ITE coordinators (ITECs), previously referred to as professional mentors, oversee ITE within their school settings including:

• Supporting and developing mentors in school
• Quality assuring mentor judgements by observing each beginning teacher at least once per placement
• Liaising with the university about placements
• Running professional themes sessions in schools to follow up on key training themes within the specific school context
• Coordinating in-school ITaP activities for our SEND and Adaptive Teaching ITaPs
• Supporting mentors in case of beginning teacher progress or professionalism concerns

ITECs are encouraged to explore the information across the partnership website.

This page contains some supplementary information that might be of use

If you are the ITEC for your school but not on our email distribution list please contact partnership on partnership@soton.ac.uk

ITEC paperwork

The majority of the paperwork for our programme is completed by Beginning Teachers with support from mentors.

ITECs are only required to complete the ITEC section of our Review Statements (4 per year). Click here for more information.

New ITEC training

This year’s New to ITEC training is scheduled for 15th October 2026

Please contact the partnership office to book your place on Partnership@soton.ac.uk

Dates for ITEC meetings

Please join us for the below meetings for ITECs to hear about important course updates and engage in some collaboration and sharing of good practice:

Thurs 26^th Nov 3.30-4.30pm (online)

Thurs 11^th Mar 3.30-4.30pm (online)

Friday 7^th July 12.30-3.30 (in-person)

Further details to follow via email

ITECs’ guide to the academic year 2026-7

In order to help you plan for your role over the year to come. This monthly breakdown will give you some of the key dates and themes to be aware of over the academic year. A printable version can be downloaded below.

Month	Key dates, events and actions	Professional themes session content – possible key themes to consider (more here: Curriculum Overview)
September	14-16 Sep: BT names and DBS info confirmed 18 Sep: BTs to contact ITECs and mentors 28 Sep – 2 Oct ITaP 1. Behaviour Management focus Ensure mentor details are confirmed to Partnership office Book new mentors onto Level 1 mentor training if required	NA
October	1 Oct: Level 1 Mentor training 5 Oct: First day on Main Placement 15 Oct: New to ITECs training Provide BT induction programme and facilitate in department observations 5-15 Oct Provide Safeguarding and Health and Safety briefing Support to build up timetabled hours Link each BT to an attached tutor group	Safeguarding in your school context Settling in on placement and understanding school systems Professionalism – what it means to be a teacher Behaviour Management – language, systems and routines. ITaP follow up Support for lesson planning – co-planning
November	10 Nov: Names and DBS info confirmed for focus placement 25-28 Nov: ITaP 2: AfL 26 Nov: ITECs meeting (online) Begin ITEC observations to Quality Assure mentor judgments of progress Ensure Focus Placement Mentor details are confirmed via Partnership and that new mentors are booked onto January mentor training if required.	Behaviour Management – language, systems and routines Support for lesson planning – co-planning Assessment for Learning – follow up on ITaP themes Processes for supporting students with SEND (Introduction) The role of the tutor
December	7 Dec: Focus placement visit day 12 Dec: Review Statement 1 due Complete ITEC observations Complete Review Statement 1 Provide induction for Focus Placement for visit day	Behaviour Management – language, systems and routines Support for lesson planning – co-planning Assessment for Learning – follow up on ITaP themes
January	Focus placement 4 Jan – 12 Feb Week beginning 4 Jan: Level 1 and Level 2 mentor training (dates TBC shortly) Complete induction process for Focus Placement BTs Start Focus Placement ITEC observations Plan in-school input for ITaP 3 (more info will be provided by email)	Safeguarding in your school’s context Overview of school systems and procedures for Focus Placement Behaviour management in a new school context Support for lesson planning – co-planning Securing a job
February	Focus placement 4 Jan – 12 Feb 5-12 Feb: ItaP 3: SEND 11 Feb: Review Statement 2 due Complete Focus Placement ITEC observations ITaP 3: Based in school. Ensure in-school activities in place. Complete Review Statement 2	High Quality teaching to support students with SEND Completion of ITaP SEND activities and follow up
March	11 March: ITECs meeting (online) Complete placement offers form for 2027-28 academic year	Further consolidation of themes from SEND ITaP – working with TAs, working with parents. Using data to inform planning Contributing to the wider life of the school. Moving to medium term planning. Planning without the full lesson plan form.
April	12-15 Apr: ITaP 4: Adaptive teaching 30 Apr: Review Statement 3 due From 19 April. BTs in school 5 days a week Plan and implement the in-school ITaP activities for ITaP 4 (more info will be provided by email) Begin 2nd ITEC main placement observations. Ensure any concerns are flagged Complete Review Statement 3	Adaptive teaching ITaP activities and follow up Wellbeing and support with managing full timetable Moving to medium term planning. Learning over time. Home learning
May	Week beginning 24 May: Placement acceptances will be confirmed by us for 2027-28 Continue 2nd ITEC main placement observations. Ensure any concerns are flagged.	Adaptive teaching ITaP activities and follow up Dealing with challenging parents Looking ahead to ECT Action planning for final weeks
June	8-11 June: ITaP 5: Transition 25 June: Final day on placement 25 June: Final Review Statement due Complete Final Review Statement Ensure mentor details for 27-28 are sent to us where known. Book new mentors for 27-28 onto mentor training where required	ITaP 5: Follow up on themes. Transition. KS2-3 Preparing for ECT. Managing workload, pastoral role Building independence in the classroom Extra-curricular and school visits
July	2 July: Final day of programme 7 July: ITECs development afternoon (on campus) Week beginning 12th July: Updated placement acceptances will be sent from us for 2027-28 Week beginning 12 July: Level 1 and Level 2 mentor training (dates TBC) Support with Extended Placement (where agreed/required)	NA

Printable version of ITEC guide

Getting involved in university training

We appreciate that our ITECs have a wealth of experience and expertise and work with some amazing colleagues too.

If you or one of your mentors/colleagues are working on an interesting area of teaching and learning, professional studies etc. and are keen to share this with our beginning teachers, mentors or the university tutor team we are always delighted to hear from you. Contact Kathryn on k.e.broom@soton.ac.uk