This page explains the responsibilities of an educational supervisor, how the role differs from that of a clinical supervisor, and the principles of longitudinal supervision. You'll also find guidance on managing ePortfolio, links to useful resources and information about our free virtual roadshows designed specifically for educational supervisors.
About the role, longitudinal supervision and meetings
- Definining the educational supervisor
The General Medical Council (GMC) defines an educational supervisor (ES) as "a trainer who is selected and appropriately trained to be responsible for the overall supervision and management of a specified trainee’s educational progress during a clinical training placement or series of placements." The ES is responsible for the trainee's Educational Agreement.
The GMC publishes information about trainers on the medical register, including doctors who have been recognised as named postgraduate clinical supervisor and names postgraduate educational supervisor.
The Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans of the United Kingdom (COPMeD) has created overarching principles to promote an excellent, supportive offer to trainees particularly in the final years of training. COPMeD expects the principles to underpin a strong, ongoing supportive approach for trainees in the longer term. We recommend all supervisors adhere to the principles which can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
Doctors who hold either of these roles have a note on the medical register entry to says, "This doctor is a trainer recognised by the GMC".
- Differences between educational supervisors and clinical supervisors
To continue to be recognised as a supervisor, trainers will be required to document evidence from the GMC's standards, which are listed below.
Standards Clinical Supervisor role? Educational Supervisor role? 1. Ensuring safe and effective patient care Yes Yes 2. Establishing and maintaining an environment for learning Yes Yes 3. Teaching and facilitating learning Yes Yes 4. Enhancing learning through assessment Yes Yes 5. Supporting and monitoring educational progress No Yes 6. Guiding personal and professional development No Yes 7. Continuing professional development as an educator Yes Yes - About longitudinal supervision
We set out 11 principles for high-quality paediatric training in Paediatrician of the Future, and Principle 8 is that educational supervision is of high quality and provides consistency. Longitudinal supervision is therefore ideal; it allows for longer-term support, on career planning and developmental goals. Where possible, trainees should have the same ES throughout core training and a consistent ES through sub-specialty training.
For some schools, longitudinal supervision has been working well for many years, and so likely have practices in place that don’t need to change. For other schools, longitudinal supervision is new and will take some time to get used to. There are some differences in the role of the ES and CS depending on a trainee's posts and requirements.
Read and watch one trainee's rewarding experience of longitudinal supervision
- Suggested frequency and content of supervision meetings
The below summary shows show the different meeting requirements of a CS and ES across a six-month training post, along with suggested discussion topics.
Please be aware that this may differ for trainees who are staying in clinical posts for a longer timeframe and across some local paediatric schools. If you have any questions regarding supervision meeting requirements, please discuss this at a local level with your College Tutor or TPD.
Clinical Supervisor meetings Educational Supervisor meetings Start of post Induction Meeting
- Trainee led Clinical Supervisor induction meeting
- Discussion around clinical post
- Aims in the post
- Supporting practical aspects in the post
Induction Meeting
- Trainee led ES induction meeting
- Start of new placement
- Review of PDP
- Curriculum/ logs
- Career Development
- Trainer reports/ ARCP outcomes
- Review any trainee support/ adaptations
3 Months Mid-point Review
(To be completed before ES mid-point review)
- Trainee-led mid-point meeting
- Assess how they are settling into the department
- Any clinical concerns/issues
- Gather information from colleagues
- Feed into ES Report
Mid-point Review
(To be completed after CS mid-point review)
- Trainee led mid-point meeting
- Catch up to assess progress in developmental logs, assessments and curriculum
- Progress with PDPs
- Check clinical progress via CS Report
6 Months End of Placement
(To be completed before ES end of placement meeting)
- Trainee led Clinical Supervisor Trainer Report (required before ES report)
- Review of clinical progress
- Any ongoing requirements
- Gather information from colleagues
End of Placement
(To be completed after CS end of placement meeting)
- Trainee led ESTR if needed for ARCP, otherwise placement reflection discussion (not for ARCP)
- Review CS Report
- Review of progress including review of curriculum/PDP
- Requirements for the next post
- Thinking about the next PDP
- RCPCH ePortfolio
RCPCH ePortfolio is on the Risr/advance platform (formerly Kaizen). It's the online tool for you and your trainees to review activities and monitor progress through the curriculum and stores everything trainees do in their timeline.
Before we add someone to RCPCH ePortfolio as an educational supervisor, they will need to meet these requirements:
- Be on the General Medical Council (GMC) specialist register1 OR have approved recognised trainer status on the GMC List of Registered Medical Practitioners (LRMP)
AND - Be working in the UK
- Be on the General Medical Council (GMC) specialist register1 OR have approved recognised trainer status on the GMC List of Registered Medical Practitioners (LRMP)
Online roadshows 2026-27
We deliver three ES virtual roadshows each year. We invite all ESs to join these free events, which feature speakers and cover varied aspects of your role.
