Occupational Therapy

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

General information

This information specifically relates to the full-time Occupational Therapy Degree programme. If you are supporting an Occupational Therapy Apprentice on the Apprenticeship programme please visit our Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship information.

Practice Educator briefings

The Practice Educator briefings will equip practice educators to support students on placements. As a minimum requirement, all practice educators are expected to attend a briefing prior to taking a student.

Briefing dates for 2024/25 are as follows:

  • Tuesday 10 September 2024, 09:00–12:00
  • Wednesday 8 January 2025, 13:00–16:00
  • Tuesday 29 April 2025, 09:00–12:00

Practice Educator briefing booking form

For all enquiries about educator training sessions, please email hscpsl@uwe.ac.uk.

Also see information about the Practice Learning and Student Support professional course and find out more about supporting, supervising and assessing students in practice.

Curriculum 2021 for new first years

The Occupational Therapy programme was successfully reapproved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) in 2021. As a result, first years starting in September 2021 will be on a new curriculum 2021 whilst our second and third years will continue on curriculum 2015. There have been some changes to placement procedures and paper work so do ensure you know which curriculum your student is on to ensure you use the correct paper work.

Placement dates

Academic year 2024/25

  • Monday 23 September to Friday 6 December 2024
    Cohort 2022 are on Occupational Therapy Practice 3 (OTP3) for 11 weeks.
  • Monday 20 January to Friday 28 March 2025
    Cohort 2023 are on Occupational Therapy Practice 2 (OTP2) for 10 weeks.
  • Tuesday 6 May to Friday 4 July 2025
    Cohort 2024 are on Occupational Therapy Practice 1 (OTP1) for 9 weeks.

Practice Placement Office

Georgina Everett from the Practice Placement Office oversees placement offers and allocations. She will contact your local placement coordinators regularly to request placement offers. Alternatively, if you are able to offer a placement for any of the dates listed above then please email Georgina at ppoallocations@uwe.ac.uk

Absence reporting whilst on placement

If a student is unable to attend their placement as planned, they should call the Absence Reporting Line on +44 (0)117 32 83283 and leave a message. The call will not be returned but the absence will be noted. Students should also contact their practice educator to advise them of absence in a manner appropriate for the particular placement.

Guidance for students with neurodiversity and specific learning differences

Neurodiversity is a term that applies to all those with neurological difference such as those with specific learning differences (SpLD). SpLD is an umbrella term for dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Advice for students and practice educators about managing dyslexia and other specific learning differences whilst on practice placement can be found within our Guidance for students with specific learning differences (DOC).

Practice documentation

Key documents

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.

Curriculum 2021 (cohorts 2021 onwards)

Templates and exemplars for 2021 curriculum

Certificate of Excellence

If you feel your student has excelled in three or more areas of the placement competencies, you can nominate them for a certificate of excellence. To nominate your student, complete the nomination form below, providing specific examples of how the student has excelled against three or more of the placement competencies. The deadline to submit your nomination is two weeks after the end of the placement.

Curriculum 2015 (cohort 2020 - third years)

Templates and exemplars for 2015 curriculum

Other information

Programme information

UWE Bristol and NHS Our Pledge

The School of Health and Social Wellbeing have worked collaboratively with our NHS partners to establish six pillars of support for our black, Asian and minority ethnic healthcare student communities. This is a project funded by Health Education England to work collaboratively with practice partners, including the voices of the Black and Minority Ethnic community of students in improving their experiences in higher education, including practice, reducing the awarding gap and racism they face in practice. This is our pledge to visibly unite in the fight against racism.

Programme support

Placement liaison information

Each placement area will have an allocated link from the academic placement team, called an Academic in Practice, for effective communication and support. We aim to meet each placement provider annually to discuss programme and practice developments, placement-related information and feedback, review audit information complete practice educator training and placement development actions.

All audits and placement environment profiles are available online via UWE's ACR/PEP system. If you have questions or issues to discuss, do contact your Academic in Practice. If you are unsure who the link person for your area is, please contact Karen Cook or Melloney Johnson. 

If you have any queries or questions about the Occupational Therapy programme or require support, please contact your Academic in Practice in the first instance. 

Programme placement team

Karen Cook

Melloney Johnson

Lydia Parfit

Jo Karas

Becky Barnes

Laura Quick

Bob Clawley

Emmanuel Otoo

Sharné Botes

Hazel Cottle

Placement team

Supervision and assessment

Find out more about supporting, supervising and assessing students in practice.

You may also be interested in

Staff members meeting in an office.

Professional practice support contacts

Key contacts for professional practice placements at UWE Bristol.

Uniformed students using radiotherapy equipment.

Health professional development

Explore our range of professional short courses in health. Find out about funded opportunities, industry-specific courses and bespoke training.