Stoke Primary School

Early Career Teacher Policy

Introduction

At Stoke Primary School we encourage the appointment of Early Career Teachers (ECTs) who are able to bring new and innovative ideas to our staff team.

This policy establishes the systems in place to support them in their two-year induction programme. We follow the Best Practice Network ECT programme and this policy should be read in conjunction with the statutory guidance on the DfE website. 

Aims

• To run a two year ECT programme that meets the statutory requirements outlined in the Early Career Framework (ECF) from 1^st September 2021.
• To provide our ECTs with a supportive induction programme which equips them with the tools to be an effective teacher.
• Make the role of all members of staff involved in the ECT process clear.

Newly qualified teacher (NQT) induction transitional arrangements

This policy applies to ECTs who start their induction on or after 1 September 2021.

NQTs who have started but not completed their induction before 1 September 2021 will continue to follow our NQT induction policy. They have until 1 September 2023 to complete their induction within 3 terms (a single academic year) as outlined in previous NQT induction guidance. Where possible, at the discretion of the headteacher and appropriate body, we will also provide them with:

• An ECF-based induction for the remainder of the NQT’s 1-year induction
• An induction mentor for the remainder of the NQT’s 1-year induction

If they don’t complete their induction by 1 September 2023, they will be required at this point to switch to the full ECT induction for the remainder of their induction period. Time already spent in induction will count towards the 2-year ECT induction period.

Legislation and statutory guidance

This policy is based on:

• The Department for Education’s (DfE’s) statutory guidance Induction for early career teachers (England) from 1 September 2021
• The Early career framework reforms
• The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (England) Regulations 2012

The ‘relevant standards’ referred to below are the Teachers’ Standards.

The ECT induction programme

The induction programme will be underpinned by the ECF, enabling ECTs to understand and apply the knowledge and skills set out in the ECF.

Prior to the ECT serving their induction, the headteacher and appropriate body must agree that the post is suitable.

For a full-time ECT, the induction period will typically last for 2 academic years. Part-time ECTs will serve a full-time equivalent. Up to one term of continuous employment may count towards completion of the induction period.

The programme is quality assured by Best Practice Network, our ‘appropriate body’.

Posts for induction

Each ECT will:

• Be provided with the necessary employment tasks, experience and support to enable them to demonstrate satisfactory performance against the relevant standards throughout, and by the end of, the induction period
• Have an appointed induction tutor, who will have qualified teacher status (QTS)
• Have an appointed induction mentor, who will have QTS
• Have a reduced timetable to allow them to undertake activities in their induction programme; in their first year, this will be no more than 90% of the timetable of our existing teachers on the main pay range, and in their second year, this will be no more than 95% of the timetable of our existing teachers on the main pay range
• Regularly teach the same class or classes
• Take part in similar planning, teaching and assessment processes to other teachers working in similar posts
• Not be given additional non-teaching responsibilities without appropriate preparation and support
• Not have unreasonable demands made upon them
• Not normally teach outside the age range and/or subjects they have been employed to teach
• Not be presented with unreasonably demanding pupil discipline problems on a day-to-day basis

Support for ECTs

We support ECTs with:

• Their designated induction tutor, who will provide day-to-day monitoring and support, and co-ordinate their assessments
• Their designated induction mentor, who will provide regular structured mentoring sessions and targeted feedback
• Observations of their teaching at regular intervals, and follow-up discussions with prompt and constructive feedback
• Regular professional reviews of their progress, to take place termly (except in terms where formal assessment is held), at which their induction tutor will review objectives and revise them in relation to the relevant standards and their current needs and strengths
• Chances to observe experienced teachers, either within the school or at another school with effective practice

Assessments of ECT performance

Formal assessment meetings will take place in the final term of the ECT’s first year (term 3) and the final term of their second year (term 6), and will be carried out by the headteacher or the ECT’s induction tutor.

These meetings will be informed by clear and transparent evidence gathered from progress reviews during the preceding assessment period, and drawn from the ECT’s work as a teacher and from their induction programme. Copies of the evidence relied on will be provided to the ECT and the appropriate body.

After each formal assessment meeting, a formal assessment report will be completed that clearly shows how the ECT is performing against the relevant standards. The headteacher will also recommend to the appropriate body in the final assessment report at the end of the programme as to whether the ECT’s performance is satisfactory against the relevant standards.

The ECT will add their own comments, and the formal assessment report will be signed by the headteacher, induction tutor and the ECT.

A copy of the formal assessment report will then be sent to the appropriate body. The final assessment report will be sent within 10 working days of the meeting, for the appropriate body to make the final decision on whether the ECT has passed their induction period.

In the event that the ECT leaves this post after completing one term or more but before the next formal assessment would take place, the induction tutor or headteacher should complete an interim assessment to ensure that the ECT’s progress and performance since the last assessment is captured.