- Autumn: Tuesday 8 September 2026, 14:00-16:00
- How to assess evidence as a supervisor within the curriculum (Dr Lizzie Starkey)
- Supporting PGDiT applying to sub-specialty: updates for Educational Supervisors (Eloise Rodgers)
- Differential attainment and supporting IMGs (Dr Vasanta Nanduri)
- Spring: Tuesday 23 February 2027, 14:00-16:00
- Programme content TBC
- Summer: Wednesday 9 June 2027, 14:00-16:00
- Programme content TBC
- Autumn: Thursday 16 September 2027, 14:00-16:00
- Programme content TBC
See resources from past roadshows on RCPCH Learning
Resources on supporting training
- Courses
We offer our Effective Educational Supervision course throughout the year.
- Capability-based progression
The Progress+ training curriculum is based on trainees meeting capabilities, rather than being time-based. Dr Cathryn Chadwick, then VP for Training and Assessment, wrote guidance for trainees, supervisors and Heads of School to outline when progression through the next gateway of training is appropriate.
- Preparing for ARCPs
Our guidance, Preparing for ARCPs with RCPCH Progress+: Judging achievement of Learning Outcomes to support progression decisions - A practical guide for Trainees, Supervisors and ARCP panels, helps you establish what progress trainees are making towards achieving their capabilities in preparation for their ARCP (Annual Review of Competence of Progression.
This can be helpful in identifying potential learning gaps and development areas and can support you in framing progression conversations with trainees.
- Pregnancy loss and fertility issues in the workplace
We offer advice and support for those people in the workplace experiencing pregnancy loss and/or fertility issues as well as advice and guidance for their supervisors and managers about how to support them. (This has also been published by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.)
See pregnancy loss and fertility issues guidance and related resources
- Supporting LTFT trainees
We provide statutory and RCPCH guidance for supporting less than full time trainings, including contacts for LTFT trainees.
- Supporting neurodiversity
Our guidance highlights how to support neurodivergent individuals and leverage their strengths to create a neuro-inclusive and equitable environment.
- Thrive Paediatrics resource hub
Our Thrive Paediatrics programme aims to help members create positive change at work. Our resource hub offers evidence, examples of good practice and stories from paediatricians' lived experience to help you improve both your own wellbeing and that of your colleagues.
See Thrive resource hub on RCPCH Learning (for members only)
- Tips on improving feedback
- Focus on specific tasks (eg gathering patient history) to provide immediate, actionable feedback.
- Re-examine learning approaches and modify strategies for broader application (eg improving history-taking across various cases).
- Sequence and link feedback episodes to support longitudinal development.
- Clarify expected standards for performance and encourage self-assessment and peer feedback.
- Create a safe space where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.
- Foster a growth mindset and build trusting teacher-learner relationships.
- Use templates like Ask-Tell-Ask-Add or SCORE (Strengths, Challenges, Options, Responses, Effectiveness analysis) for feedback discussions.
- Incorporate R2C2 (Rapport, Reactions, Content, Coach) to engage learners in reflective feedback.
- Encourage learners to reflect on feedback, identify themes, and create SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) action plans.
Supporting with the sub-specialty recruitment process
As an Educational Supervisor (ES), you should be discussing career options and aspirations with your Post Graduate Doctors in Training (PGDiTs) on a regular basis. Ideally this should be at least annually, (ideally around ARCP time) from ST2 onwards, so they will be suitably prepared for transition to Specialty Training in ST5-ST7 and any sub-specialty applications they may make.
- Confirmation of Eligibility (CoE)
For PGDiTs planning to apply in the autumn, discussions should begin by April of that year, if not before. If you are both in agreement that a sub-specialty application is appropriate to realise their career goals and that it is the right time for them to apply, you will need to support them with completing their Confirmation of Eligibility (CoE) form on Risr (ePortfolio).
For a PGDiT to be able to apply, their ES needs to confirm that they meet the minimum requirements in five training areas, by discussing and verifying their examples and subsequently filling out section 2 of the Risr CoE form.
- Sub-specialty guidance
Our Medical Workforc and Recruitment Team have collated some helpful guidance to assist you, in your role as an Educational Supervisor to support trainees with the sub-specialty recruitment process. The guidance focuses on discussing trainees’ suitability to apply for sub-specialty training and provides additional guidance for filling out the Confirmation of Eligibility form. Please refer to the downloads section below.
Download RCPCH sub-specialty guidance for educational supervisors
- 1This does not necessarily have to be in Paediatrics - the decision to appoint a supervisor is a local decision outside of the remit of the RCPCH. See https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/the-medical-register/…