Initial Teacher Education

From LJMU to Waterloo!

Why LJMU? Waterloo Primary School has been a partner of LJMU since 2001 and for the last five years has exclusively used LJMU students. ‘It’s because LJMU truly value partnership and welcome feedback and involvement,’ reflects Sarah, Deputy Head. The school initially worked closely with Dr Elizabeth Malone and liaison tutor, Chris Lisle, who’s like an extra member of staff! It helps that she knows what the catchment is like and how the school works. She keeps in contact, just dropping in to check whenever she can, as she genuinely wants to know how students are getting on. Staff at LJMU know their trainees and support them as well as staff at Waterloo. Communication is strong, from face-to-face training to online resources and the school

Left to right: Steph, Ana, Natasha, Sarah

Quality Training Not only do student teachers receive high-quality training at LJMU, but school staff access this too! Staff at Waterloo have been invited to sessions like greater depth maths and English. These session gave helpful practical ways in which to use ICT to support English and Maths interventions for Years 4 and 5.

Deputy Head at Waterloo Primary School, Sarah Maciver, tells Partnership Matters about Waterloo’s record of employing LJMU graduates.

Steph from Waterloo has also been involved in the pilot group for Mentor Recognition. This has meant showcasing what mentors already do and getting recognised for it and realising just how much they do! She’d recommend it! Dr Andrea Mallaburn has an ‘open door’ and is personable and always there to chat.

From Waterloo to LJMU As well as accessing training at LJMU, members of staff have also delivered training in phonics, Assessment for Learning, teaching and learning styles, PSHE, IT, Maths, English, wider curriculum and science.

Quality Students It’s also the calibre of recruits that makes a difference. Sarah has sat on recruitment panels for university routes and School Direct (see p.16 for more details) so there is close liaison with schools when making admissions decisions. As a result of this high-quality selection, seven trainees have become part of staff and some have even gone on to promotion within a few years. Ex-LJMUers include: Ana in Reception; Janine, who is now in one of the four Bases for pupils on the Autistic Spectrum; and Katie and Jade in Year 6. Their success is a testament to training they’ve had.

Ana Velasco did a degree in sports science before doing her PGDE and NQT year at Waterloo. She values keeping in touch with LJMU through the strong partnerships that are built to last. Ana is the first EYFS teacher that Waterloo has had from LJMU and according to Sarah is ‘a keeper’!

Natasha has been on placement at Waterloo in KS2 and has already secured a job for the next school year! She said she really enjoyed her experience in Year 5 at Waterloo as she has had support from her mentor and others too. Anything that is wanted for experience is granted. For example, when Partnership Matters caught up with her briefly at break time, she had been working with Reception on phonics and Maths. The enrichment opportunities organised by the university have also been really useful.

Current trainee, Patrick, has been appointed for next year to add to the record!

Taking the Direct Route

Partnership Matters learns all about the Salaried School Direct route into teaching from the Incredible Di Lloyd (any Pixar fan who’s ever met Di knows what we mean by that!).

What is Salaried School Direct?

The main difference in terms of time at university is that the trainees are employed full time in their home schools and they come to university on a Friday afternoon for reflection on their teaching and module input. For our partner schools in Bolton and Knutsford, the programme team go to them to do module input and there is some online engagement. Although based largely in one school, there are alternative placements where experience of learners with EAL and SEND can be gained.

An academic qualification is still awarded as well as QTS, but it’s a PGCE rather than the diploma that university-based students receive. To help with the assignments, Di publishes a journal three times per year that contains articles and extracts from the writing of former and current trainees and staff. It is a bespoke course planned to support students who are in the workplace. Master’s credits are still gained and some do ‘top up’ within two years to complete their Masters in Teaching and Learning.

Why the Direct Route?

Di is proud that 80% of her cohort get grade 1 and climb quickly up the career ladder. Many are employed by the school they have been working during their training year as they are there all the time so their impact on the learners is visible.

Even More Direct!

There is also an abridged version of the course. Last year, LJMU secured funding from the National College of Teaching and Leadership for the PGCE Maths and Physics to be completed in two terms. Three trainees qualified in the first year this was offered and were able to be employed full time as teachers in schools after Easter. Two took this route in the 2017-18 academic year and we wish them all the very best of luck for the future!

One unique approach to the salaried school direct route is that taken by Kings Leadership Academy. Kings offer a ‘Scholar Route’ in that potential teachers work for a year at the school as a teaching assistant and are the offered the salaried route if they wish to become qualified teachers.

Who is it for?

The scheme is aimed at career changers, so candidates are of a variety of ages and backgrounds. Some may have been TAs, coaches, cover supervisors or even a school bursar in one instance! Others, though, have had leadership roles in business, have had early promotion and now want to bring their own valuable experiences into teaching to have immediate impact. Meet ex-PC, Jayne Pumford and former data analyst, Jess Holden.

To experience what it’s like to be a partner school of LJMU’s School of Education, Partnership Matters spent a morning in Chesterfield High School.

Deputy head, Cath Murphy told us that she believes LJMU to be a quality ITE provider. Mentor and subject training is a particular highlight and means that everyone is on board with the same high expectations. Having a liaison tutor deliver training on site is a definite plus, too. The school being represented on strategic boards and steering groups is also a positive as it means they can have a say in university policy and have an input in the programme. Communication is outstanding and this, along with the high-quality CPD, has led to a very strong partnership.

