Distance placements
Edge Hill University works in partnership with a variety of schools across the UK and we can offer opportunities to complete a professional practice placement outside your local area. Distance placements are limited but are often available in a variety of locations for example, in Cumbria and the Isle of Man.
Why apply for distance placements?
- Experience a new dynamic in the classroom, diversify your teaching experience and develop your skills as a teacher.
- Explore new styles of teaching and ways of working, and maybe even teach a new curriculum.
- A distance placement provides an opportunity to live and work alongside other trainees on their professional practice placement. This may be in an area outside the North West of England.
- You can volunteer with a friend or create new friends to support you on your journey. There may be Edge Hill communities of ex-trainees in some areas such as on the Isle of Man.
- Enhance your opportunity for future employment and develop evidence for your teaching programme. Many trainees who attend a distance placement stay in the local area and some have previously been offered employment there.
University support
The Partnership team will be there to support you and offer advice from the initial stages of inquiry to the end of your placement. University Tutors will support trainees for the duration of their professional practice placement.
Financial support
When on a distance placement, trainees are responsible for paying for their food and other daily expenses and must plan ahead for these costs as they would if attending a placement from their term time address. Living costs in different areas may vary and this should be considered by trainees when applying.
There is no financial outlay to you for the distance placement accommodation.
The following are able to be reimbursed after each period of attendance:
- Commuting costs to and from school each day
- Travel costs for relocating at the start an end of each placement block
Accommodation
Self-catering accommodation is sourced and paid for by Edge Hill University. There is no financial outlay for this to you as a trainee. We will arrange the accommodation for you and other trainees together within a short commute of your placement schools. We work with accommodation providers to ensure high quality and safe accommodation for you. Accommodation will always have access to free Wi-Fi, a separate bedroom for each trainee, kitchen facilities, an area suitable for study and laundry facilities.
How can trainees apply?
Opportunities to be allocated to a distance placement are limited. We are unable to guarantee the opportunity to everyone who applies as this can depend on the availability of placements and accommodation. If you are interested in completing a distance placement, please complete the distance placements form. Full terms and conditions are set out in the Travel and Accommodation Policy located on Blackboard.
Hear from our trainees about their experiences
Case study: Jessica Jones
BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS.
“I came over to the Isle of Man 2 years ago when I was allocated a placement here. I was sent on my placement in the March on the ferry and I was placed at Ballacottier and immediately I was welcomed by the staff. I was placed in Year 1-2 and I would say my placement was very eventful. It was different teaching a Year 1-2 class, with it being split, I hadn’t been given this opportunity in England.
I was living with a group of other trainees who I had never met before, which was scary, but within a few days I developed good relationships and we all began to help each other.
Whilst on the Island, I developed as a teacher and a person, the staff always supported me. In the Isle of Man the curriculum is different to England and because of that you have the opportunity to be creative and you can become your own teacher. That is the key thing, you don’t have to teach and do all the paperwork, it’s all about the children. It was an experience of a lifetime and I would never say to anyone not to go.
I tweet on my professional twitter to other trainees allocated to the Isle of Man not to worry. It is very daunting but it was the best experience, everything was different in terms of ways of teaching, I was worried I wasn’t going to understand it. But the staff are always there to answer questions and my Mentor was a godsend. I could ask anything from “what is this?” to “where is this?” because you are in a new place and they were so supportive, I was made to feel part of the team straight away, it was amazing. It’s not just about teaching the children, it is about getting to know them and giving them life experiences.
I would say to any Primary, Early Years or Secondary trainees to do it, it doesn’t just develop you as a person but it develops you as a teacher, as well as making new friends, it is amazing. I had an issue with phonics as I am dyslexic and I was teaching phonics wrong. My mentor took me aside and advised that my phonics teaching needed improvement. Instead of thinking that it would be a big task for the Mentors to teach me phonics, it wasn’t. I was given the opportunity to be placed in the Reception class to learn phonics and within 2 weeks I got an outstanding in my phonics lesson. The Mentors and the Teachers want to support you, they want to teach you. To create a good teacher, you need good mentors and that is what I had in the Isle of Man. You can tell that I loved it as I am back in the Isle of Man working as a teacher”.