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What students have said about their placements at Heckmondwike Grammar School...
'Really good placement, I felt part of the teaching team at HGS. It was a really good environment to work in.' ICT Trainee Autumn 2011
'Very supportive teachers in the school and department. AST's made me feel very welcome in the EPS sessions.' Food Trainee Autumn 2011
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Heckmondwike Grammar School aims to provide high quality training for future members of the teaching profession. Our well trained members are above all else enthusiastic about the job.
We work in partnership with a range of Universities providing placements for Post Graduate Teacher Training, Degree Courses with QTS, Graduate Teacher Training programmes and more flexible routes into teaching, e.g. Open University.
HGS believes that ITT has strong beneficial links to school improvement and that it should form part of a career long programme of continuing professional development.
Departments are actively encouraged to take on the responsibility for I.T.T. and we believe it makes teachers review and reflect on their own performance, positively affecting what goes on in the classroom.
We enjoy having trainee teachers in our school. The more involvement teachers have in I.T.T., observing lessons, giving constructive feedback and advising students, the better teachers they become themselves.
Students on placement
If you are on placement at Heckmondwike as part of your initial teacher training, a period of time will be set aside for you to speak with your mentor. Most Higher Education Institutes insist on this. This ‘slot’ is usually up to an hour in duration.
This weekly meeting will include the following:
- Some discussion about lesson observation, but the main focus will be subject professional development.
- How lessons are planned to include a variety of activities, pace, starters and plenaries will be considered at an early stage.
- At the start of the placement very clear information about how the Department is run will be given. Discipline procedures in the department will be explained and how they dovetail into whole school policy.
- Marking, homework, assessment policies and practices and subject report writing will also be covered.
- Setting of targets based on the standards for QTS will form a basis for discussion at these meetings. Experience will be planned which enable you to develop the capabilities required to become an effective teacher.
- Tasks may be given e.g. creating a display of students work in the classroom.
This is only a guide as to what will happen in these meetings. All trainees have different needs and it is ultimately up to the mentor to judge the appropriate structure and content of the meetings.
As well as weekly meetings with the mentor there will also be an Educational Professional Studies (E.P.S.) programme. This will be delivered by the I.T.T. coordinator and Advanced skills teachers in the school.
Prior to your block school experience you will have had your induction at the school, tour of the school and ICT training.
Educational Professional Studies Programme 2011-2012 for Block School Experience
All sessions will take place on Wednesdays after school from 3.45pm-4.45pm in the
Rooms indicated
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Session
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Date
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Room
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Area of Focus
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Staff
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1
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8th Feb
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5
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Behaviour Management
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Michael Gerrard
DT AST
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2
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22nd Feb
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43
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Lesson Planning/organisation
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Mel Barnard
English AST
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3
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29th Feb
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61
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Assessment for learning
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Della Lawson
MFL AST
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4
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7th Mar
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4
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Whiteboard skills – smart notebook
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Mark Donohue
Maths AST
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5
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14th Mar
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125
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Ideas for lessons – starter and plenaries
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Helen Hallas
HOD, RE AST
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6
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21st Mar
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43
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Gifted and Talented - Differentiation
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Mel Barnard
English AST
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7
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28th Mar
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60
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Risk Assessment for School trips
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Claire Deighton
German AST
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8
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18th Apr
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125
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Monitoring, assessment and reporting. Using data – value added
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Helen Hallas
HOD, RE AST
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9
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25th Apr
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61
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Moodle/VLE
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Della Lawson
MFL AST
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10
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2nd May
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10
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Coaching skills
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Michael Gerrard
DT AST
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11
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9th May
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43
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Thinking Skills
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Mel Barnard
English AST
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12
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16th May
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10
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Ofsted and Outstanding lessons
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Michael Gerrard
DT AST
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13
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23rd May
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10
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Life as an NQT
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Hayley Litt and Sian Barber
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