PGCE Calendar 2026-2027
Please use the course calendar to note the dates for any Settling In, Interim and Final Reports during the Phase A and Phase B placements. We have used colour coding to show when trainee teachers will be with you in school and when they will be back in University. This year in Phase A/1 students will be returning to University every Friday for sessions with their subject tutor.
Phase A/1 (11 weeks) starts on Monday 5 October (with two Induction Days on Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30th September) and will finish on Thursday 17 December 2026
2026-27 Mentor Training
Phase A/1 Training slides from 17th September 2026
Contents of Phase A training
Key information for new mentors
Trainee Teacher needs, support and inclusion
Teacher Educator Development
Recent changes and updates
Weekly focus and Focused Observation
Professional Learning and ITP 2
Key points for those unable to attend the initial Mentor Training
- There will be an Intensive Training and Practice (ITaP 2) starting on Monday 28th September in University. They will be in school with you on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th September. During the two days in schools with you they will have some tasks to complete that should compliment any induction activities that you have planned. Your guidance is brief as they have all of the information and documents that they need to complete part of their ITaP in school. They will carry on with this at University on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd in University. https://pgce-school-experience.le.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Mentors-ITP-2-Guidance.docx
- The first full week in placement should be for observation of their potential teaching timetable
- Teaching Hours – In phase A/1 the PGCE students should be working up to teaching 8 hours (last year it was 10 but they will now be with you for a 4 days week). This may be slightly above or below depending on the school timetable and the length of lessons in your school. They should be aiming to teach all of these hours by the 5th or 6th week of the placement.
Weekly Focus Phase A/1 Master 2026-2027
Induction Days – 29th and 30th September for ITaP 2 and induction activities
First full week – 5th to 8th October for observation of timetable
Weekly Focus Master document to follow….
School Practicum Handbook 2026-2027
Under construction
ITaP Mentor Guide 2026-2027
Under Construction
University Assignment 1 (UA1) – Mentor Support
Students will need a little bit of support with their UA1 which is due in just after they leave their Phase A/1 placement. We have put together some notes for you – please see link below.
https://pgce-school-experience.le.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/UA1-Mentor-notes.pdf
The role of the Mentor
This video was made in 2025 and explains the role of the Mentor (co-tutor, expert colleague, assessor) in our programme (6 minutes).
Mentor Development Material
This presentation covers our curriculum, assessment process and guidance about planning and teaching in Phase A (12 minutes): This will be replaced by an up to date version as soon as possible.
Weekly Focus and Weekly Meetings
The video above was made in 2025 – an updated version will be uploaded ASAP.
Timetable, Planning and Observation 2026-2027
Video made in 2025 – an updated version will be uploaded ASAP.
Cause For Concern
Please watch the above video on the process of how to report if you have any causes for concern about your trainee during their school placement (6 minutes).
Phase B Mentor Training – Jan 2027
Phase B/2&3 (19 weeks) begins on Monday 18 January and ends on Thursday 27 June 2027
The Phase B Mentor training session will take place online, via Teams on Thursday 7th January 2pm-3pm for new mentors and 3pm-4pm for experienced mentors.
Key points for Phase B;
- Based on DfE requirements student teachers will need to be offered 6 weeks at a full ECT timetable at some point during their school placement. They need to be given the opportunity to work at the pace of an ECT rather than have to achieve it. The six weeks of an ECT timetable do not have to be consecutive. This requirement is to enable students to experience an ECT timetable before they start as ECT’s themselves.
- Please support students by giving them access to the department resources for their subjects. Student teachers can be asked to plan a group/year group etc from scratch but the majority of their resources should be from the department with the opportunity to adapt and amend resources to meet the needs of the pupils and the student teacher.
- Please ensure that student teachers have access to pupil data including SEND so that they can plan to meet the needs of their pupils.
- Student teachers can now use the school template for planning and should be moving towards planning sequences. However, they still need to evidence planning and should be receiving feedback from the teachers whose lessons they are planning for. Student teachers should share planning with you, giving you sufficient time to give some feedback. This can ease up as they progress and students can plan using different methods if you are happy with their progress. If planning well executed lessons seems to be an area of development it is fine to ask students to go back to the university template until they make improvements.
Phase B overview
Weekly Focus Phase B Master 2026-27
Under Construction
Phase B Assessment 2026-2027
Phase B Final PPC report – Friday 23rd June 2027
This video covers the process of assessment for student teachers in Phase B/3 including different reports, how to complete it and when (7 minutes).