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Information for Mentors

In all BCU ITE programmes we offer a tiered approach to Mentoring Professional Development. Our aims for the BCU Partnership with mentors are that what we offer is:

  • Relevant to the new BCU ITE Curriculum and structures

  • Developmental, and

  • Useful!

Core Guidance

This is provided through published documents on all course specific Partnership Webpages, such as our:

  • Mentor Handbook (which is designed a developmental guide for all mentoring practice within an ITE setting)
  • Termly Online CPD Events (which ensure that mentors are fully informed about their roles within School Based Training within each course for the term ahead)
  • in school support for mentors working with BCU Associate Teachers

Subject / Phase Specific Development

In order to enhance the core ITE Curriculum we ensure that we offer additional support for mentors through subject / phase specific guidance. These include:

  • Regular subject / phase specific communications with school mentors throughout each School Based Training module
  • A comprehensive BCU ITE Curriculum which guides and supports the joint delivery of training for all Associate Teachers in all subjects and phases.
  • Reflections on Associate Teachers' learning in BCU taught sessions and signposting ideas of how mentors can further support and develop aspects of trainees' practices
  • Discourse with subject /phase leads to support our Mentors' working knowledge of close to practice research

Master's Level Study

All mentors working in BCU Partner schools are offered the opportunity to enrol and complete a fully funded Level 7 Module in Coaching and Mentoring. This module consists of opportunities to:

  • Explore the role of mentoring within schools and wider policy landscape
  • Engage with their BCU Mentor Audit and critically reflect on their current practise 
  • Critically enquire into current research on mentoring in ITE contexts and explore how they could use academic recommendations to enhance their practice
  • Appraise how research and practice can support a deeper understanding of professional practice in ITE mentoring

The module starts in January each year, with enrolment in the second half of the autumn term.  Mentors access materials for self-study tasks online via a comprehensive Moodle page and have access to the BCU library online to use and reflect on wider research.  There are regular opportunities to interact online with a BCU tutor to support progression through tasks - and mentors submit a final 3000 word assignment in October in the same year. Successful mentors will be awarded 20 credits at Level 7, which they can use as both evidence of Professional Development and within further study towards a Masters in Learning and Teaching here at BCU.

To enrol on the course BCU Partnership mentors can apply directly.

Coaching and Mentoring module information and additional modules for Level 7 study can be found on the MA Education page.

For further informal discussion relating to the Level 7 Coaching and Mentoring module module please contact: Mary.O'Connor@bcu.ac.uk.