CPD Opportunities
Build confidence for GCSE Physics teaching: from understanding fundamental concepts to hands-on lab work.
This 5-session course is for qualified teachers of all levels, teaching GCSE-level physics content. Each session will begin with a review of fundamental theory and quickly move on to practical, lab-based demonstrations and hands-on lab work.
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Mentor training
Initial training is provided for mentors during the M&QA initial meeting. Further support and guidance for Abyasa, the Core Content Framework, and other themes, is available in a combination of short videos and other materials accessed on the mentor training page.
Abyasa help
St Mary's uses Abyasa Pro to monitor trainee progress across the year. This is accessed via your web browser at https://placements.stmarys.ac.uk/pro. If you have any queries about using Abyasa, please check the Abyasa FAQs page.
CCF guidance
Our CCF support materials are valuable to those mentoring trainee teachers and Early Career Teachers. See the CCF guidance section on the mentor training page.
Adaptive Teaching (SEND) Strategy:
Download SEND strategy
The strategy provides a brief overview of the Adaptive teaching (SEND) provision that will be embedded into the Sec PGCE programme this year, in line with the CCF Section 5 'Learn How to' statements. The intention of this provision is to facilitate an ongoing and progressive focus on Adaptive Teaching (SEND), so that all trainees can develop their understanding of the needs of different learners and an awareness of the range of strategies that they can use to support these learners.
The timeline highlights several tasks that will be completed by all trainees throughout the year, above and beyond the timetabled professional studies lectures and workshops.
Professional task 1 and 2 will be completed in school and will require some timetable consideration and communication with the SENCO , for all trainees to complete these observations. These tasks will be shared and reflected upon with peers and subject tutors.
The SEND Project and SEND Enrichment placement will be coordinated and hosted by St Mary's and aims to provide all trainees with further opportunities to work with a range of different learners.
Handbooks and guidance
PCM handbook
Mentor handbook
Guidance for Weekly Training Meetings
Guidance for lesson feedback
Guidance for planning the trainee school placement timetable
Useful resources
The role of mentors and teacher educators
An article by Rachel Lofthouse (Professor of Teacher Education, Carnege School of Education, Leeds Beckett University), published in the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education.
The National Standards for school-based Initial Teacher Training mentors
Supporting Early Career Teachers to thrive in their first year: a guide for secondary schools
Published by King's College London in September 2021, the aim of this guide by Dr Simon Gibbons and Dr Elizabeth Rushton (KCL) is to provide evidence and guidance to assist schools’ efforts in supporting those Early Career Teachers (ECTs) who have trained during the 2019- 2020 and 2020-2021 academic years, whose training has been profoundly disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.