For students in their final year of initial teacher training or who have embarked on the first or second year of teaching, this is a hugely exciting and sometimes daunting moment in their career.

One of the most powerful tools available to the teacher is the opportunity to share their experiences and their own learning journey with colleagues or network of teachers. The Starting Out programme is available to new teachers of mathematics or science who would like to have a subject specialist as a mentor for one or two years. There are 3 mentoring models available to teachers depending on the individual’s needs.

The Starting Out programme has a regional focus in this pilot phase. The regions hosting the support for mentees are:

• London »
• East of England »
• West Midlands »

The regional coordinator for each region will oversee the application and selection process for initial training students in their final year, first or second year teachers who are based in HE institutes or schools in these 3 regions.

The Application Process

The application process opens in September 2009 and we are very interested to hear from HEi tutors, CPD leads at school, Heads of Science and science advisers in local authorities. We are also very pleased to hear from potential mentees who would like to know more about joining this enriching programme.

Using the Regional Areas

In the 3 region areas the regional coordinators introduce themselves, provide some information about their background and give their contact details. They will be working closely with colleagues in HEis, and key partners in the science and mathematics communities.

The regional coordinator will add partner events, developments and activities which are available in your region.