The Partnership Office | Partnership with Schools

"The overall effectiveness of the ITE partnership is: outstanding in primary; and outstanding in secondary.

The university's long-established model addresses local, regional and national priorities exceptionally well. Leaders articulate a very strong vision for initial teacher training. Leaders and managers at all levels understand exactly the role they want the university partnership to play in the wider education system. Training routes and strong relationships with teaching school alliances, schools and other agencies are forged to meet this vision. All partners are very proud to be involved with Exeter".

Ofsted Inspection Report October 2017

The quality of training is outstanding. At the heart of the Exeter model lies a detailed framework for dialogue about teaching. Trainees and school staff therefore become well versed in a number of influences that contribute to high-quality teaching, learning and assessment. The model serves its core purposes exceptionally well. These are to encourage critical conversations about classroom practice, to support trainees in the process of reflective evaluations and to enable trainees to apply the theories they learn to practice. The unique structure of the programme, including clearly identified stages of progression, is highly responsive to trainees’ learning needs at the different points in their development.

Ofsted Inspection Report October 2017

Learning to Teach in Partnership

The university is committed to the concept of partnership because of its potential for the enhanced professional development of trainees. Each ITE programme has been developed in partnership with teachers as a coherent set of interrelated experiences for trainees during both university-based and school-based work.

The School of Education provides a distinct postgraduate programme in ITE, which links higher education with practical and intellectual preparation for teaching in schools. School-based work is an integral part of all programmes, supporting the professional development of intending teachers, enabling them to become proficient to the Teachers' Standards required for Qualified Teacher Status. Each programme reflects the view that teaching is complex and intellectually challenging and all are based on the same model of deliberate approach to learning to teach. The Exeter model provides a shared framework that is used by all trainees, teachers and university tutors.

Working in Partnership

We offer partnerships with schools as follows:

A university-based PGCE course, which includes 60 Masters level credits for a PGCE, with 10 weeks on the taught course in the Autumn plus 4 weeks in school, then TWO contrasting placements of approximately 10 weeks in the Spring and Summer Terms. Details of the specialisms we offer are given on our Teacher Training web pages.

School Direct: We also work with partner schools in South West England as “Lead Schools”, and through these lead schools we offer three School Direct training routes which include 60 Masters level credits for a PGCE.

Further details of School Direct training routes, describing the relationships between trainee, school and university, as well as details of School Direct places available for the forthcoming academic year can be seen at https://www.exeter.ac.uk/teachertraining/schooldirect/.

There are many reasons why our partner schools value the partnership relationship and hold the University of Exeter in high regard. Partner schools value the professional link with the university and recognise the benefits for pupil learning and staff development which the Exeter ITE Model provides. Many partner schools appoint early career teachers (ECTs) whom they have helped to train through the partnership. In addition, the partnership provides opportunities for teachers to become involved in educational research and curriculum development

The University of Exeter also offers an MA Education, this is a flexible programme with various options. Further information about the MA Education can be found here.

Applying to work in Partnership

Schools are invited to apply for ITE partnership by contacting the Partnership Director, Corinne Greaves at exeterpartner@exeter.ac.uk

The Partnership Office will then contact the school to discuss placements they may wish to offer. We will ask you to confirm that the following information is available on the school website:

the school's prospectus, including information on the school's approach to teaching and learning, SAT and examination results
the most recent Ofsted report
school ITE policy (where the school has previously worked in the University of Exeter partnership) OR
a brief statement on the school's involvement in ITE over the last five years (where the school is new to the University of Exeter ITE partnership).

This offer will not be a final commitment until a school has signed the Memorandum of Understanding. The MoU is sent to all schools which have agreed to receive trainees once placements are finalised.

We will ask you 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, a pro forma of which is below.

Pro Forma Memorandum of Understanding

Criteria for the Formation of Partnerships

The University of Exeter ITE Partnership has been developed in accordance with the Initial Teacher Training Criteria (DfE 2014). Schools are selected for work in the ITE partnership that most fully meet the following criteria:

Are willing to sign the Memorandum of Understanding in cognisance of the procedures and requirements set out in the documentation.
Teach the National Curriculum or a curriculum that exceeds the requirements of the National Curriculum.
Provide outstanding models of teaching through staff working within the training programmes, taking account of indicators such as Ofsted reports, test and examination results and exclusion rates.
Implement a comprehensive policy on teaching and learning which includes specific provision for children with special needs.
Provide ICT and other specialist teaching resources that will be sufficient and accessible to trainees to meet the demands placed on them in the Teachers' Standards (2014).
Have a commitment to the training role of the school within the ITE partnership.
Provide the information required, listed above.