What will I do on school placements?

Students spend four days a week in their host school, typically Monday to Thursday. Throughout the year, teaching time increases gradually, with protected time built into the school week for planning, reflection, observation and completing University assignments.

A key strength of the course is the way your teaching experience is carefully structured to mirror real classroom practice. At the start, you may work 1:1 with a child or take small sections of whole‑class teaching. This phased approach is deliberately designed to build your confidence and skills in a supportive and realistic way. Through ongoing professional discussions with your class‑based mentor, your teaching responsibilities will increase steadily, with all trainees working towards whole‑class teaching by the October half term. This ensures your development feels purposeful, achievable and closely aligned with the authentic experience of becoming a classroom practitioner.

When you are not teaching, you will receive dedicated PPA time (Planning, Preparation and Assessment). This time allows you to tailor your workload to your individual needs. You may use it to carry out structured observations of expert teachers across the school, plan upcoming lessons, review assessments, prepare resources or deepen your subject knowledge. This flexibility ensures you can focus on the areas that will most effectively support your development.

You will be supported throughout by a trained school‑based mentor who carries out weekly reviews and observations to track your progress. This relationship provides consistent guidance, constructive feedback and tailored advice to help you grow and succeed.

The course and the support you receive are personalised to your individual needs. Your mentor uses their professional expertise to monitor your progress and shape training activities and timetables that offer the right support at the right time. This responsive approach ensures your journey through the course is both challenging and fully supported, enabling you to thrive as you develop your teaching practice.