Education

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Placement Attendance

Your placement should be your top priority. You’re training to enter a professional role, so it’s important to manage any personal commitments in a way that doesn’t affect your attendance or performance.

Before your placement starts, make sure to:

• • Contact your school/setting to confirm the dress code, start and finish times, and any other important details (your Cohort Leader will guide you on this).
  • Arrive at least 30 minutes before the school day begins.
  • Stay until at least 4:30pm, unless you’ve agreed otherwise with your placement setting.

If you're on placement in London, you’ll need to arrive 60 minutes before the school day starts.

 

Reporting Absence from Placement

If you're unwell and can't attend your placement, you (or someone on your behalf if you're too ill) must do the following on the first day of illness:

1. Call your placement school at least 30 minutes before the school day starts to let them know you won’t be in and when you expect to return.

2. Report your absence via the Student Hub:

• • Go to the My Student Details tile in the Systems section.
  • Use the Self Certification tab to log your absence before 9:00am, if possible.

3. Also inform the following people if needed:

• • Anyone helping with your transport (or if you're giving someone else a lift), including taxi firms.
  • The Placements Team, if they arranged transport for you.
  • Your University Lead Mentor (ULM/UPT), they may be planning to visit you that day. You can find their name on your InPlace account.

(Only available to Primary QTS students during the Extending Placement Phase.)

The University offers student teachers the chance to do placements further afield across the British Isles, giving you a wider range of experiences. These placements are available through an application process.

However, there are some rules we need to follow. The University must make sure that placements meet the Department for Education (DfE) requirements. These say that your practical teaching experience must happen mainly in England, or in schools run by Service Children’s Education.

Because of this, you can only do one placement outside England during your course.

Learning in Harmony Trust

If you're a North West student and successfully complete your developing placement, you may have the chance to do your extending placement with the Learning in Harmony Trust, subject to a selection process.

This opportunity is ideal for students who are:

• • Proactive and self-motivated
  • Comfortable working with pupils from diverse backgrounds

What to expect:

• • Briefings will be held on both Carlisle and Lancaster campuses early in Semester 1.
  • Interested students will be invited to submit an application of interest.
  • Interviews will take place during the first half of Semester 2.

Northern Ireland Placements

Only primary education students with a home address in Ireland or Northern Ireland can choose to do a placement there. If you take up this option, you’re expected to live at your home address during the placement. More info for primary undergraduate students is available here: Northern Ireland Distant Placement Undergrad Information.

Travel and Accommodation Arrangements

If you're offered a distant placement, you'll need to be proactive and self-motivated in arranging and paying for your own travel and accommodation.

If your placement is more than 90 minutes away, the Institute may, in exceptional circumstances, contribute to the cost of accommodation.

If the University agrees to provide accommodation:

• • You’ll be asked to find suitable accommodation costing up to £50 per night. The University will book and pay for it directly (it must accept credit card payments).
  • If you can’t find anything within the £50 limit, contact the Placements Team for advice.
  • You’ll need to complete an Accommodation Request Form.

The University also offers short-term lets in its own accommodation. This is a good option for PGCE students, especially those from North West England or Northern Ireland, based on typical placement locations.

If you need accommodation, email the Placements Team at educationplacements@cumbria.ac.uk at least two weeks before your placement starts. Include details of the travel options you’ve looked into and ask for help.

Important information:

• • All accommodation must be agreed with the Placements Team.
  • You may be asked to pay a security deposit while staying in temporary accommodation.
  • If accommodation is provided, you can only claim travel costs from the accommodation to your placement, not for meals or other extras.
  • You’ll still need to pay for your usual accommodation (e.g. university accommodation, rent either at home or away).
  • If you’re staying with family or friends during your placement, you won’t be eligible for accommodation support.

Students may be expected to travel up to 90 minutes (one way) to reach their placement.

This travel time is calculated from either your home address or your campus, whichever is closer to the placement location. The journey time will be checked using an approved online route planner.

Car journeys - Google Maps

Public transport - Traveline

 

University Support with Travelling to Placement

If you're studying on an undergraduate Education programme, you might be able to get help with travel costs during your placement. Please note: this support does not apply to students doing re-sits or placements in Northern Ireland.

