Why hosting an ITT placement is purposeful for everyone.

We all know that over the last 4 years teaching has changed and evolved in a way nobody expected. In 2019 – who would have foretold online teaching for the entire nation? Hybrid teaching with some children at home and some at school – it’s certainly been a challenging and exciting time where even the most experienced teachers have learned new technology skills! This year there is the lowest number of people entering Initial Teacher Training. Education, like most sectors, evolves and it can feel like we are in a time of change and uncertainty for the profession again. We certainly hear about and feel the affects of funding cuts.

So….. Why should all schools support Initial Teacher Training placements?

Over the last term I have been working closely with an ITT provider and schools to look at the benefits of hosting a training placement. It’s clear that the benefits far outweigh the cons and the moral duty we all have to our profession and the communities we serve are at the heart of this.

As teachers and leaders, we want to inspire and provide all trainees with the best possible opportunities so they can flourish and inspire their own communities. This got me thinking about the importance of host schools and mentors. The role of a mentor is so more than a teacher – its about being an inspiration.

When I was doing my degree and my Teacher Training at Reading University 20 years ago, I was at a turning point in my time at university. After 2 years of placements where I enjoyed the job but didn’t feel that I was sure this was what I wanted, I decided to do my 3rd placement and then decide if I wanted to finish the 4th year to head toward QTS or leave with a Geography degree. For me, this was a turning point, I was placed in a school in an area of high disadvantage and my mentor was the most inspirational lady I have ever met. From the first day in her classroom something lit up within me; the way she was with her children made me aspire to be like her. The relationships she had built and the belief she had in every single child shone through. She inspired me to be the best version of myself. Mrs Reynolds often comes into my thoughts, even 20 years later, when I think about what to do in various situations. As we serve our schools it’s our duty, as teachers, to serve the future of our schools and communities too.

So, what are the benefits of taking an Initial Teacher training placement?

• It’s a money saver (don’t all schools need this at the moment!) The average cost of recruitment in our area is £4,600 per hire – if you have an internal trainee this could cut the cost dramatically.

• Moral purpose and service to the community and to help people to grow. With people taking career changes later in life career changers come with a wealth of experience and expertise that can be cascaded through the school.

• Access to partnerships and networks – by taking on trainees you open a door to CPD and networking.

• Positive contribution to the wider education system – lets face it our education system needs all the positivity it can get right now! And leadership teams and mentors can contribute positively to training.

• Consider that “Pipeline of Potential”. Through hosting a placement you will see what potential trainees have to offer and you can consider the potential for growing and moulding trainees for your school and its context. Over time, trainees not only become experts within their subjects, but also become expert in your trust or school’s context, giving you a pipeline of talent for roles across the trust or local network of schools.

• Development of ‘woven partnerships’ in your community- working with the community to grown new teachers with a wealth of knowledge and skills.

With the likelihood that hosting students will become part of the 2024 OFSTED Framework, it’s important to consider how this will benefit you and the staff you already have in school. For mentors there are many reasons to take on a mentoring roll – the professional development that they will receive and the positive impact it will have on their own teaching and classroom skills will be a positive impact on the school. For mentors there is, inevitably, a slightly increased workload- but in a well-managed school this is minimal, with release time and well managed timetables. Many mentors reflect on how taking on a mentoring role and sharing their own expertise and practise gives them ‘new eyes’ to reflect on their practice and to essentially ‘up their own game’. There is also the self-esteem boost for mentors. They have been selected as someone who is an expert and valued within their team to share skills, it can have a very positive impact on a mentors self-worth. Likewise, there is also the CPD aspect with mentors having access to the most up to date evidence on exploring ‘what works’ in classrooms.

In short; your involvement in ITT becomes a vehicle for high quality CPD for your teachers, at no additional cost to your school.

What are the impacts on the leadership team?

For middle and senior leaders in a school setting, involvement in ITE can offer opportunities to contribute to the design and facilitation of quality training opportunities. In turn, this feeds into the school’s own improvement priorities, with fresh ideas, professional communities and even fresh sources of income feeding into the school. As new initiatives are introduced and new research comes to light, it is invariably ITT providers who first promote this new knowledge and understanding. By engaging with ITT curriculum design, school leaders ensure they are at the forefront of educational knowledge. As a sector, education sorely lacks regular, structured opportunities to learn from others and involvement in ITT can open up a whole new world of professional connections which are often invaluable in ways that go beyond the development of provision. Findings suggest that teachers who have access to high quality, continuous professional development are more likely to stay in teaching (Zuccolo and Fletcher Wood, 2020), especially in their first five years of education (Ronfeldt and McQueen, 2017).

So in conclusion....

There are so many positives to take from supporting Initial Teacher Training Placements. It’s important to remember the 'Mrs Reynolds' of the world; because a great teacher really can change the future every single academic year. This is not just for children within the class or school, but it can also be the impact that they have on trainees who are the future of our education system.