Department for Education have directed changes in ITE criteria to adjust the expectations for mentor training for academic year 2024/25. The adjustments include specifying the number of hours that mentors should engage with training as well as how much time they should dedicate to supporting a trainee.
DfE Initial Teacher Training (ITT) ; criteria and supporting advice
Working together
Edge Hill University fully recognise that integral to our success is the everyday commitment and support we receive from our partner settings, schools and colleges, in particular the dedicated mentors who support and challenge our trainees whilst on professional placements. This was clearly recognised by inspectors in our recent inspection who stated in the report, ‘Trainees are immensely well supported by knowledgeable and inspirational tutors and by highly skilled, committed mentors.’
We have worked with our strategic partners, mentor working groups, partners and mentors this year to establish systems and processes which will support high quality and effective mentoring for trainees. This will mean that mentors will not see a dramatic change to their workload in 2024 from an EHU perspective.
The key headlines/aspects of our approach to mentoring is outlined below and addresses the aspects covered by DFE. Headteachers, school leaders and mentors are welcome to join us at an online briefing event on any of the following dates:
- Tuesday 16th April 2.30pm
- Friday 19th April 9.30am
- Tuesday 25th April 11.30am
- Friday 26th April 9,30am
- Monday 29th April 2.30pm
- Monday 17th June 3.30pm
Mentor training
We will continue with existing mentor training and the 4 QA checkpoints, embedding these into the allocated training hours. In addition, we will provide a range of online, digital and face to face Mentor Development Modules, which will be available from May 2024 and which can be completed at the most convenient time for schools and mentors, with evidence provided for DFE.
Weekly cycle for mentoring
During 2023-24, all mentors have completed training and established the weekly cycle for mentoring, which promotes high quality mentoring and fulfils the DFE requirements for 2024-25.
Funding for schools
The new requirements will be funded by the DFE and schools will be able to claim funding to support the release mentors to engage in training. Guidance is here Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Reform Funding Guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk), with an update in March 2024.
General mentor training funding guidance for schools is here Conditions of grant- initial teacher training reform funding
Conditions of this funding For a school to claim this funding, the mentor must:
• undertake up to 20 hours of initial mentor training
• mentor at least one trainee
· Up to £876 (£43.80 per hour) conditional on completing 20 hours or equivalent
· 1 April 2024 and 31 May 2025
· A school cannot claim funding if a mentor completed their training but does not work with a trainee