A new trainee and a folder of forms
Your school recruits trainees and supports them through qualification. Each has a trainer, key dates for their exams and any trainee licence period, a requirement to record training and supervision during that period, and pupils they are starting to teach. The records are paper forms, emails from the trainer, and a spreadsheet in the office.
One trainee's key date is approaching and nobody noticed that part of the required record for the period is incomplete. Another is doing well with pupils, but the school only finds out when she asks about joining the franchise.
Why trainee records scatter
- Several people are involved: the trainee, their trainer, the school and sometimes a training partner.
- The rules require particular records during the trainee period, which change from time to time.
- Key dates, such as exam attempts and licence expiry, are easy to lose.
- Training sessions are logged on paper in the car.
- Pupil feedback and progress for trainees are not separated from qualified instructors'.
What scattered records risk
An incomplete record or a missed date during the trainee period can cause problems for the trainee and embarrassment for the school, and you depend on these people becoming your next instructors. Trainers spend time chasing paperwork instead of training. And a trainee who feels unsupported leaves, taking with them the time and money invested in their training.
The trainee records we build
- Each trainee has a record with their trainer, key dates and the requirements you and the trainer set for their trainee period, following the current rules.
- Training and supervision sessions are logged on a phone at the end of each session, by the trainer or trainee, with what was covered.
- Progress against the required records is shown, and gaps are flagged well before any date that depends on them.
- Reminders go to the trainee, trainer and office before key dates, such as exam attempts or the end of a licence period.
- The trainee's pupils are in the shared diary like any instructor's, with progress records and any feedback, so the trainer can see how teaching is going.
- The school sees all trainees on one screen: dates, progress and anything overdue.
- When a trainee qualifies, their record moves them onto your instructor terms and into the franchise statement.
| Trainee record | Who updates it | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|
| Training sessions | Trainer or trainee | Trainee, trainer, school |
| Required supervision records | Trainer | Trainee, trainer, school |
| Key dates | Office | All three, with reminders |
| Pupils and lessons | Trainee in the diary | Trainee, trainer, school |
| Pupil feedback | Pupils | Trainee and trainer |
The qualification rules and what must be recorded come from the official requirements and your trainer. We keep the records they specify and do not advise on the rules.
Trainees who feel supported
The trainer logs sessions from the car in a minute. The office sees a gap in one trainee's record in plenty of time to fix it, and a reminder about an approaching exam goes out without anyone having to remember. The school can see which trainees are getting good feedback from pupils, and talk to them about joining the franchise before they look elsewhere.
The trainee also gets a clearer picture of their own progress. Instead of wondering whether they have done enough supervised hours or covered what their trainer expects, they can see it on their phone, along with the next key date. Trainees who are unsure often go quiet rather than ask, and a record they can see for themselves takes away some of that uncertainty.
Does trainee admin look like this?
- Trainee records are on paper forms and emails.
- Key dates for trainees are tracked in a spreadsheet.
- Trainers chase paperwork.
- Gaps in required records are spotted late.
- You cannot see how trainees are doing with pupils.