Joining the Partnership | Partnership with Schools

Trainees know exactly what they need to do. Dates are clearly communicated, and timely reminders are sent by Exeter. It’s super organized!

Secondary Partnership School

I have always appreciated the speed in which Exeter are able to help or advise regarding trainees.

Secondary Partnership School

The support we received from the Partnership Office was excellent, the Partnership Relations Manager was particularly proactive.

Secondary Partnership School

The mentor resources are particularly useful. It is lovely to see that Exeter listen and act upon suggestions that we have.

Primary Partnership School

University staff go above and beyond, as has been evidenced numerous times. They take time to listen to trainees and offer effective coaching & mentoring alongside school support for a wholistic approach.

Primary Partnership School

Exeter are interested in getting to know us as a school and are always receptive to school views. The ideas that have come from Exeter have helped our school improvement.

Primary Partnership School

The front-loaded course allows trainees the time to learn about and reflect on education before they go into school. It also gives schools time to set up their classes before the trainee arrives.

Secondary Partnership School

Leaders in partner schools recognise the high calibre of Exeter trainees and value the up-to-date ideas they bring.

Ofsted Inspection Report 2023

School-based mentors speak very highly of the clear lines of communication and support available from the university.

Ofsted Inspection Report 2023

Applying to work in Partnership

This website contains information about Joining our Partnership.

Schools apply for ITE partnership for 24/25 by completing this Microsoft Form.

The Partnership Office will then contact the school to discuss placements they may wish to offer. This offer will not be a final commitment until a school has signed the Memorandum of Understanding, which is sent to all schools that have agreed to receive trainees once placements are allocated.

If you would like to make any placement offers for 23/24 or need further information please contact exeterpartner@exeter.ac.uk.

Benefits to Schools of an ITE Partnership with the University of Exeter

Fast response and support

A dedicated Partnership Relations Manager and Partnership Office team offering a rapid response to support you throughout your journey with us.

Long established success of The Exeter Model

A commitment to high-quality, research-inspired teacher education
A structured training programme using the highly regarded Exeter Model of Initial Teacher Education – providing structured guidance for Mentors

Access to high quality ECTs

Support with staff recruitment including a free vacancy advertising service
Access to the most employable ECTs, many of which gain teaching positions in their placement schools and continue their careers in the South West

High quality, personalised Mentor training

A personalised hybrid Mentor training programme
Access to Mentor Meets – gaining knowledge about current research in education

Optional Masters in Education credentials

Member of our Community of Practice

University staff and school staff join an active Community of Practice – providing support and development for all members
Work with University Subject Curriculum Leads to gain knowledge of up to date research led teaching practice
Share your knowledge and experience of current teaching practices with our university staff to allow us to constantly evolve and develop our courses

Opportunities to feed into course development

Opportunities to co-design the PGCE curriculum, ensuring schools are fully involved in creating teachers to meet the needs of their schools

Benefits for pupil learning

Benefit from the skills, energy and fresh ideas from our exceptional trainees, bringing subject specialist learning into the classroom

Link to wider university

Access to University Teach Meets
Invitations to academic lectures and to become involved in educational research - our partners are part of our research community
Mentors have access to one of the largest Education libraries in the UK

PGCE Course options

We offer the following PGCE courses which include 60 Masters level credits:

Primary 3-7 and Primary 5-11

Secondary PGCE courses:

Our courses are front loaded with most of the taught course taking place over the Autumn term. The secondary taught courses are delivered on the St Luke’s Campus in Exeter whereas with the primary taught courses there is a choice of attending the St Luke's Campus or two ITE Hubs across the South West.

Details of all our courses and Hubs can be found on our Teacher Training web pages.

School-based work practical information including 24/25 dates and fees

ITE programmes are taught in close association with our Partner Schools across the South West. Trainees spend a significant period of their programme in Partner Schools learning to teach alongside experienced teachers, who share this training responsibility with university tutors.

