Working in partnership with placement

This chapter provides an overview of what student practitioner might expect from university and from their placement to help them to feel confident and gain from their experience. It helps them maximise their experiential learning and to understand that placement is a site for application of knowledge and skills. It provides insight into how the university and placement can support their learning through, and at, work. Their placement experience is central to studies, and should be valued and given equal status to their academic work. The university will organise a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), which prevents unsuitable people from working with young children. The chapter considers the case study, which presents the view of one manager and how she supports a student in her setting. Reflective practice, when combined with active learning, recognises the importance of collaboration, an active process of thinking, discussing and testing out ideas with others.