Early Years & Primary Professional Placements
The Early Years and Primary PGCE is a stable, long standing Partnership involving around 250 nursery, infant, junior and primary schools representing local authorities across the whole of the Eastern Region. Staff from partnership schools are fully involved in all aspects of the Early Years and Primary PGCE course, from interviewing potential trainees through to the moderation of course standards. Headteachers, coordinators responsible for trainees in schools, recently qualified teachers and NQTs are all well represented on the Early Years and Primary Partnership Standing Committee which is the policy making committee for the course, reporting directly to the University’s Faculty Board of Education.
Partnership schools reflect a variety of contrasting environments: rural village schools, inner city and outer city estate schools in Peterborough and London and urban schools in towns such as Harlow, Stevenage, Ely, Huntingdon and March. No trainee is placed in a school which is beyond daily travelling distance, and those who live at distance are normally placed in partnership schools nearer to their homes.
Trainees are invited to express preferences for the age phase and context of their final placement and these, together with any other individual needs are accommodated where possible.
Structure of placements
Almost fifty per cent of the PGCE course is based in partnership schools, with trainees undertaking four placements, two of which will normally be in contrasting schools.
- Before joining the Faculty course, trainees spend the first week of the autumn term observing in a primary, infant or junior school of their choice, usually near to their homes. Trainees are asked to arrange this for themselves, and details of the requirements of this placement will be communicated after acceptance on the course.
- During the first term, trainees spend two non-consecutive weeks of placement working in a class with a trainee partner. This pairing provides peer support and allows for collaborative working. Trainees work mostly with small groups of children during this placement.
- Seven weeks at the end of Term 1 and beginning of Term 2 is spent working with the same trainee partner in a different age phase. During this placement, trainees progress from working with groups to teaching the whole class.
- During the final term, trainees complete a final eight week placement working in a class on their own. Trainees will have extended responsibility for the whole class during this placement as they take on the class teacher’s roles and responsibilities.
Support in School
Before each placement partnership meetings are held at the Faculty. During these sessions time is allocated for trainees to meet with class teachers prior to the start of placements in order that they share information about their experiences so far, and plan for the coming placement.
Due to the stability and longevity of the partnership, many ex-trainees are now teaching in partnership schools; they have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Cambridge PGCE philosophy and contribute to the development of ‘mentoring departments’ which are emerging in many partnership schools.
Associate Training School Input:
Three Primary schools and two Early Years settings host trainee visits, providing specific training linked to areas of expertise. Staff from these schools also lead Faculty-based sessions, for example on behaviour management, English as an Additional Language, display and Primary Modern Foreign Languages.
What the trainees said about their mentors:
"She is an inspirational teacher and her classroom reflects everything the Faculty recommends to us as good practice. She has also been a brilliant mentor, giving up a great deal of time and effort to support me throughout the placement."
"Excellent mentor, calm, constructive and reflective. Not only can identify what went right and wrong but also how things can be improved."
"My mentor always provided me with constructive ways to improve my teaching....When I needed extra help with planning she would take the time to discuss my concerns with me and reassure me."
"My mentor has been fantastic and very supportive. We planned together in advance and he was only too happy for me to try any new ideas."