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Support with Summer Institute online

Information for all 2020 trainees

Introduction Teach First is committed to inclusion and we want to make your Summer Institute experience as positive and smooth sailing as possible. We recognise that across our diverse cohort there are trainees who may require amendments or specific adjustments during Summer Institute that we need to know about to support you to have the best experience possible.

You may not need to action anything in this document, so once you’ve read it and you’re confident it doesn’t apply to you, consider it a big tick off your list.

For others, there’ll be follow up actions you’ll need to take and those will be different depending on what support you need. Read this document through carefully, action everything to deadlines and as always speak to your recruiter if anything is unclear.

Introduction....................................................................................................................................................... 2

Requesting time off (leave requests) – UPDATED 3 JUNE 2020.....................................................................4

Summer Institute attendance expectations...................................................................................................4

Summer Institute absence policy..................................................................................................................4

Time off for employment school inductions / visits.......................................................................................4

How to request an absence.......................................................................................................................... 4

Unauthorised Absence from Summer Institute.............................................................................................5

Readiness to teach....................................................................................................................................... 5

Catching up on missed Summer Institute content........................................................................................6

Requesting an absence during Summer Institute.........................................................................................6

Requesting help with finances during Summer Institute – UPDATED MAY 2020............................................7

Introducing our financial support package....................................................................................................7

Summary of financial support package........................................................................................................7

Important notes before applying................................................................................................................... 7

Enrolment Fee Bursary................................................................................................................................ 8

Financial Support to cover essential expenses (including relocation and subsistence)................................9

Lendwise loan.......................................................................................................................................... 9

Financial support to enable you to engage with online Summer Institute...................................................10

Laptop.................................................................................................................................................... 10

Internet dongle / Broadband upgrade.....................................................................................................10

Printing requirements............................................................................................................................. 10

How to apply.......................................................................................................................................... 10

Financial support for accommodation for those with nowhere to stay........................................................11

Caring or childcare responsibilities, and engaging with Summer Institute – ADDED 17 June 2020...........12

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What support is available, and do I qualify?...........................................................................................12

Requesting other support............................................................................................................................... 13

Additional accessibility support requirements.............................................................................................13

Caring or childcare responsibilities and engaging with Summer Institute...................................................13

ADDENDUM................................................................................................................................................... 14

Enrolment fee bursary – application information........................................................................................14

How much is it?...................................................................................................................................... 14

Am I eligible?......................................................................................................................................... 14

How do I apply?..................................................................................................................................... 14

Enrolment fee bursary – application form part one.....................................................................................16

Enrolment fee bursary – application form part two.....................................................................................17

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Requesting time off (leave requests) – UPDATED 3 JUNE 2020

Summer Institute attendance expectationsIt’s compulsory for trainees to attend all of Summer Institute. We do though know that there’ll be cases when you’ll be unable to attend and will need to request time off in advance of Summer Institute starting. Where this is the case, you’ll need to apply for an approved absence.

Whatever the circumstances surrounding the absence, it remains the responsibility of you as the trainee to catch up on any missed training. Further details about catching up on missed content are below.

Summer Institute absence policyRequests for absences will be considered for either:

A significant personal event (e.g. exams, university graduation, or family wedding) A recognised religious holiday (e.g. Eid) Time arranged with your employment school

Attendance at Summer Institute is compulsory, absences can only be approved as follows: Trainees can apply for up to two days absence for a significant personal event or recognised holiday,

plus up to two additional days for employment school inductions or visits Regional teams will consider absence requests on a case-by-case basis Teach First reserves the right to decline any absence request

Any exceptions to the above principles may be considered but will require sign-off from the Regional Director.

If, through your absences, you miss more than 20% of content, you run the risk of not successfully completing Summer Institute and therefore not being ready to teach (please see the readiness to teach section below for further information). Please consider your absence requests carefully and in line with your regional timetable (available on My Teach First) to avoid missing the live sessions wherever practical.

As the provider of the Training Programme, Teach First are not your direct employer, so standard paternity leave guidance doesn’t apply in these circumstances. It is a requirement that trainees complete Summer Institute within the existing absence policy as we must ensure that we send out trainees who are prepared and ready for the classroom.  

Time off for employment school inductions / visits  You will be allowed up to two days as an approved absence in order to attend any online inductions being offered by your employment school, or the opportunity to visit your school in person (if the school is open). Any requests for dates known must be submitted through the absence request process below.  

How to request an absence Trainees are required to submit absence requests with full supporting details as soon as possible.

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The final deadline for absence requests is one week prior to Summer Institute starting. Requests made during SI will be considered in exceptional circumstances only.

