Practice Educator Course and Updates

The practice educator course is open to all clinicians with a minimum of 18months experience, who have shared student supervision or clinicians who have not been involved in practice education for several years.

This is a two day course, comprising an initial half-day online session (DAY 1) and a follow-up, face-to-face full day session (DAY 2), 6 months later. Participants are expected to have supervised a student in the interim. The course explores the role and skills of the practice educator.

PEAP is no longer a part of the educator course. There will be supportive resources released to educators as part of teaching materials. 

Day 1 Content

• Overview of SHU placement team 
• Overview of SHU Physiotherapy programmes (BSc, Pre-Reg MSc & DA)
• Placement allocation process
• CSP Common Placement Assessment Form and university processes
• Practice education and responsibilities 
• Supporting students with additional needs and reasonable adjustments
• How to manage students failing to progress 
• Placement information websites for key information, support resources and SHU contacts
• Processes for escalation of concerns, and the essential need for the placement provider to communicate with the university about any incidents or accidents or concerns

Day 2 Content 

• Reflection of practice educator experience and key topics to discuss
• Recap of SHU placement team 
• Recap of SHU Physiotherapy programmes (BSc, Pre-Reg MSc & DA)
• Placement allocation process
• CSP Common Placement Assessment Form, university processes - reflecting on practical application
• Supporting students with additional needs and reasonable adjustments - reflect on experience
• How to manage students failing to progress - reflect on experience
• Models of practice education - share working models of practice education 
• Placement information websites for key information, support resources and SHU contacts
• Processes for escalation of concerns, and the essential need for the placement provider to communicate with the university about any incidents or accidents or concerns

Who can attend the course?

Candidates will be qualified physiotherapists, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and will have been practising for a minimum of 18 months (a slightly shorter period in practise may be considered by the physiotherapy academic team - please contact ahptraining@shu.ac.uk for further information).

This course will suit practising physiotherapists who have little or no experience of working with physiotherapy students on placement. This also includes physiotherapists who have had experience of working with physiotherapy students but have not been able to do so for some time and would like to attend a structured programme of training arranged and delivered by academic staff of the Physiotherapy Team at the College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences (HWLS), Sheffield Hallam University.

Please note that the Physiotherapy Practice Educator Course is mainly aimed at practising physiotherapists working within NHS Trusts, or organisations from the private/voluntary sectors where the Professional Placements Team at HWLS place the College's physiotherapy students as an integral part of their degree programme.

As a guide our student placement area is Yorkshire and the Humber and East Midlands regions. On the whole we have placements in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Chesterfield, Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln and Leicester. If you are outside this area, and wish to attend the course, please email ahptraining@shu.ac.uk and your request will be passed to the physiotherapy academic team at HWLS.

Practice Educator Updates

It is recommended that practice educators attend an update every 2 years after completing the initial day 1 & 2 sessions.

The following Core areas must be included in all Practice Educator updates:

• Opportunity for educator feedback and main learning needs
• Overview of SHU placement team 
• Overview of SHU Physiotherapy programmes (BSc, Pre-Reg MSc & DA)
• Placement allocation process
• CSP Common Placement Assessment Form and university processes
• Models of practice education
• Supporting students with additional needs and reasonable adjustments
• How to manage students failing to progress 
• Placement information websites for key information, support resources and SHU contacts
• Processes for escalation of concerns, and the essential need for the placement provider to communicate with the university about any incidents or accidents or concerns

Courses and Updates

• Practice Educator Courses and Updates for 2025

To book on to one of the Practice Educator Courses or Updates, please e-mail ahptraining@shu.ac.uk with your selected course dates or for any queries you have. 

Degree Apprenticeship - resources to support the role of the Work Based Mentor

Work Based Mentor Website - this site contains resources designed to support the role of the Work Based Mentor who is supporting students on the Degree Apprenticeship route.