FAQ

  • What additional DfE funding is available in the 2025-26 academic year?

    Schools can claim up to a maximum of 16 hours for initial training (New UoM mentors) and 6 hours for refresher training (experienced mentors) from the DfE (SE1 and SE2 only). Please download our 'Mentor Curriculum overview' infographic for a breakdown of hours.

  • How are we defining a ‘New UoM mentor’?

    A ‘New UoM mentor’ has either never had a trainee before, are new to mentoring with the University of Manchester (UoM) or have not mentored a trainee in the last 3 academic years.

  • Who should complete ‘Course A’?

    ONLY ‘New UoM mentors’ are required to complete course A, which will be accessed as part of our SE1/SE2 training afternoon (additional 1.5 hours). Experienced mentors are welcome to access this course but will not be able to claim additional funding from the DfE.

  • Do I need to complete all self-study courses (B/C/D/E)?

    We strongly recommend that our New UoM mentors engage with all study courses (up to 8.5 hours) so your school can claim additional DfE funding. The courses are designed to be manageable, bitesize and helpful to all mentors, so we think they are worth engaging with! Experienced mentors are welcome to access these courses but will not be able to claim additional funding from the DfE.

  • What if I have already mentored a trainee from another provider in the same academic year?

    We have worked with many local providers to make the majority of our courses B-E passportable, reducing the requirement for you to duplicate training in the same year. However, attendance at our mentor training session (SE1/SE2) and course A (for new mentors) are our specific training, so you would need to engage with this. The additional time spent with our lead mentor (university-based staff) whilst you have your trainee also forms part of mentor training (see infographic on 'Mentor Curriculum overview'), so can be claimed by the school.

  • How can our school claim for the additional funding from the DfE?

    Please keep a copy of all certificates as you complete our courses. Further information regarding grant funding is available directly from the DfE, accessed via https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68cacba92fe4b313286c9ffd/Conditions_of_grant_general_mentor_training_grant.pdf (general mentor grant).

  • I have just completed a course. How do I download my certificate?

    All certificates are safely stored in your 'My Account' area of Thinkific. 1) Sign in to Thinkific using your login details. 2) From the drop-down menu (top-right), select ‘My Account’. 3) Select the ‘Certificates’ tab (left-hand menu).