Please check the table below on how to apply for a leave request within your region, as there may be some variations depending on location.

Your region Application process

East Midlands Please complete the online application form

East of England Please send your request in writing to the team at eastofengland@teachfirst.org.uk

London Please review the ‘2020 absence process’ document on My Teach First and complete the steps outlined

North East Please complete the online application form

North West Please send your request in writing to the team at nwprogramme@teachfirst.org.uk

South East & South Coast Please send your request in writing to the team at southeastandsouthcoast@teachfirst.org.uk

South West Please complete the online application form

West Midlands Please complete the online application form

Yorkshire & the Humber Please complete the online application form

Unauthorised Absence from Summer InstituteSuccessful completion of Summer Institute is the final stage of the Training Programme application process, and attendance is a core requirement of the PGDE. As such, unauthorised absences will be treated seriously.

Trainees missing any element of Summer Institute without obtaining approval based on the process in this document will be reviewed by the regional team alongside university partners who will determine the next steps in light of the particular circumstances. Persistent absence could result in failure to complete Summer Institute and ultimately in removal from the programme.

Readiness to teach Persistent absence will affect your readiness to teach. If you are persistently absent from Summer Institute, you may be considered at risk of not completing and therefore not be ready to teach. Where this pertains to absence, the following principles should be borne in mind: 

Due to the nature of an online Summer Institute, you may experience unusual and mitigating circumstances that affect your ability to engage with and complete all required learning over the five weeks. We understand, however we need to balance this against your readiness to teach when you start in school, and with the needs of your pupils.  

Where there has been persistent absence over the summer, your readiness to teach will be reviewed within your region, in consultation with the university. As a guide, if a fifth of delivered content is missed (i.e. seminars, practice curriculum, 1-1s and university delivered content), this could trigger a review into readiness to teach. The outcomes of this could involve being placed on a support plan during Summer Institute, or passing with a support plan, or in extreme cases be

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considered unprepared to teach (i.e. not successfully completing Summer Institute and being withdrawn from the Training Programme). These decisions are at Teach First’s discretion.  

Catching up on missed Summer Institute content All Teach First content will be made available to you via Brightspace and My Teach First. For university content, you may need to contact your tutor - your Development Lead during Summer Institute will advise you.

You’ll be able to access the session content and resources online and ensure you’re up to date with any missed curriculum content. It remains the responsibility of you as the trainee to catch up on any missed content. Please liaise with your Development Lead on how to access any missed content during SI if you’re unsure.

Requesting an absence during Summer InstituteWe understand you may need to request an absence during Summer Institute, for example due to short notice childcare arrangements or sickness. Your regional team will share this process with you in the Summer Institute Information guide.

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Requesting help with finances during Summer Institute – UPDATED MAY 2020

Introducing our financial support packageAs we adapt Summer Institute to move online, we’ve taken some time to review and adapt the financial support we offer to reflect these changes.

Please read through the different types of support, and consider which options are best suited to your needs before applying.

Some of the support is available in exceptional circumstances where specific criteria are met, and we’ll be clear what those are in each section.

We’ll update this document and signpost further information that becomes available to you via your bulletins and My Teach First. If you have any concerns in the meantime, please speak to your recruiter.

Summary of financial support packageFinancial support type Eligibility

Enrolment fee bursary Grant - Available to trainees struggling to cover the costs incurred by these compliance checks during the university enrolment process

Financial support to cover essential expenses (including relocation and subsistence)

Third party loan – Open to all trainees. All lending will be subject to Lendwise credit approval and their terms and conditions

Financial support to enable you to engage with online Summer Institute

Grant – Available to trainees who would otherwise not be able to complete Summer Institute without this support

Support for accommodation for those with nowhere to stay

Grant - Available to trainees who would otherwise not be able to complete Summer Institute without this support

Important notes before applyingYou’re encouraged to prepare financially for the Training Programme and the three months between starting Summer Institute on 22 June 2020 and receiving your first salary at the end of September 2020.

To avoid added financial stress or pressure, Teach First strongly advise you to: plan thoroughly for this period before taking on any additional debt ensure that you seriously consider your financial situation

against your anticipated monthly salary not apply for loans that require repayments that are in excess of an amount you can comfortably

repay on your monthly salary.

The information contained in these materials does not constitute, and should not be construed as, financial advice or a recommendation to enter into any financial arrangement. As a charity we have limited resources - we would ask you to be mindful of this when applying for any financial support. Any applications for Teach First funds are considered on a case by case basis and the amount awarded will be offered at Teach First’s discretion.

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Enrolment Fee Bursary To complete the enrolment process with partner universities, you’re required to undertake compliance checks before the start of Summer Institute.

