The University of Sunderland is a Higher Education Institution located in the North East of England. Sunderland’s Faculty of Education and Society is professional, vocational and practice-based, with key areas of teaching including initial and post qualifying teacher training, subjects within the social sciences, and courses relating to crime, policing, and investigation. Their education courses are ranked 12th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023). They have four main areas of provision, three of which are predominantly concerned with training teachers at local, regional, national and international levels – Initial Teacher Training, Distance Learning, and Post Compulsory Education and Training (PCET).
The Mentor CPD curriculum aims to equip mentors with the expertise to support new teachers to thrive in the classroom, not just survive. It also aims to give more experienced teachers the opportunity to develop their own expertise and join a collaborative network of other like-minded teachers who are interested in professional development.
The curriculum is based around three pillars:
- Purposeful integration between the centre-based curriculum and the school
- Pedagogy and evidence-informed practice in subject and phase specific contexts
- Coaching and mentoring skills linked to Sunderland’s ‘High Leverage Mentoring Actions’.
The Mentor CPD Curriculum delivered by the University of Sunderland offers a supportive structure for those working towards the Mentoring Development Certificate, on the Chartered Teacher (Mentor) pathway.
Teachers will be well equipped to utilise insights from the Mentor Curriculum CPD to inform the following assessments;
- Mentoring Development Portfolio, the assessment element enabling achievement of the Mentoring Development Certificate.
To undertake these assessments, individuals will need to check their eligibility and purchase access to the relevant assessment unit(s) via the Chartered College of Teaching online shop. This will provide access to an online platform containing learning content, detailed assessment guidance and a submission space. Upon successful completion of the relevant assessment, individuals are awarded the Mentoring Development Certificate, and 20 credits towards Chartered Teacher (Mentor) Status.
