Mentors play a vital role in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes in Wales, supporting student teachers’ professional growth and ensuring high-quality learning experiences. Their work directly aligns with the accreditation criteria set by the Education Workforce Council (EWC), which emphasise the importance of effective, reflective mentoring within strong school-university partnerships. By modelling professional practice and guiding critical reflection, mentors help student teachers meet the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership and prepare them for the Curriculum for Wales. 

To support mentors in developing the understanding, skills, and dispositions required for effective mentoring within our partnership, all Senior Mentors and Network Leads are required to complete Grade 1 of the Mentor Development Programme prior to the Professional Teaching Experience (PTE). This can be done either in person, via the recorded session, or by attending the twilight training.

Senior Mentors are then expected to deliver this training to the Class/Subject Mentors within their schools. This training is supplemented by a number of asynchronous resources which are available on the APLP SharePoint . Additional refresher opportunities are offered throughout the year. In turn, Class/Subject Mentors must confirm they have received the training by completing a short questionnaire before the PTE begins.

Information for Mentors

Resources and guidance documents (including PTE handbooks, Partnership Handbooks) are available on the APLP SharePoint site. https://uowtsd.sharepoint.com/teams/PDPA-APLP . This is the repository for student-teacher reports, One Page Profiles, OneDrive links and intervention documentation

Mentors can request access to SharePoint using their Hwb account. Please complete this form – https://forms.office.com/e/6i44paBisF