These include: DBS check Health check (England only) Qualification check (GCSE and degree certificates) Equivalency check (non-UK qualifications)

The Enrolment Fee Bursary is a financial hardship support fund available to trainees struggling to cover the costs incurred by these compliance checks during the enrolment process. Bursary payments will be con-sidered only for unavoidable costs incurred by the compliance process. Related costs incurred as a result of specific individual circumstances, e.g. previous overseas travel, will not be considered.

Eligible trainees can request up to the total amount of their enrolment fees and there is no requirement to re-pay this amount.

The support fund is available only to trainees who are struggling to cover the costs of their enrolment checks; a demonstration of this need must be provided in the application form as well as evidence of costs.

Please be aware that the bursary is discretionary and, as a charity, Teach First has limited funds available to support trainees. Payment of the bursary is not guaranteed. Trainees should consider this carefully prior to incurring costs. Teach First’s decision whether to award the bursary is final. Applications made following withdrawal from the Programme will not be approved.

How to apply Who to contact with queries relating to this provision

Applications for the Enrolment Fee Bursary are now open. Please visit the application information section at the end of this document.

Application deadline: 21 June 2020

Please contact the Enrolment Fee Bursary team if you have questions - enrolmentfee-bursary@teachfirst.org.uk

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Financial Support to cover essential expenses (including relocation and subsistence)

Important note: Due to the impact of Covid-19 on their business, Benivo are now unable to offer Teach First trainees interest free loans, therefore this enhanced loan offer from Lendwise replaces both Benivo loans and the Teach First Salary Advance Loan.

Lendwise loan

To ensure you’re still able to access funds to cover the cost of relocation and essential expenses including subsistence, Teach First has worked with Lendwise to give you access to an enhanced loan offer.

Lendwise is an independent peer-to-peer lender specialising in providing unsecured loans to graduates. Lendwise are offering Teach First trainees who are approved, a loan of up to two month's teaching salary (on a net, after tax basis) which comes with a grace period so that loan repayments will commence at the begin-ning of October.

The loan’s repayment schedule will be set to a term that is appropriate for the applicant’s profile. The interest rate on the loan will be fixed for the entire duration of the loan and there will be no

penalties or charges for repaying your loan early There will be a nominal fee for trainees to pay but Teach First are subsidising the majority of this. Providing you remain on the programme, we'll also reimburse the interest-element of your

repayments for the first academic year (potentially up to £225) on application by trainees in August 2021.

All lending will be subject to Lendwise credit approval and their terms and conditions. Approved loans will be disbursed from 30 June or at a later date if requested (interest accrues from disbursement). Access to these loans will be available on an ongoing basis.

You’ll need to complete a Lendwise loan application, satisfy their conditions and sign a loan agreement with Lendwise. You’ll need to ensure that you’ll be able to meet monthly repayments alongside other monthly ex-penses from your anticipated monthly salary.

Lendwise will need to share with Teach First the name of trainees who have received funds to enable us to verify the trainee, pay the fees and approve interest reimbursement applications. Teach First will not other-wise be aware of the financial arrangements agreed between Lendwise and trainees. Trainees who withdraw from the programme will continue to be responsible for monthly repayments and all interest incurred.

How to apply Who to contact with queries relating to this provision

Apply directly with Lendwise Contact Lendwise directly via their website

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Financial support to enable you to engage with online Summer InstituteTo engage effectively with an online Summer Institute, you’ll need a computer with an internet connection (we recommend at least broadband or 4G internet connection). If you don't have access to these and you would otherwise not be able to complete Summer Institute without this support, you can apply for funding towards a laptop and broadband upgrade / booster or dongle below.

Laptop

Your application will need to be supported by a quote, and the receipt for the subsequent laptop purchase retained and made available on request if Teach First require it. You can apply for a grant of up to £250 towards a laptop purchase with recommended minimum specs of 1.1GHz, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD/HDD/eMMC, wifi and webcam.

Internet dongle / Broadband upgrade If you need to upgrade your connection speed, purchase additional data or buy a dongle, you can apply for grant funding below. Your application will need to be supported by a quote, and a receipt for the dongle or data bundle purchase retained and made available on request if Teach First require it. A good internet connection will be essential for you to get the most out of online Summer Institute. We recommend a Broadband connection with a speed of 1.5mbps or higher and unlimited data. Average home wi-fi and phone 4G speeds are at least 10mbps.

Printing requirements If you have an adjustment request that requires printing for Summer Institute, we can support towards these costs. In this case, please email CentralEvents@teachfirst.org.uk with details of your request.

