This guide summarises the requirements, structures and framework for the delivery and assessment of the Primary School Direct (SD) programmes by SD Lead Schools in partnership with the School of Education at St Mary’s University.
SD Lead Schools are lead schools of a group or alliance of schools which have been allocated SD ITE student number places by the DFE. Additionally, they may also be schools which have requested SD self-funded places directly with St Mary’s. Other schools within their group or alliance are referred to as SD Host Schools. SD Host Schools are the schools where students will gain some or all of their teaching experience during the SD programme. Students may also undertake teaching experience within the SD Lead School itself.
This booklet applies to School Direct Training Programme (Salaried) which results in the recommendation for the award of QTS only (subsequently referred to as SD Salaried).
This booklet should be read in conjunction with the Primary School Direct Salaried student brochure.
The University establishes School Direct agreements with Lead schools. The bidding process normally takes place during a six-week period during May-July and Lead schools must specify the provider who will be the partner for the bid during this period. The University ratifies approval of inclusion in the bid to the DfE. Bids are subject to DfE criteria and the University only approves inclusion in bids where the Lead school and Host schools:
Following approval in principle of the School Direct Partnership, an overarching School Direct Partnership Agreement will be signed by St Mary’s and the SD Lead School, which summarises the overall roles and responsibilities and the principles underpinning the School Direct Partnership. It is the responsibility of the Lead School to establish partnership agreements between themselves and host schools.
The signatories to the relevant School Direct Partnership Agreement will be the Headteacher or nominee of the SD Lead School, the Head of Primary Education and the Primary Partnership & School Direct Programme Director at St Mary’s. The Partnership Agreement will be in place for one year and is renewable on an annual basis.
The recruitment and selection of student teachers is undertaken jointly by St Mary’s and the SD Lead School. All School Direct student teachers must meet the entry criteria for ITE programmes (refer to the DfE’s Initial Teacher Training Criteria).
In summary, the roles and responsibilities relating to the recruitment and selection are as follows:
For the SD Salaried route, the SD Host School will:
For the SD Salaried route, the SD Lead School will:
The SD Lead School will also make suitable arrangements for those student teachers with disabilities or needs as detailed by the Equality Act (2010).
As with all ITE programmes offered by St Mary’s Primary Partnership, SD Lead and Host schools must follow the requirements for student teacher support, tracking and grading against the Teachers’ Standards as detailed in the Primary School Direct Salaried student brochure.
For Salaried students, the SD Lead School, in negotiation with their host schools are responsible for devising a training schedule to support their students in exceeding the minimum expectations as outlined in the Teachers’ Standards
St Mary’s University supplements the school-based training and provision with additional taught input at the university. This is outlined in the Primary School Direct Salaried student brochure.
To ensure that all student teachers completing the SD Tuition and SD Salaried programmes are appropriately supported, St Mary’s will:
NB The SD Salaried trainee must be a supernumerary member of staff, and will not be solely responsible for a class.
For Salaried students, each school is required to set up a programme of regular training. A menu of school-based training opportunities is provided within the Primary School Direct Salaried booklet as a guide. In some School Direct alliances this may be delegated to the Lead School, but should be monitored by individual schools. Training during the sessions should be led by the appropriate colleagues and should support the students’ professional confidence and competence against the Teachers’ Standards.
It is an expectation of the St Mary’s University partnership that schools devise a programme of school-based professional development opportunities to enable student teachers to meet all the Teachers’ Standards across the age range of training, and that time within student teachers’ timetable is ring-fenced for this school-based training to occur. The training will include the training days led by St Mary’s but should include a range of other activities such as:
It is essential that each student is given a timetable which reflects his/her status as a new professional who is just starting out on their career. The timetable should start with a low loading and build up during the course of the year. Student teachers with considerable teaching experience can have teaching loads higher than those indicated below, but care must be taken to ensure that teaching loads are always appropriate for the student teacher’s stage of development. Student teachers’ timetables must always allow time for regular mentor meetings, collaborative working and observations of others.
St Mary’s expect all student teachers to be given experience of working with and observing more experienced colleagues in their host school and, where relevant, in other schools. Student teachers also benefit from team-teaching where the student teacher is asked to lead one particular section of the lesson with the teacher delivering the remainder.
The following descriptions are a guide to the sort of balance and progression that we would expect to see for student teachers without considerable previous experience during the year. However, we would also expect the timetable and the balance of activities to reflect the progress of the student teacher; some may well make faster or slower progress than others. Student teachers must never be asked to teach more than 80% of the loading of a normal classroom teacher.
Term one - Up to 40% of normal contact time as whole class teaching. Other 60% group work, observation, training and meetings.
Term two - 50-60% of contact time as whole class teaching. Remainder as group work, observation, training and meetings.
Term three - 80% of contact time as whole class teaching. Remainder as group work, observation, training and meetings.
Term one - 50% to 80% of contact time as whole class teaching. Remainder: group work, observation, training and meetings.
Term two - 50% to 80% of contact time as whole class teaching. Remainder: group work, observation, training and meetings.
Term three - 80% of contact time as whole class teaching.
Term one - 80% of contact time as whole class teaching. Remainder: group work, observation, training and meetings.
Term two - 80% of contact time as whole class teaching. Remainder: group work, observation, training and meetings.
Term three - 80% of contact time whole class teaching.
At no time during this SD training period should the trainee be teaching more than is required by an ECT.
The Salaried route is an employment-based route which leads to the recommendation of the award of QTS – there is no academic award (PGCE) associated with the pathway. In this route:
NB In the case where a student teacher fails to meet the Teachers’ Standards or makes insufficient progress, the employing school may wish to terminate its contract with the student teacher. It is recommended that this clause be written into the contract of employment and the student teacher made aware of this scenario before beginning their training year. Please note – this course of action should only be a last resort. If schools do have concerns that the student teacher might not reach the standard required it is important that prompt action is taken to support the student address any concerns.
Where there are perceived deficiencies in the level of support provided by the SD Lead School or Host School, we would want to address the problem before it gets out of hand, through additional visits to the school by a senior member of the Partnership team or through discussion with the head teacher. Exceptionally it may be necessary to withdraw from a partnership arrangement. Typically, these perceived deficiencies could include:
The St Mary’s Partnership Programme Director has responsibility for the day-to-day management of the SD arrangements and student teachers following SD Salaried programme. This includes supporting SD Lead and Host Schools and monitoring standards.
Trainee representatives from the School Direct Salaried route provide on-going feedback.
Recommendations for the award of QTS only will occur within the PGCE Primary examination board held in early July; there is no academic award associated with the Salaried route and they do not go through a graduation ceremony.
St Mary’s is responsible for the appointment of an external examiner for the Salaried route to oversee and moderate the assessment of student teachers.
The progress of all student teachers following the Salaried route is tracked by the SD Salaried Lead, drawing on the processes established for mainstream ITE primary programmes.
Existing and well-established monitoring processes for the St Mary’s mainstream provision are mirrored for the purpose of the School Direct programme, drawing explicitly on SD Lead School data and information. Specifically:
St Mary’s is responsible for the Ofsted inspection of SD provision.
Continue to the SDS Partnership Agreement page
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