Cath proudly introduced us to the student teachers who had just returned from their alternative placement. One of these students, a chemistry specialist, has actually secured a job at Chesterfield High School starting in September. ‘It’s brilliant when a good trainee applies for a job,’ explains Cath. And because students get involved in things like parents’ evenings, open days, interventions and extra-curricular clubs, they already feel part of the school when they start for real in September. Here’s what the students said:

Patrick McDonnell - Biology I was a little apprehensive about returning to uni after working for a couple of years but LJMU guides you through the assignments and what they expect in schools. On placement, I’ve been able to work with different types of children both in and beyond the school context. I’ve been on a museum trip and have accompanied pupils on a visit to a university as well and seeing students outside of the classroom really helps to build a different kind of bond. I’m also involved with the school’s Duke of Edinburgh award, which has taken me on two weekend trips where I’ve camped, climbed and kayaked with the young people. You don’t get to do that in a science lab!

Student teachers like Heather Kendall reach for the top with LJMU and Chesterfield High School

Tom Owens - Maths I’ve had nothing but positive experiences on the course. Chesterfield is a good school to train at

Steve Weekes mentoring Patrick in a science lab

Chesterfield High School

Charlene Scott - Geography The staff at uni and school are really supportive if anyone has any difficulties. Having a ‘home school’, you get to immerse yourself in the ethos of one school and having an alternative placement has been really useful as I now have experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to get in just one school, such as experience of EAL.

Catriona Campbell - French and Spanish I feel lucky to have been placed in a school with such high standard of teacher quality. The university input is important too as research opens your eyes for the long run.

Gina McBide - Drama You learn practical stuff in uni as well as theory. Talking to people and hearing about their experiences means you pick up ideas from others. The inclusion part of the course is interesting as you get to really focus upon SEND or EAL, which is useful for the future.

Joseph Sharples – Science I’ve been given strong advice from university and school with regards to what I do in the classroom and beyond, such as the necessary paperwork. Structures are in place to ensure that you have a rounded experience.

Mark Costello – English As my background is in media and film, I had subject knowledge gaps initially but was able to talk things through with those with the relevant expertise so I now feel confident. There is a back and forth dialogue between university and in school so you never feel lost.

Ms Talbot admires the artwork of her Year 11 BTEC class

Dr Sharples in a science practical

Year 10 Drama with Ms McBride

When asked what she enjoys most about being a partner in LJMU’s ITE, Cath said she loves seeing the trainees flourish and collectively celebrating their ‘wins’ with them when school and university come together to ‘triangulate’ the progress of student teachers. Overall, Cath thinks it’s a rewarding 10-month programme and she sees mentors in her school rise to the occasion to support LJMU in nurturing the teachers of the future. It is for these reasons that Chesterfield has remained a committed partner of LJMU.

ECHO Awards

Partnership Matters catches up with 2018 winner Rosie Hazel Hurst.

The fifth annual ECHO awards took place at the end of June and is dedicated to celebrate teacher’s from all types of schools across the Liverpool area. ECHO regional manager Carl Wood commented that “without the firm foundation of a good schooling, our children cannot unlock and fulfil their potential”. One of these awards was to acknowledge the ‘Student Teacher of the Year’ and this year it went to Rosie Hazelhurt who is a School Direct trainee at Pensby High School.

She was nominated by the English department who commented on her fantastic relationships with both staff and pupils. She single-handedly produced Grease and contributed greatly to the production of Macbeth. She has not only immersed herself into the wider life of the school (also helping out with the Duke of Edinburgh award), she also has high expectations of pupils in her lessons. These are just a few of the reasons why Rosie was the winner of this prestigious award. From all here at Partnership Matters, a big congratulations to all the winners and nominees at this event. We would also like to give a special mentor to Jessica Talbot, who was also a LJMU finalist for this award.

“What a year! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time studying at LJMU who have helped me excel and develop as a trainee teacher. The staff at LJMU are so welcoming and approachable; in particular my mentor Diane Lloyd, who has been beyond accommodating. I have always felt supported throughout my teaching practice at LJMU and assured of help and encouragement if it was ever needed.

There are always surprises along the way in teaching and every day is different! But my final phase has been particularly rewarding and certainly surprising. I was nominated for the ECHO Schools Award for Student Teacher of the Year. I felt so honoured to be chosen for doing something I love and feel passionate about so to actually win the award was a huge achievement and something I will never forget!’ My journey into teaching has been a great start and certainly successful; I could not have done that without the support from LJMU. I am excited to continue my journey into teaching and embrace the challenges along the way!”

Rosie’s comments on being an ‘ECHO Award winner’

LJMU Primary Placements

As a part of their undergraduate course at LJMU, first year Primary Education students are required to attend an enrichment placement in schools once a week. This immersive model aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop their practice, whilst applying any theory they may have engaged with across their course. As a part of this placement, students undertake tasks, used to inform their future teaching practice.

Running for over 4 years the students state this is particularly beneficial for their training as it provides the opportunity to work across school settings and provides additional support in our partner schools. Well done to all of our first-year undergraduates who have completed placements in our partner schools!