How to apply

How to apply Who to contact with queries relating to this provision

Apply for a grant towards a laptop, internet dongle / data bundle purchase or broadband upgrade Application deadline: 22 May 2020

Please contact centralevents@teachfirst.org.uk with any queries

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Financial support for accommodation for those with nowhere to stayWe know that many of you will already be at home and located in a place where you’ll be able to engage with an online Summer Institute.

However, we also recognise that there are some circumstances where this isn’t applicable – for example due to estrangement, you or your family members are shielding, you are between accommodation, or this is prevented by international travel.  We recognise that if you fall within one of these categories you may need to extend tenancy agreements or take on temporary accommodation to be able to complete Summer Institute.  Teach First will contribute towards the cost of a five-week contract extension or short-term accommodation if you’re able to demonstrate you meet one of the following criteria:  

Estranged from family - please provide evidence of being a care leaver, or provide a university tutor / social worker reference letter

Shielding - please provide a copy of the NHS / government letter you or your family member has received

International - please provide evidence of residence status Between accommodation due to the timing of the end of a tenancy (with copy of tenancy agreement) Other – Other situations not listed above to be detailed on the form, and will be considered on a case

by case basis This contribution can be provided in advance and will be capped at £800 in London and £600 elsewhere – these amounts cover the duration of Summer Institute e.g. the London allowance is £160 per week, totalling £800 across the five weeks. Any applications for Teach First funds are considered on a case by case basis and the amount awarded will be offered at Teach First’s discretion. Applicants will need to provide evidence of the need for a contract extension (landlords letter) or a tenancy agreement for short term accommodation.

How to apply Who to contact with queries relating to this provision

To apply for this grant please use this linkApplication deadline: 22 May 2020

Please contact centralevents@teachfirst.org.uk with any queries

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Caring or childcare responsibilities, and engaging with Summer Institute – ADDED 17 June 2020As nurseries and other care facilities start to re-open their doors over the coming weeks, those of you with caring responsibilities may start to think about reintroducing children/ dependants back to more regular care schedules outside of your home. Teach First have specifically designed this year’s training to be flexible enough to enable you to fit all Summer Institute activity around these responsibilities but recognise that every trainees’ personal circumstances are different. For those who deem caring or childcare responsibilities a barrier to fully engaging with the training schedule Teach First may be able to offer some support in meeting additional care/ childcare costs. Please speak to your regional contact before applying.

What support is available, and do I qualify?

Teach First can financially support up to two days of additional care / childcare support, per child / dependant, for each week of Summer Institute.

What does additional mean? Up to two days of extra care over and above your usual / contracted care arrangements. Please see the example below.

The two days per week can be split over partial days as needed. Support can only be offered to those trainees who would otherwise be unable to engage fully with

the content and have no other care support (e.g. a co-parent, partner, friend, family member).

Example: Stan has sole childcare responsibilities for a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old. His two children regularly attend nursery 1.5 days per week. Stan has spoken to his Development Lead about his training schedule and feels he needs some extra time to engage with content. He plans to increase his children’s nursery hours by an extra 1 day per week during the 5 weeks of Summer Institute. This takes his total childcare up to 2.5 days per week/ per child. In this example, Teach First can support with the additional day per week = 2 children x 1 day per week x 5 weeks = 10 days total.

How do I apply?

1. Speak to your regional contact about your Summer Institute schedule and workload.2. Read the above information on what support is available and whether you think you qualify.3. Complete this form in full 4. Supply evidence of care / childcare hours, dates, costs and supplier on letter headed paper from

your care provider to centralevents@teachfirst.org.uk 5. Applications and evidence should be submitted by Monday 20 July.

Please note: applications will not be considered without a completed form and supporting evidence

How to apply Who to contact with queries relating to this provision

To apply for this support please use this linkApplication deadline: 20 July 2020

Please contact centralevents@teachfirst.org.uk with any queries

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Requesting other support For amendments or adjustments that aren’t explicitly covered in this document and are relevant to Summer Institute, these should have been requested on your Personal Information Form.

These generally fall under the following categories:

Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) requirements Dietary requirements (not applicable to Summer Institute online) Single-sex / Quiet / Accessible accommodation (not applicable to Summer Institute online)

Your regional team will then manage these requests and may contact you if they need further information or to signpost you to university support services if needed.

If you’ve already completed your Personal Information Form and need to update it with any adjustments or amendments, please contact your Recruiter straight away.

It’s important that we know about any support you need as early as possible so that we can factor in into school matching and Summer Institute plans.

Additional accessibility support requirementsThe platform we will use to support an online Summer Institute complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and on this basis should be fully accessible. If you require other specific adjustments, please ensure that your Personal Information Form is up to date with your specific requirements via your recruiter or regional contact.

