Work Experience and Teaching Practice Placements

KILBRIDE NATIONAL SCHOOL

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Policy on Work Experience and Teaching Practice Placements

Kilbride National School welcomes student teachers, transition year students and other categories of student seeking to gain work experience in the school.

The school recognises its obligation to share best educational practice with those seeking to gain experience in a school setting and will host students in accordance with the capacity of the school to accommodate such students and in accordance with the willingness and availability of teachers to accommodate them.

The following requirements apply to all categories of work experience at Kilbride National School:

The following documentation must be furnished by each applicant seeking a work

placement:

1. Letter of Application complete with details of the work experience being sought and documentation from the relevant school or college.
2. Copy of insurance cert from the school or college which the student is attending.
3. Kilbride N.S. will send a letter of acknowledgment from the school

confirming work placement.

4. The Adult Volunteer form, whereby the student or volunteer signs a declaration stating that there is no criminal offence which would prevent him/her from working with young children, must be signed.

The principal of the school, as an agent of the Board of Management and charged with the day-to-day running of the school, reserves the right to refuse or allow applicants a work placement in the school.

All categories of student are expected to respect the ethos of the school and to work under the direction of the principal or the teacher to whom they are assigned.

Punctuality is essential for all work experience students. It is important to arrive on time, take breaks at the allotted time and not to leave school before the designated time.

All students are expected to dress neatly in accordance with the dress code of the school. This may be summarised as” neat casual”.

All members of staff, pupils and the school community should be treated with the utmost courtesy and respect. Failure to abide by this code of behaviour may result in the termination of the work experience placement.

Equally, members of staff are required to treat students with courtesy and respect and to guide and mentor them as applicable.

Confidentiality in relation to all matters relating to teachers, support staff, pupils and the organisation and administration of the school is an essential prerequisite for students on work placements. Breaches of confidentiality in relation to the school will be treated with the utmost seriousness.

Student Teachers

• Kilbride N.S. welcomes student teachers and recognises its obligation to share best practice in education with student teachers.
• Fully probated teachers at Kilbride N.S. are eligible to host a student teacher.
• Kilbride N.S. will host student teachers in accordance with the school’s

capacity to accommodate them.

• The accommodation of student teachers is ultimately at the discretion of the Principal.
• Hosting a student teacher is dependent on the willingness and generosity of teachers in the school. No teacher will be obliged to host a student teacher. Teachers may decide, for a variety of reasons, that they are not in a position to host a student at a particular time.
• As a general rule, teachers at Kilbride N.S. will host student teachers on one occasion per year only.
• Infant classes may not be able to accommodate student teachers in September.
• All student teachers are expected to behave in a professional manner at all times, to abide by the school’s child protection policy and to maintain confidentiality in relation to the pupils, parents and staff at Kilbride N.S.
• Should it become apparent that the student teacher is not carrying out his/her duties in a professional and satisfactory manner the class teacher is advised to refer the matter to the principal who will bring the matter to the attention of the teaching practice department at the College of Education.

Transition Year Students

• Preference will be given to past pupils of Kilbride N.S.
• Transition year students work under the direction of the Principal or the class teacher to whom they are assigned.
• The accommodation of transition year students is ultimately at the discretion of the Principal.

This policy was approved by the Board of Management in the academic year 2017/2018 and will be reviewed in the academic year 2018/2019.

ADULT VOLUNTEER FORM

Name of applicant:

_____________________________________________________________

Address:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number:

________________________

Mobile:

________________________

Type of Work Experience:

______________________________________________________________

(SNA / Student Teacher / Transition Year Assistant)

Duration of Work Experience:

______________________________________________________________

Name of Supervisor:

______________________________________________________________

Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence that might disqualify you from working with children? (circle a

s appropriate) Yes  No

If yes, please state the nature and details of the offence/s.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

I have read the Work Experience Policy and I agree to abide by the terms of this policy.

Signed:

__________________________

Date:

__________________________

Confidentiality:

I agree to abide by the confidentiality clause as outlined in the work experience document.

Child Protection

Kilbride N.S. has a Child Protection Policy in place. This may be accessed through the Principal, the secretary or the teachers.