Improving the school placement: navigating and negotiating expectations in an ITE partnership

This paper examines school placements (also known as the practicum and site-based learning) as a critical component of Initial Teacher Education, offering student teachers the opportunity to develop both their professional competence and identity in real-world school settings, alongside experienced educators. These placements involve a range of participants—mentors, university tutors, and others—who together form a supportive ecosystem for student teachers' development. Efforts to improve this phase of teacher preparation are ongoing within education systems around the world, driven by recruitment and retention concerns. Research suggests that the early years of teaching play a significant role in a teacher’s decision to remain in the profession. Scotland is currently reforming its school placement practices to address these issues. This study presents findings from a survey of school placement actors within a Scottish partnership, involving three universities and six local authorities. Drawing on theories of partnerships, ecosystems, and liminal spaces, the paper explores how school placements can be structured, monitored, and improved to better support student teachers. Survey responses highlight shared concerns among participants regarding certain practices and conditions that hinder the effectiveness of the placement ecosystem. The study suggests that the success of placements in fostering meaningful early professional development depends on how well actors negotiate the student teacher’s journey, prioritise well-being, and ensure clear communication of expectations.