University and School Partnership

In the last three years I have worked to build meaningful relationships with a group of partnership schools in East Dunbartonshire Council. Each academic year I organise two, after school sessions, with my allocated schools. I am mindful that it is important to revise and update the materials, to acknowledge that, each year, some teachers will be attending for the first time but others may have been at meetings in previous years. In addition to ensuring the important details of placement requirements and assessment procedures are shared, I encourage schools to submit ideas for content and discussion. Developing positive relationships, with individual class mentors and also senior management teams, in schools, is important in helping to reduce contentious situations with students.
At the end of last academic year, I furthered this engagement with my partnership schools to gather feedback on the subject of “Student Support.” I used this feedback evidence to contribute to a PGDE working party, as we planned for a collegiate professional development event in August and created a Professional Practice Handbook for students, staff and schools.

Partnership work

I have also secured links with Castlehill Primary (EDC) to support them in presentations they make as part of my PGDE Professional Specialisation module.