PGCE Mentoring and School Experience 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary role of a school-based mentor during PGCE training?
- To complete all lesson observations and report directly to the university
- To provide ongoing professional guidance, feedback and support to the trainee, facilitating their development against the Teachers' Standards (Correct answer)
- To assess the trainee's academic assignments on behalf of the university
- To take over the class whenever the trainee struggles
Correct answer: To provide ongoing professional guidance, feedback and support to the trainee, facilitating their development against the Teachers' Standards
The school-based mentor provides day-to-day support, observes lessons, gives developmental feedback, and helps the trainee reflect on their practice against the Teachers' Standards.
School-based mentors are experienced teachers trained to support and assess trainees. Their responsibilities include: weekly mentor meetings; observing and providing written feedback on lessons; target-setting aligned to the Teachers' Standards; supporting lesson planning; and liaising with the university link tutor. Research shows the quality of mentoring is the single most important factor in ITT quality (Hobson et al., 2009).
Question 2: What does the Teachers' Standard relating to 'professional development' require of trainees and qualified teachers?
- That teachers attend exactly 30 hours of CPD per year
- That teachers take responsibility for improving their own teaching through reflection on practice and engagement with research and professional development (Correct answer)
- That teachers complete a Master's degree within five years of qualifying
- That teachers submit an annual self-appraisal to Ofsted
Correct answer: That teachers take responsibility for improving their own teaching through reflection on practice and engagement with research and professional development
Teachers' Standard 8 requires teachers to reflect on practice, seek to improve through professional development, and engage with research and innovation in education.
Teachers' Standard 8 (Fulfil Wider Professional Responsibilities) includes: making accurate and productive use of assessment; communicating with parents; working with colleagues; deploying support staff effectively; and taking responsibility for professional development. PGCE trainees are expected to demonstrate reflective practice (evaluating lessons, identifying areas for growth) and engage with educational research. The Early Career Framework extends these expectations into the first two years of teaching.
Question 3: What is a 'lesson observation' in PGCE training primarily used for?
- To judge and grade the trainee for their final qualification pass
- To provide structured formative feedback that supports the trainee's professional development (Correct answer)
- To gather evidence for the university's Ofsted inspection
- To allow the mentor to identify which trainees should be removed from the programme
Correct answer: To provide structured formative feedback that supports the trainee's professional development
Lesson observations in PGCE are primarily formative - they give the trainee structured feedback to improve their practice, not to make final pass/fail judgements.
Lesson observations should follow an evidence-based model: the mentor observes with a clear focus (e.g. questioning, differentiation, behaviour management), takes evidence-based notes, and conducts a professional dialogue post-observation. Feedback should be specific, developmental and linked to the Teachers' Standards. The primary purpose is formative development.
Question 4: What does 'reflective practice' mean in the context of PGCE training?
- Completing lesson plan templates and evaluation forms for the university portfolio
- A systematic process of critically analysing one own teaching, identifying what worked and why, and planning improvements (Correct answer)
- Reflecting positively on teaching to build confidence and resilience
- Observing other teachers and writing summaries of their methods
Correct answer: A systematic process of critically analysing one own teaching, identifying what worked and why, and planning improvements
Reflective practice involves critical self-examination of teaching decisions and outcomes, drawing on theory and evidence to plan improvements - deeper than simple self-evaluation.
Reflective practice, associated with Schon (reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action) and Gibbs (reflective cycle), involves: describing what happened; analysing why; connecting to theory; evaluating outcomes; and planning future action. Schon distinguishes reflection-in-action (adjusting during the lesson) from reflection-on-action (post-lesson analysis). PGCE programmes use journals, mentor discussions, and written evaluations to develop this habit.
Question 5: What is the purpose of weekly mentor meetings during a PGCE school placement?
- To plan the following week timetable and room bookings
- To review the trainee progress, discuss challenges, set targets, and ensure the trainee has adequate support (Correct answer)
- To complete the university attendance register
- To observe the trainee teaching and give immediate verbal feedback during the lesson
Correct answer: To review the trainee progress, discuss challenges, set targets, and ensure the trainee has adequate support
Weekly mentor meetings provide a structured space for progress review, target-setting, problem-solving and professional dialogue, which is essential for trainee development.
Best practice for mentor meetings includes: reviewing progress against previously set targets; identifying current strengths and development areas; setting specific, time-bound targets aligned to the Teachers' Standards; discussing upcoming lessons or challenges; and building a trusting professional relationship. Records of meetings are typically maintained as evidence for the trainee portfolio.
Question 6: What is the 'Teachers' Standards' framework and what role does it play in PGCE assessment?
- A set of minimum standards for school buildings and classroom resources
- The national framework describing the professional knowledge, practice and conduct expected of all teachers in England, used to assess PGCE trainees (Correct answer)
- Standards published by Ofsted to measure school performance
- A framework used only for performance management of experienced teachers, not PGCE trainees
Correct answer: The national framework describing the professional knowledge, practice and conduct expected of all teachers in England, used to assess PGCE trainees
The Teachers' Standards (DfE, 2011, updated) define the minimum level of practice expected from all teachers and form the framework against which PGCE trainees are assessed and qualified teachers are appraised.
The Teachers' Standards consist of Part One (Teaching Standards 1-8, covering: high expectations; progress; subject knowledge; planning; differentiation; assessment; behaviour; wider professional responsibilities) and Part Two (Personal and Professional Conduct). PGCE trainees must demonstrate they meet all standards by the end of their programme. Assessment is through observed lessons, portfolio evidence, and mentor/university tutor judgements.
PGCE Mentoring and School Experience 1
What is the primary role of a school-based mentor during PGCE training?