You're responsible for arranging your own travel to and from your placement. In some cases, the University of Cumbria may be able to provide transport if it is more cost-effective.

• Taxi fares won't be reimbursed.
• You'll need to choose the most affordable travel option. For example, weekly or monthly bus/train passes often come with discounts.

When transport is provided by the University the following conditions apply:

• Pick-up and drop-off will be from the campus where you're studying.
• If you need to change or cancel your transport, please let the Placement Team know at least 5 working days in advance (note: weekends do not count as working days).
• If you choose not to use the transport provided, you will not be able to claim money back for travel costs.
• If you make your own travel plans without telling the Placement Team, and we've already booked something for you, you may need to cover those costs.

 

Travel Claim Forms

If you’re an eligible Education student, you'll need to fill out a Travel Claim Form to get help with travel costs.

You can choose to claim:

• Weekly
• Every two weeks
• Monthly
• Or after your placement ends

All travel claims for the academic year must be submitted within one month of finishing your placement.

First-time claimants or anyone who has changed their bank details since their last claim must also complete a Student Bank Details Form. You'll find instructions on how to submit it on the Student Finance page.

 

Public Transport Claims Guide

If you're eligible, you can claim back the cost of public transport for travel to and from your placement school.

To do this:

1. Fill out the travel claim form.
2. Scan and email all your travel tickets to educationplacements@cumbria.ac.uk.
3. Please organise your tickets by date before scanning.
4. If you have lots of tickets, it is best to put them all into one document (like a Word file) to make things easier.
5. Make sure the dates and prices on your tickets match what you have put in your claim form, this helps avoid delays.

 

For students based at the London campus:

1. You will need to create or use a Transport for London (TfL) Contactless and Oyster account to show proof of your journeys.
2. If you already have a railcard, link it to your Oyster card to save 1/3 on fares.
3. You can also apply for an 18+ Oyster Photocard for extra savings on travelcards.

When claiming for travel paid by contactless or Oyster card, please include a printout of your journey history showing your travel to and from placement.

Using a Personal Car for Placement Travel

If you're driving your own car to your placement, you're responsible for making sure your vehicle is:

Properly insured for placement travel

• Has a valid MOT
• Has up-to-date road tax
• You hold a valid driving licence

To claim travel expenses, you must complete the Student Insurance and MOT Check Form. A new form is needed each academic year.

The University may carry out random checks on student documents. If you're selected, you'll be contacted and asked to send your documents to the Placements Team. You will have 30 days to respond, if you do not, your travel expenses may be withheld.

 

Using a Hire Car for Placement Travel

In some cases, if there is no reasonable way for you to get to your placement, the University may cover the cost of a hire car through Enterprise Rent-a-Car. This is decided case-by-case by your Institute.

To be eligible, you must:

• Be 18 or older at the start of the hire period
• Have a full driving licence
• You can still use a hire car if you have points on your licence, unless you are currently banned from driving

If approved:

• The University will pay for the hire car for the agreed placement period
• You must be willing to share the car with other named students

The Placements Team will book the car for you and you will get an email with the details. You must return the car to the same Enterprise depot you collected it from - unless you have been given permission to return it elsewhere. If you do not follow this, you may have to pay a fee.

While using the hire car, please follow all traffic rules:

• No speeding
• Park legally
• Do not drive in bus lanes or restricted areas

If you get any fines (e.g. parking or traffic violations), you will need to pay them yourself, including any admin fees. You will be notified by email, and your programme team or Personal Tutor will be copied in.

Mileage Claim Guidelines

Please see the table below for eligibility to claim. Match your student residence (term time address) with the address your placement travel is based from (i.e. where you are staying for placement), to see what expenses you can claim outlined in the last column.

