Why mentoring can play a crucial role in FE initial teacher education

By Rachel Whitton, Curriculum Manager: Professional Studies & EducationCert Ed at Warrington & Vale Royal College and Research Further Scholar

According to the Department for Education "excellent teachers in the FE sector are crucial to deliver an agenda of skills reform, and to secure the best outcomes for learners. Raising the quality of ITE is vital to drive up standards across FE teaching". Following the launch of the Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (DiT) Qualification framework in September 2024, it was clear that it was not an update, but an entirely new qualification designed to support the above agenda (ETF, 2025). While mentoring support was expected on the previous level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET), it was not always formally mandated in the same way as in school-based initial teacher training.

For example, many awarding organisations referred to "appropriate guidance and support" which implies learner support mechanisms, but stops short of explicitly labelling mentoring as a mandatory element. This resulted in the quality of the mentoring provision being inconsistent across the FE sector. Hobson et al. discussed how ineffective training for mentors or poor matching of mentors and mentees meant that the support was not as effective as it could be. When mentoring is well implemented, it can provide a clear range of benefits to FE trainee teachers such as development of pedagogical skills, opportunities to discuss and reflect professional challenges and emotional support.

Earlier this year, in their latest report, Hobson et al. revisit the quality of mentoring within the FE sector and it is disappointing to hear that while overall, some trainees and teachers are enjoying positive relationships with mentors, evidence suggests there are continued inconsistent standards of mentoring across the sector. As highlighted in my earlier blogs, there is a clear need for systemic change within institutions to drive forward and improve mentoring experiences with the teacher training qualification framework to help support and retain our FE teachers. The new City and Guilds DiT qualification clearly states that each candidate must have access to one subject specialist mentor and one pastoral mentor for a minimum of 30 minutes each a week whilst undertaking their initial teacher education. So how have we addressed this within our institution at Warrington & Vale Royal College as an ITE provider?

Our journey began with approval from City and Guilds to deliver the new qualification in August 2024, once the DET ceased to be offered, for a new cohort starting in September 2024. Through networking with other training providers and colleges at the time, it became apparent that many providers were still in the process of transitioning or gaining approval and not quite ready to deliver for the academic year 2024-25. We initiated discussions involving the delivery team, the teaching and learning director, and the HR director to identify staff who were trained and competent as mentors, and to explore strategies for releasing them from their teaching schedules to undertake mentoring responsibilities.

As part of our initiative to develop a coaching and mentoring culture within our institution, we had already commenced the training of mentors through the Teacher Mentoring Programme (delivered by the Cognition Learning Group), also supported by our own internal ILM coaching and mentoring programmes the previous year. The next stage involved the matching process where we examined subject expertise, qualifications and experience, and finally personality fit between mentors and mentees. We subsequently invited all potential mentors to a meeting to review allocations, confirm pairings, and provide training on the expectations and responsibilities associated with committing to the programme. Following this process, we were able to provide mentors with timetable remission to accommodate their mentoring responsibilities, as time should be safeguarded to allow for meaningful and supportive conversations that facilitate learning.

The creation of a community of practice within a shared google classroom offered the delivery team opportunities to share the resources, updates and communicate vital information to the mentor team. In March 2025, we hosted a network meeting for other FE providers to share our experiences and provide a forum for colleagues to collectively reflect on our current position and identify strategies to drive future progress.

With the successful completion of year 1 delivery and the impending start of year 2 of the DiT, we have used the summer period to reflect on the successes of the programme and identify areas for improvement in our mentoring provision for trainee teachers. Encouraging both mentors and mentees to engage in reflective practice will further strengthen the evaluation process. Open and transparent communication among all participants is essential in fostering a supportive and nurturing environment in which our trainee teachers can thrive. We look forward to the upcoming academic year and remain committed to learning, growing, and supporting our expanding network of professional mentors.

I am confident that, as teacher trainers, we share a collective gratitude toward mentors across the FE sector for their dedication, hard work, and commitment in guiding the next generation of teachers to achieve their full potential.