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L'APPLE Courses - 2025–2026

This section contains information which will be of interest to Practice Placement Educators (PPEs). We hope the information on this page will be useful to you.

Whilst there is no HCPC requirement for practice educators to be approved, we encourage this as good practice as it improves the experience of the student and the educator and is an important part of the quality assurance of placement learning.  

Things have changed

APPLE Accreditation for Occupational Therapy Practice Educators does not exist as it once did, and as of 31st August 2020 has ceased being managed by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT).

It is now L'APPLE - approval for Occupational Therapy Practice Educators.

The course is a collaboration between the four universities (HEIs) in the Trent region. It allows participants to begin the process of becoming approved to take students from any of these four HEIs (i.e. Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, Nottingham Trent University, University of Derby, and University of Lincoln).

The word approved has been presented in bold to indicate that the course does not attract academic credit and is not ratified formally by the participating HEIs.

L'APPLE Courses 2025–2026

For new educators:

The course training will now be hosted by Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, The Universities of Lincoln, Derby and Nottingham Trent University. There is a choice between a face-to-face or online version of the course. Prior to attendance at the course an e-learning course must also be completed, details will be sent after you are offered a place:

• 9th September 2025 (face-to-face) 9:30 registration for a 10am start, the course finishes at 2pm – Lincoln contact: OTPractice@lincoln.ac.uk
• Thursday 6^th November (online) 9am – 12.30pm OR Thursday 20^th November 1pm – 4.30pm – Derby contact: lapple@derby.ac.uk
• 27^th January 2026 (face-to-face) 9:30 registration for a 10am start, the course finishes at 2pm  – Sheffield Hallam contact: ahptraining@shu.ac.uk
• 11th May 2026 (face-to-face) 9:30 registration for a 10am start, the course finishes at 2pm  – Nottingham Trent contact: IHAPOTPlacements@ntu.ac.uk

The process for new educators to sign up for L'Apple training will remain the same.  Please contact the placement team at one of the three host universities via email to express interest as follows:

1. University of Derby - lapple@derby.ac.uk
2. Ï㽶ÊÓƵ - ahptraining@shu.ac.uk
3. University of Lincoln - OTPractice@lincoln.ac.uk
4. Nottingham Trent University - IHAPOTPlacements@ntu.ac.uk

For existing educators requiring an update:

The five-year revalidation requirement has been removed and existing educators will not need to repeat the initial L'Apple training.

Additionally, the Viva process will also be removed for both new and existing educators.

We will instead be offering placement briefings and practice education related CPD events across the three universities across the year (details to follow) and would encourage educators to attend these as a means of maintaining up to date knowledge and skills in practice education.  Responsibility for the monitoring of this will pass to individuals as part of meeting personal CPD and HCPC requirements and you are encouraged to regularly offer student placement opportunities to maintain your competence in practice education.

Details of Ï㽶ÊÓƵ CPD events will be posted here on this webpage and local updates will be offered by link tutors.

Practice Educator Updates and Opportunities to Become a Long Arm Practice Educator

It is important to keep updated as a practice placement educator. Here at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ we encourage our practice placement educators to complete an update annually.  At Ï㽶ÊÓƵ we provide update opportunities in a range of ways.

Updates

The following Core areas must be included in all Practice Educator updates:

• HCPC professional standards, including new
• Overview of the students' university programme
• Assessment process that occurs in practice
• Process to follow when a student is failing to progress
• How to access placement learning information websites for key information and SHU contacts
• How to access placement learning information websites for key information about support available to Mentors/Practice Educators/Supervisors in their role in supporting the students
• Where SHU placement learning policies are housed on the SHU placement learning information websites
• Processes for escalation of concerns, and the essential need for the practice based learning placement provider to communicate with the university about any incidents or accidents or concerns

Many Trusts offer practice placement educator meetings anywhere between twice yearly and quarterly.  These meetings allow a two-way discussion between practice placement educators and the visiting tutor around Practice Based Learning.  Often the visiting tutor will update practice placement educators on aspects of the curriculum, issues arising from the evaluation process or update on general issues arising such as supporting students with learning contracts.  If you are unsure if your Trust already offers these, or would like to arrange something, please contact your Placement Coordinator.  Further support and CPD opportunities are available from Ï㽶ÊÓƵ.

Workshops for existing educators

Please email ahptraining@shu.ac.uk to register for online workshops, which will be hosted on MS teams. Direct links have also been provided via our placement newsletter, which you can receive a copy of by contacting your placement coordinator.

• 16th September 12-1pm Educator update. This is for educators who have not been able to attend an update with their employer due to absence, or who work for a private provider.
• 16th October 3-4pm Leadership placements
• 5th November 12-1pm Understanding student’s learning needs
• 2nd December 3-4pm Long-arm supervision. For current and interested long-arm supervisors.
• 7th January 12-1pm Educator update. This is for educators who have not been able to attend an update with their employer due to absence, or who work for a private provider.
• 12th February 12-1pm Leadership placements
• 21st April 3-4pm Understanding student’s learning needs
• 21st May 3-4pm Educator update. This is for educators who have not been able to attend an update with their employer due to absence, or who work for a private provider.
• 1st July 12-1pm Long-arm supervision. For current and interested long-arm supervisors.

Given the high attendance at placement paperwork drop ins during the last academic year, we are going to continue to offer this during 2025-26. These are drop-in sessions for any educator to come and speak to a member of the placement team about any questions. running this academic year via MS Teams. Direct links have been provided in our newsletter, or if you need these please email ahptraining@shu.ac.uk

• Practice Experience 2 (MSc) 08.09.25–24.10.25 - Thursday 11th September 2025 12-1pm
• Practice Experience 2 (MSc) 22.09.25–28.11.25 - Thursday 25th September 2025 12-1pm
• Practice-Based Learning 2 (BSc) 20.11.25–19.12.25 - Thursday 13th November 2025 12-1pm
• Practice-Based Learning 3 (BSc) 05.01.26–13.02.26 - Thursday 8th January 2026 12-1pm
• Practice Experience 3 (MSc) 02.03.26–17.04.26 - Thursday 5th March 2026 12-1pm
• Practice-Based Learning 1 (BSc) Part B (after campus placement) 16.03.26-10.04.26 - Thursday 19th March 2026 12-1pm
• Practice Experience 1 (MSc) Part B (after campus placement) 20.04.26–15.05.26 - Thursday 23rd April 2026 12-1pm
• Practice-Based Learning 4 (BSc) 04.05.26 – 17.07.26 - Thursday 7th May 2026 12-1pm
• Practice Experience 4 (MSc) 13.07.26 – 11.09.26 - Thursday 16th July 2026 12-1pm

Degree Apprenticeship - resources to support the role of the Work Based Mentor

- this site contains resources designed to support the role of the Work Based Mentor who is supporting students on the Degree Apprenticeship route.

Degree Apprenticeship Educator Workshops:

Workshops are open to educators supporting either our North-West, Sheffield or Derbyshire learners. They are positioning approximately 3 weeks in advance of each placement block. These are an opportunity to hear about the required learning outcomes for our apprentices, and to discuss paperwork and processes. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of each session.

The new workshops will be on the following dates:

OT DA Placement Dates and Educator Training 2025 (PDF, 106.5KB)

If you are unsure which placement block your learner is completing please contact ahpplacements@shu.ac.uk