Student residence (term time address)	Placement based on travel from this address	Expenses that can be claimed
On campus / address local to campus	Campus / address local to campus	Mileage from campus to school
On campus / address local to campus	Home Address	Mileage from home address to school
Home Address	Campus or Home address	Mileage from home address to school minus mileage from home to campus

 

Details of the amounts that can be claimed are:

Student's Own Car	Hire Cars (where the driver is in receipt of a bursary)
Driver only - 35 pence per mile Driver plus one passenger - 55 pence per mile Driver plus two passengers - 60 pence per mile Driver plus three passengers - 65 pence per mile	Driver only - No contribution from the University Driver plus one passenger - 20 pence per mile Driver plus two passengers - 25 pence per mile Driver plus three passengers - 30 pence per mile

Any student giving a lift to another student can claim mileage from the passengers pick up point to school at the hire car plus passenger rate of 20p for any journeys ineligible under the travel claim guide. Students must have the prior approval of the Placement Team to claim this funding.

Passengers cannot claim for travel costs.

Fines
You’re responsible for paying any motoring fines (e.g. speeding, parking, bus lane violations). Fines usually range from £60–£85 You’ll get an invoice from the University if a fine is issued Your programme team or Personal Tutor will be copied in for awareness

Breakdown and Accident Information

If your hire car breaks down: Call 0330 053 0405 straight away.

If you're involved in an accident or the car is damaged: Please follow these steps:

1. Don’t admit fault at the scene (e.g. avoid saying “it was my fault”).

2. Check the damage and make sure everyone is safe.

3. Call the Placements Team as soon as it’s safe: 01228 279 289.

4. Contact Enterprise Rent-a-Car (use the branch number on your rental contract or call 0345 600 5923).

5. Report the accident to our insurance provider:

• • Call Zurich Municipal Claims Line: 0800 055 6767
  • Quote certificate number: NHE-08CA08-0013-52
  • Say you’re a University of Cumbria student

Or report online: Zurich Motor Claims

• • Use Roadside Reporting for quick reports
  • Use Detailed Reporting if you need more time to explain

6. Complete the Accident Report Form and email it within 48 hours to: incidentreporting@cumbria.ac.uk and placements@cumbria.ac.uk

If the damage isn’t covered by a third party, you may be charged up to £1000 (the insurance excess).

Important Tips:

• Take photos of the car when you collect and return it.
• If you notice any scratches or marks when collecting the car, make sure they’re recorded and photographed.
• If damage is reported, you’ll be asked to provide photo evidence.

Using the Hire Car:

• You’re covered by University insurance for placement travel and limited personal use (e.g. going to the supermarket).
• Do not use the car for paid work travel.
• If damage occurs, you’ll need to confirm whether it happened during placement or personal use.

 

Travel Claims FAQs

1. Am I eligible to claim?

If you're on an Undergraduate Programme, you might be able to get help with travel and subsistence costs during your placement. Please note: this doesn’t apply if you're doing a re-sit placement or a placement in Northern Ireland.

 

2. How and when are claims paid?

All claims are paid by BACS to nominated accounts; students should register their bank details prior to submitting their first claim. To register bank details, students must complete a bank details form and send it to the University’s Accounts Payable Team at studentbank@cumbria.ac.uk Claims will be paid into nominated bank accounts on a Friday. Although the Placements Team endeavours to pay all claims within 2 weeks of submission, at peak times such as the end of placement, Public and Christmas breaks payments can be delayed. If payment dates fall on a Bank Holiday, payment will reach accounts the following working day.

 

3. When can I claim?

Students can claim weekly, bi-weekly or at the end of placement, but always within one month of their assessed placement completing and no later than Friday 24th July, 2026.

 

4. Where do I submit my Travel Claim Form?

All claims are to be submitted in electronic format (Travel Claim Form) directly to the Placements team. We are unable to accept documentation submitted in hard copy. On submission, students will receive an automated email confirming receipt to their UoC email account. Please do not send claim form(s) directly to the University finance department as this significantly increases the amount of time it takes to process and reimburse the claim.

 

5. I am having trouble completing my claim form, who do I contact?

The Travel Claim Form is designed to work on most devices including mobile and tablet. Should you encounter any problems, further guidance can be obtained by contacting the Placements Team on educationplacements@cumbria.ac.uk

 

6. I have lost one of my tickets for public transport, can I still claim?

The Placement Team are unable to accept any claim without the relevant evidence.