Units 1 to 12

The first 12 units (hours) of the required mentor training can be completed in a self study recorded format.

Units 1 to 10 have been developed in partnership with the South-Coast ITE providers network

Units 11 and 12 are University of Southampton specific.

Each unit should take around 45 minutes to complete, leaving 15 minutes reflection time to allow you to create a record of the training within your mentor development log document. Each unit will be therefore counted as one hour of recognised training.

Completion of these units will be recognised by the other providers in the South Coast Providers group: University of Southampton, University of Portsmouth, University of Winchester, University of Chichester, University of Brighton, University of Sussex, Portsmouth SCITT, Wildern Partnership, Fareham and Gosport SCITT, Canterbury Christ Church University, South Farnham SCITT 

If you have completed Level 1 during academic year 2021-22, 2022-23 or 2023-24 (or if you plan to during the coming academic year) then you will already have accessed the content of the following units:

Level 1: Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 8, Unit 11

It is highly encouraged for mentors to access these resources collaboratively with other mentors in their settings to allow for support and discussion.

Unit 1: Role and Attributes of a Good Mentor

Unit focus: Understanding definitions and attributes of an effective Mentor. Unpacking the role and responsibilities of the Mentor including Safeguarding.  

Unit 2: Understanding Beginner Teacher Development

Unit focus: Exploring developmental models of mentoring in teaching and professional contexts. Understanding the novice practitioner through stage models of trainee development; making tacit professional knowledge explicit.

Unit 3: Inclusive Mentoring practice and Trainee Wellbeing

Unit focus: Exploring developmental models of mentoring in teaching and professional contexts. Understanding the novice practitioner through stage models of trainee development; making tacit professional knowledge explicit.

Unit 4: Building a Rapport and Settling Trainees into School Placement

Unit focus: How to build your relationship with your trainee. How to manage the essentials of induction that are common to all ITE programmes.

Unit 5: Observing Expert Colleagues and Reflecting

Unit focus: Unpacking skills of observation and guiding trainees to reflect post-observation.

Unit 6: Co-planning and Articulating Curriculum

Unit focus: Acclimatising the trainee to the school’s curriculum and sequencing with reference to departmental schemes of work.   Exploring co-planning and co-teaching in the early stages of teacher development.

Unit 7: Mentoring and Instructional Coaching Techniques

Unit focus: Unpacking the role of ā€˜Mentoring’ and ā€˜Instructional Coaching’ as techniques best suited to the development of the trainee.

Unit 8: Effective Feedback Methods

Unit focus: Developing an understanding of effective and detailed verbal and written feedback
How to have professional conversations and how to encourage the trainees to ask/answer more than they have to listen.  
The role of deliberate practice in post-lesson observation feedback.

Unit 9: Flexible and Adaptive Mentoring

Unit focus: Strategies for best supporting struggling trainees, high achieving trainees and challenging or difficult trainees.

Unit 9 Downloads
Case Studies

Unit 10: How To Move Trainees On

Unit focus: Using the models of trainee development the session will cover the issues and support that trainees have/need when they move school.
How to write detailed commentary to allow the next mentor to get value out of your work.

This unit is currently being updated for School Placement 2 which starts on 17 March.

The contents will be available shortly.

Unit 12: The ITTECF

Unit focus: Exploring the main features of the ITTECF. Building understanding of the mentor’s role in supporting the trainee within this framework

Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (publishing.service.gov.uk)