The UCET Management Forum is the main forum in which Heads of Schools and Departments of Education are able to meet to discuss matters of importance in relation to the provision of teacher education in the UK. It also takes up issues not likely to appear on the agendas of the other forums, such as staff development and also considers the management implications of the whole range of university work. Current discussions include workload and stress of academic staff, risk management and partnership. Presentations from previous morning discussions are available to download below.

Claire Ball-Smith (University of York)

Claire has worked in schools, universities and educational organisations for the last 30 years. As a history and English teacher she worked in the UK, as well as in Africa. As a teacher educator, she has worked at three UK universities and one in Canada. Claire is currently a Senior Lecturer, and the Director of Initial Teacher Training at the University of York.

Claire served on the national Historical Association secondary committee as a History PGCE tutor and set up the West Yorkshire branch of the HA as a teacher. Her first love is history teaching, having worked as a History and Social Studies teacher educator for over a decade before moving into more senior ITE management positions. She chairs the Professional Programmes Forum at the University of York and sits on the University's Senate as an elected member. She also sits on the University's Apprenticeship Steering Group.

Claire's research interests are in history education; the beginner trainee's identity and its consequent influence on the teacher they then become; and models and types of mentoring. Her most recent chapter explores the types of mentors that exist in English schools, and how their strengths can be best harnessed to benefit as challenge trainees placed within ITE partnerships.