Placement locations

Our Partnership area covers Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset with a small number of school two primary placements in London.

Autumn term placement

Trainees spend three weeks(Primary) or four weeks (Secondary) in their school one placement, in addition to school experience through Intensive Training and Practice weeks. This allows trainees to begin their teaching practice in a scaffolded and supported way.

Spring and Summer term placements

Trainees return to their school one placement in January, followed by a second contrasting placement in March.

Primary Placement dates 2024/25

School 1 provisional dates (dates will be confirmed in the placement offer communications)

Trainees attending the St Luke's Campus course:

4th November to 22nd November 2024 (3 weeks) then 6th January to 7th March 2025

Trainees attending the ITE Hubs in Mid/North Devon and Somerset/Devon:

18 days over the Autumn term:

Mondays and Tuesdays for 5 weeks from 23^rd September

Thursdays for 3 weeks from 4^th November

A full week during the week of 25^th November

Then 6th January – 7th March 2025

School 2:

10th March – 9th July 2025

Secondary Placement dates

School 1:

11th November to 6th December 2024

Then 6th January – 7th March 2025

School 2:

10th March – 10th July 2025

School payments 2024/25

Placement fee - £700 per trainee per placement

Mentoring fees - paid directly to schools by the DfE for 24/25

Mentor/ITEC travel expenses – paid directly to Mentor/ITEC

We will ask schools to complete a bank details form. Payments for trainees are made once the placement has begun and when we have received your signed Memorandum of Understanding.

Criteria for joining the Partnership

Roles and responsibilities are outlined here (full details are contained within the MoU):

School responsibilities	University responsibilities
Make placement offers and commit to those offers where possible	Place trainees with schools who have made offers where possible
Display University of Exeter logo on school website and provide school logo to be shared by University of Exeter	Share University of Exeter logo with schools
Mentors to complete Mentor Training (DfE requirement)	Provide high quality Mentor Curriculum
Provide ITE Coordinator who will quality assure programme in school and select appropriate Mentors	Advertise ECT vacancies to PGCE trainees
Support and train the trainee in line with the Exeter Model of ITE guidance	Provide University of Exeter Associate account to school staff - providing access to university resources such as the library
Meet all relevant legislation when training and assessing trainees	Ensure schools are fully aware of their duties under all relevant legislation
	Invite Partnership Schools to events with the University such as Teach Meets and involve Partnership Schools in current research projects
	Market course to attract trainees across the South West Partnership area

The Exeter Model of ITE in practice

All ITE Mentors, both in schools and at the university use the Exeter Model of ITE as a shared framework for their work with trainees. Click here for more information.

Mentoring roles in the Exeter Model

All ITE Mentors working with PGCE trainees must undertake a minimum number of training hours set by the DfE. To achieve this the University of Exeter has a flexible, hybrid Mentoring Curriculum. Some of the curriculum covers generic mentoring skills, which can be completed at a time to suit the Mentor. The Exeter Model of ITE training will be a day of training. There will be further opportunities for training and development provided over the year.

ITE Coordinator

Each partner school designates a teacher as ITE Coordinator who manages the ITE partnership in schools. The ITE Coordinator is responsible foridentifying, briefing and monitoring all school-based personnel working in the partnership, and for overseeing all partner training in school. They support trainees to reflect on their development as a teacher.

Mentor

Mentors are experienced teachers who can provide models of good practice in their phase. They assist trainees by working as partners in the classroom, demonstrating teaching, jointly planning, carrying out focused observation of trainees’ teaching and providing feedback and advice.

University Lead Mentor

University Lead Mentors are specialists in the wider context of education and as teachers and researchers can provide insights in their special fields. During school-based work each trainee is allocated a University Lead Mentor who supports and advises both trainee and school personnel. The University Lead Mentor is also responsible for monitoring trainee progress and school provision through the partnership.