At-risk procedures

If it becomes clear during a termly progress review or at the first formal assessment point that the ECT is not making sufficient progress, additional monitoring and support measures will be put in place immediately, meaning:

• Areas in which improvement is needed are identified
• Appropriate objectives are set to guide the ECT towards satisfactory performance against the relevant standards
• An effective support programme is put in place to help the ECT improve their performance

The progress review record or formal assessment report will be shared with the appropriate body, alongside the support plan, for it to review.

If there are concerns about the ECT’s progress during their subsequent progress reviews or formal assessment, as long as it is not the final formal assessment, the induction tutor or headteacher will discuss this with the ECT, updating objectives as necessary and revising the support plan for the next assessment period.

Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Role of the ECT

The ECT will:

• Provide evidence that they have QTS and are eligible to start induction
• Meet with their induction tutor at the start of the programme to discuss and agree priorities, and keep these under review
• Agree with their induction tutor how best to use their reduced timetable allowance and guarantee engagement with their ECF-based induction
• Provide evidence of their progress against the relevant standards
• Participate fully in the monitoring and development programme
• Participate in scheduled classroom observations, progress reviews and formal assessment meetings
• Agree with their induction tutor the start and end dates of the induction period, and the dates of any absences from work during the period
• Keep copies of all assessment reports

When the ECT has any concerns, they will:

• Raise these with their induction tutor as soon as they can
• Consult with their contact at the appropriate body at an early stage if there are difficulties in resolving issues with their induction tutor or within the school

Role of the headteacher

The headteacher will:

• Check that the ECT has been awarded QTS and whether they need to serve an induction period
• Agree, in advance of the ECT starting, who will act as the appropriate body
• Notify the appropriate body when an ECT is taking up a post and undertaking induction
• Make sure the ECT’s post is suitable according to statutory guidance (see section 4.1 above)
• Make sure the induction tutor is appropriately trained and has sufficient time to carry out their role effectively
• Make sure the induction mentor is appropriately trained and has sufficient time to carry out their role effectively
• Make sure an appropriate ECF-based induction programme is in place
• Make sure the ECT’s progress is reviewed regularly, including through observations and feedback of their teaching
• Make sure that formal assessments are carried out and reports completed and sent to the appropriate body
• Maintain and keep accurate records of employment that will count towards the induction period
• Make sure that all monitoring and record keeping is done in the least burdensome and most streamlined way
• Make the governing board aware of the support arrangements in place for the ECT
• Make a recommendation to the appropriate body on whether the ECT’s performance against the relevant standards is satisfactory
• Participate in the appropriate body’s quality assurance procedures of the induction programmes
• Keep all relevant documentation, evidence and forms on file for 6 years

Role of the induction tutor

The induction tutor will:

• Provide guidance and effective support to the ECT(with the appropriate body where necessary)
• Carry out regular progress reviews throughout the induction period
• Undertake 2 formal assessment meetings during the induction period, coordinating input from other colleagues as appropriate
• Carry out progress reviews in terms where a formal assessment doesn’t occur
• Inform the ECT following progress reviews of their progress against the relevant standards, and share records with the ECT, headteacher and relevant body
• Inform the ECT during the formal assessment meeting of the judgements to be recorded on their formal assessment record and invite the ECT to add their own comments
• Make sure that the ECT’s teaching is observed and feedback is provided
• Make sure the ECT is aware of how they can raise concerns about their induction programme or their personal progress, both within and outside of the school
• Take prompt, appropriate action if the ECT appears to be having difficulties
• Make sure that all monitoring and record keeping is done in the least burdensome way, and that ECTs are not asked for any evidence that requires the creation of new work

Role of the induction mentor

The induction mentor will:

• Regularly meet with the ECT for structured mentor sessions to provide targeted feedback
• Work with the ECT, and colleagues within the school who are involved in the ECT’s induction, to help make sure the ECT receives a high-quality ECF-based programme
• Provide, or arrange, effective support – including subject-specific, phase-specific, coaching and/or mentoring
• Act promptly and appropriately if the ECT appears to be having difficulties

Role of the governing board

The governing board will:

• Make sure the school complies with statutory guidance on ECT induction
• Be satisfied that the school has the capacity to support the ECT
• Make sure the headteacher is fulfilling their responsibility to meet the requirements of a suitable induction post
• Investigate concerns raised by the ECT as part of the school’s grievance procedures
• If it has any concerns or questions, seek guidance from the appropriate body on the quality of the induction arrangements and the roles and responsibilities of staff involved in the process
• If it wishes, request general reports on the progress of the ECT on a termly basis

Monitoring arrangements

This policy will be reviewed annually by the headteacher. At every review, it will be approved by the full governing board.

Supporting documentation

• Teaching and Learning Policy
• Pay policy
• Feedback Policy