trainees contribute to the teachers own

observation skills and to the schools monitoring andevaluation procedures.

Schools use funding transferred from higher educationinstitutions in a variety of ways. Some schools use it to setaside non-contact time for seminars, feedback and reviewmeetings. In others, mentors receive incentive allowancepoints for their work with trainees.

Schools are increasingly using the skills they have gainedfrom working with trainees to induct newly qualified teachers

in their first year of teaching. Many use the written guidancethey and the higher education institution have produced tosupport newly qualified teachers. Mentoring skills, developedfrom involvement in the partnerships, transfer readily tomentoring new members of staff in the school.

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The impact ofeffectivepartnership ontrainees

Well-planned school experiences, closely linked tocollege-based training and informed by awareness of thetrainees strengths and targets for development ensure earlyprofessional development. The standards achieved by

trainees improve when feedback identifies clear targets,which improve their teaching and pupils learning.

Trainees benefit from opportunities to observe or assist withexemplar lessons taught by subject specialists. Wheretrainees work with children who have special educationalneeds, mentoring support helps them develop the skillsneeded to meet these pupils additional needs, includingthose who are gifted, talented or have specific learningdifficulties. Trainees benefit professionally from anexpectation to be fully involved in all aspects of school life.

Where they are treated as members of staff, included in staffdevelopment programmes and encouraged to meet parents,trainees gain a better understanding of the role of theteachers and the school in the wider community.

Impact of effectivementoring onmentors

Mentors and classroom teachers benefit and developprofessionally from participation in mentoring partnerships.Observing trainees and giving feedback helps all teachersreview and reflect upon their own practice. Mentors becomemore confident and are better able to share information aboutgood practice. They develop their management andinterpersonal skills. For many, mentoring has stimulated aninterest in participating in higher education and some havegained qualifications at Masters level. An increasing numberof staff in schools have secured promotion partly as a resultof the skills developed through mentoring. Mentors also gainby working collaboratively with colleagues from other schoolsto moderate their work with trainees.

As a result of working with trainees, subject co-ordinatorsalso make good use of the skills acquired to improve

monitoring of their subject in the school. They encouragetrainees and teachers to focus on pupils learning andattainment and set challenging targets that will raisestandards in the subject.

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Impact of effectivementoring onhigher educationinstitution

Higher education institutions benefit from effectivepartnership with schools. Joint projects involving school staffand college staff help develop coherence betweenschool-based and college-based training. Opportunities to

work together enable all those involved to exchange ideasand information about current teaching methods and learningstrategies. Close liaison with partner schools offerscollege-based staff opportunities to develop and inform theirresearch activities. This research is then used to informaspects of the college-based course. The increased role ofthe school mentor in aspects of the college-based course alsohas benefits for the higher education institution. The sharingof good practice, new ideas and school-based initiatives allserve to keep the higher education institution fully informedabout the current day-to-day practices and procedures in its

partner schools. Where the impact of the partnership isparticularly successful this extends to a fuller role for thementor who may, for example, participate in interviewingapplicants for teacher training, course planning andevaluation and course and examination board meetings.

Examples of the impact of effective mentoring

Case study 8:evaluation ofpartnership

practice

Detailed information collected from mentors, trainees, collegelink tutors and external examiners reports, has enabled onehigher education institution to produce a detailed evaluationof the partnership presented as a booklet. This evaluationbooklet clearly outlines the strengths of the partnership andidentifies key areas for improvement. Both the highereducation institution and partner schools have made gooduse of the booklet to improve partnership practice.


detailed evaluation of the provision involving all membersof the partnership;

clear identification of strengths and areas for improvement;and

joint evaluation of the outcomes within the partnership andaction taken to improve provision.

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Case study 9:training for smallrural partnerschools

Staff from partner schools located a long way from the highereducation institution; especially those from small schoolshave difficulty attending regular mentor training sessions.One higher education institution has recently started a project

supported by HEFCW to produce a bilingual training pack thatcan be used to train staff in a cluster of schools. Groups ofschools and the higher education institution formed a localpartnership steering committee and worked together todevelop different sections of the pack. Each section will betrialled in partner schools and evaluated by an externalassessor prior to publication.


creative thinking in meeting the needs of staff in partner

schools located a long way from the higher educationinstitution;

materials produced jointly by college-based andschool-based staff;

the production of bilingual training materials; and

clear monitoring and evaluation procedures to access thequality of the training pack.

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6. The way forward

In order to improve the quality of mentoring in primary teacher training andincrease the impact of mentoring, there is a need to ensure that:

procedures for evaluating school-based training are consistently used tomaintain high standards across schools. This should include:

- evaluation of the impact of mentor training sessions;- monitoring the effectiveness of mentors work;- providing rigorous feedback to mentors on how well they

undertake their role; and- monitoring and evaluating the trainees school-based experiences;

mentors are more involved in planning, delivering, managing and

particularly, in monitoring and evaluating the college-based course;

all staff who mentor trainees receive appropriate initial and regularongoing training that builds on what they already know and can do andincludes opportunities to share good practice;

schools receive enough information about trainees previous experienceand performance;

mentors set clear and measurable targets for trainees to improve theirperformance;

mentors feedback to trainees focuses on pupils learning as well as thequality of the trainees teaching;

mentors support trainees in learning to make accurate assessments ofpupils learning;

higher education institutions encourage schools to introduce proceduresfor moderating trainees progress through, for example, paired lessonobservations;

schools and higher education institutions give enough time to mentors andtutors to enable them to undertake their role effectively;

trainees have more opportunities to observe good practice in partnerschools and schools make better use of the skills and expertise of traineesduring their school experience;

changes to partnership requirements are clearly documented to avoidinconsistencies in the training within and between schools; and

written guidance for mentors in Welsh-medium schools is providedbilingually.

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Mentoring ITT

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