What is a Mentor?

A mentor is someone who provides expertise, information, guidance, motivation, emotional support and role modelling. 

Mentors who are chosen to work with trainees will be experienced teachers who have excellent subject knowledge and a clear understanding of what constitutes high quality teaching in a variety of contexts. With a good understanding of the course structure, mentors play a central role in encouraging trainees and supporting their development and progress. By drawing on a wide range of experiences, strategies and techniques they support trainees as they make progress to meet the Teachers’ Standards. 

Mentors hold meetings and discussions with trainees; they monitor and assess performance and help develop their teaching practice and effective classroom management strategies. 

A mentor should also keep their subject knowledge up to date and have the awareness to signpost trainees to other expertise and knowledge. For example, subject associations and evidence-based research. 

Our 3 tiers of mentoring

Teacher Tutor

This is the class teacher of your school-based training. They will be with you on a daily basis mentoring you both formally and informally. They will set weekly targets to ensure your experiences and progress keep you on track to make continued progress to meet the Teachers’ Standards and be awarded QTS. All Teacher Tutors attend regular training from the SCITT and are supported in their role by their school.

School-based Mentor

This will be a senior leader from within your placement school. They will oversee your placement ensuring you are receiving the support and experiences that you are entitled to. They will also offer further experience, expertise and mentoring. They will ensure your mental health, well-being and workload are being considered and supported at all points.

Quality Assurance Mentor

The Quality Assurance Mentors are self-employed and work for the SCITT. Their role is to quality-assure the support and mentoring that you are getting and the judgements that are being made about your progress. They provide you with professional support and mentoring as well as ensuring you are happily managing your work load, responsibilities and wellbeing. Your Quality Assurance Mentor will have a 1:1 meeting with you, and visit you at your placement school each half term. They will also oversee all of your documentation.