Physiotherapy

View key dates, information, documentation and contact support for this programme.

COVID-19 related placement absence - information for Physiotherapy student educators

If students need to miss placement hours due to government guidance on COVID-19 self-isolation related to a positive test, track and trace notification or known contact with someone who is symptomatic/tested positive, please see guidance below:

Students can be allocated a maximum of up to 25 hours of self-directed work at home during the placement (equivalent to one hour/day for a five week placement that can be completed at any time). They need to provide evidence of this work to their educators and it can include work such as clinical pattern sheets, written reflection, review of evidence, creation of problem lists and treatment plans, virtual interactions with you, and preparation for a presentation.
Educators will need to record the total number of hours for the placement on the CPA form (including those allocated for self-study).
It is not expected that these additional self-study hours will necessarily enable students to achieve the usual minimum requirement for hours (140), but will mitigate against loss of overall placement hours during the programme.
Where students have met the placement outcomes and passed a placement, but not met the minimum requirement for assessment (140 hours) due to COVID-related absence, they will not be required to re-sit the placement.
These recommendations do not apply to students who have other reasons for their absence; the ability to pass the placement when not meeting the minimum hours relates only to COVID absence. Where they have been absent for other reasons, the normal requirements remain in place and students will be required to re-sit the placement.

Please contact your allocated visiting tutor for the placement if you need further information/guidance.

Log in to ARC

Complete your timesheet in PoW (student placements on the web)

ARC PEP and Audit (practice environment profile)

Practice documentation

Documentation is regularly updated throughout the year so please use the documents below rather than the hard copies in student folders that may be out of date.

Continuous Practice Assessment (CPA) forms should be completed electronically, printed off and signed by the educator then given to the student to submit. It is advisable for both the educator and the student to keep a copy.

All years

Grading in Practice (placements 3a and 3b)

All physiotherapy practice educators need to complete the grading in practice quiz (see link below) successfully (all questions answered correctly) before they can support third year physiotherapy students. This is to ensure as much standardisation and rigour as possible, as the marks for placements 3a and 3b contribute towards the degree classification as part of the 15 credit Physiotherapy Practice module.

You can complete the quiz as many times as necessary until you get all answers correct but, as you get the full answers at the end of the first attempt, it is likely to be only twice.

All educators are encouraged to complete the assessment in line with best practice but it is only mandatory for those taking third year students. We get a record of all the completed attempts and you can print off evidence of successful completion for your CPD portfolio.

Take the grading in practice quiz.

First years only

Programme information

View programme information for Physiotherapy:

Physiotherapy placement leaflet (PDF): An overview of the Physiotherapy programme and learning outcomes

Educator training course materials

For all enquiries about Educator courses, please email hscpsl@uwe.ac.uk, also see information about the Practice Learning and Student Support professional course.

Information for supporting students

Placement documents

External resources

The following additional resources are available on the CSP (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy) website:

Clinical education placement guidelines (2003)
Supporting students on placement with a disability
Insurance cover for students on placement.
Students in a community placement and lone working
Code of Conduct for Chartered Physiotherapists
Guidance on Health and Good Character
Guidance on Conduct and Ethics
Information, support and guidance on Practice Education

Placement dates

Physiotherapy placement dates for all cohorts.

All placements can be in any speciality or setting despite being linked to a specific academic module.

Dates for re-sit/delayed placements are subject to availability (eg a similar speciality), so dates can only be confirmed nearer the time and may not be during the period stated.

Academic year 2020/21 (updated due to coronavirus disruption)

Monday 5 October to Friday 6 November 2020: Either placement 2c (second year) or placement 3a (third year) - some cohort 2018 students have been able to do a paid placement 2c, but most haven't.
Monday 16 November to Friday 18 December 2020: Placement one (delayed for cohort 2019)
Monday 4 January to Friday 5 February 2021: Placement 3a or 3b (third year/cohort 2018)
Tuesday 16 to Thursday 18 February 2021: Observation days (first year/cohort 2020)
Monday 22 February to Friday 26 March 2021: Placement 2a (second year/cohort 2019)
Monday 12 April to Friday 14 May 2021: Placement 1 (earlier than normal for cohort 2020 to fit in other placements/assessments)
Monday 17 May to Friday 18 June 2021: Placement 3b (third year) - for cohort 2018 students that need it, having not done a paid placement in June/July 2020
Monday 21 June to Friday 30 July 2021 (six weeks): Placement 2b (second year/cohort 2019). No placement 2c this year for cohort 2019 as will do two six-week placements the following year.
Trailing placements due to personal circumstances or resits (three to five weeks depending on need)

Academic year 2021/22

Monday 20 September to Friday 29 October 2021: Placement 3a (third year/cohort 2019)
Monday 8 November to Friday 17 December 2021: Placement 2a (second year/cohort 2020)
Monday 10 January to Friday 18 February 2022: Placement 3b (third year/cohort 2019)
Tuesday 1 to Thursday 3 March 2022: Observation days (first year/cohort 2021)
Monday 9 May to Friday 17 June 2022: Placement 2b (second year/cohort 2020)
Monday 20 June to Friday 22 July 2022: Placement 1 (first year/cohort 2021).
Trailing placements (delayed or resits, three to five weeks depending on situation): Anytime from end July to mid-September 2021, with third years prioritised where possible.