If you have an adjustment request that requires printing for Summer Institute, we can support towards these costs. In this case, please email CentralEvents@teachfirst.org.uk with details of your request.

Caring or childcare responsibilities and engaging with Summer InstituteThis training has been designed to be flexible enough to enable you to fit all activity around any caring or childcare responsibilities as we are not expecting paid for childcare to be available during Summer Institute. Should caring or childcare responsibilities be a barrier to taking part please speak to your Development Lead during Summer Institute.

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ADDENDUM

Enrolment fee bursary – application informationTo complete the enrolment process with partner universities, all incoming trainees are required to undertake compliance checks before the start of Summer Institute.

These include: DBS check Health check (England only) Qualification check (GCSE and degree certificates) Equivalency check (non- UK qualifications)

The Enrolment Fee Bursary is a financial hardship support fund available to trainees struggling to cover the costs incurred by these compliance checks during the enrolment process.

Bursary payments will be considered only for unavoidable costs incurred by the compliance process. Cost incurred as a result of specific individual circumstances, i.e. previous overseas travel, will not be considered.

How much is it?Eligible trainees can request up to the total amount of their enrolment fees and there is no requirement to pay back this amount. As a charity, the amount of funding available is limited, so we do ask that trainees are mindful of real need prior to applying for this funding.

Am I eligible?The support fund is available only, and always subject to our discretion, to trainees who are struggling to cover the costs of their enrolment fees; a demonstration of this need must be provided in the application form. Eligible trainees must also be able to provide evidence of the costs they have incurred/will incur and validated bank details for where the bursary will be paid into (see more details below).

Please be aware that the bursary is discretionary and Teach First have limited funds available to support trainees. Payment of the bursary is not guaranteed. Trainees should consider this carefully prior to incurring costs. Teach First’s decision whether to award the bursary is final. Applications made following withdrawal from the programme will not be approved.

How do I apply?Read this guidance and speak to your Recruitment Officer about applying. An application should be started only if you can demonstrate your eligibility for the bursary.

Download a copy of this document and complete the application form (part 1 and part 2) below. Please ensure to include a detailed description of why you need the support, outlining any financial issues in part 1, and enter specific details about the fees and your bank details in part 2.

Return the completed form via email to enrolmentfeebursary@teachfirst.org.uk by 21 June 2020 Please ensure that you attach evidence of any fees that you need to pay along with your completed application form. Evidence can be in the form of a receipt (photo or scanned), a screen shot of a payment page, or a copy of an email detailing costs etc. Applications without the supporting evidence will NOT be processed.

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If your application is successful, payment will be made into your bank account within 28 days of the deadline for submissions date.

Final checks before submitting your application: Complete every section; where specified, all boxes must be completed for your application to be

valid. Specify EXACT monetary amounts for the fee expenses you are claiming support for. Scanned copies of the documentation to evidence these amounts must be included with your

application as attachments. These could include;o University letter/ email stating the cost of your DBS checko Letter/ email from your GP stating the cost of a health checko Screen shot/ receipt of a payment page

Applications missing any of the above information will NOT be considered. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

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Enrolment fee bursary – application form part onePlease complete all fields and submit to enrolmentfeebursary@teachfirst.org.uk with your evidence.

Full name

Email address

Phone number

Teach First Region

1. Please detail your reasons for applying for financial support.Include details about your financial situation.

2. Please detail how the Enrolment Fee Bursary will be used.Only specific amounts that have been evidenced through documentation will be considered.

Expense Specific Amount Re-quested

Description of document(s) included to evid-ence claim

DBS Check

Health Check

Qualification Check

Equivalency Test

Other (please give detail)

Total

I confirm that all the information outlined within this document and on any attached documentation is accur-ate and I have a true and genuine need for financial assistance. I consent to Teach First contacting me via phone or email should they require clarification or further information regarding my application.

Trainee Signature: _____________________________ Date: ______________

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Enrolment fee bursary – application form part two

Name of Teach First employee raising Request Form:

Department of Person raising Request Form:

Date of claim:

To receive payment by bank transfer:

Name (of person raising request):

Bank Sort Code:

Account No:**Not card number/* 8 digits

Bank account name:

DETAILS OF PAYMENT: please provide detail against which expenditure you have incurred/ will in-cur

DBS Check

Health Check

Qualification Check

Equivalency Test

Total:

STAFF USE ONLY:

Authorised by:

Signature:

Cost Centre Code:

Activity Code:

Grant Code:

FINANCE USE ONLY:

Amount: Processed by:

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