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ECT Frequently asked questions
ECT Year 1
1. What is the ECT Programme?
The Early Career Teachers (ECT) programme draws on the content set out in the DfE’s Early Career Framework. The two-year programme acts as an induction for new teachers and helps them to build expertise in effective teaching and learning practices.
The programme is built upon evidence of how we learn new knowledge and skills including:
• Key learning broken down into small, manageable chunks
• Clear modelling of effective practice
• Multiple opportunities to return to key learning
• Practice and feedback
This is built into the three main components of the programme:
• Self-study content: weekly modules which develop your knowledge
• Instructional coaching: your assigned mentor will run regular coaching sessions with you in school. These sessions will be tailored to your needs to help you to keep getting better.
• Conferences and clinics: group sessions which aim to help you examine key elements of teaching practice in more detail.
2. Why is so much ITT content revisited?
As you begin to get to grips with the ECT programme, you may find that you’re revisiting ideas from your Initial Teacher Training (ITT) year. This is an intentional process. Each time we revisit and retrieve knowledge, we remember more and for longer (Ebbinghaus, 1885; Murre and Dros, 2015).
After being introduced to new information, we can sometimes overestimate how much we know or remember. We might recognise a concept but not consistently use it in the classroom.
We revisit content regularly throughout the ECT programme to help you develop well-connected mental models and sustained practice.
3. How can I manage my workload?
As an ECT, you’re entitled to time off timetable (i.e. a reduced teaching load) to help you get to grips with the tole and work your way through the induction programme. We’ve also built additional support into the programme to help you:
A regular cycle: We’ve designed the weekly self-study and mentoring cycle to be a familiar structure. This is to reduce the load on your working memory.
Flexibility to make the cycle work for you: With your mentor, You can choose to flex the weekly structure when needed. There’s also time built into Year 2 of the programme for you to catch up if your self-study does get moved back occasionally.
More autonomy in Year 2: When you move into Year 2 of the programme, the routine alters slightly. You’ll take increasing ownership of your own professional development, and this may have an impact on how you balance your range of commitments.
4. What if I don’t complete each module weekly?
Year 1 of the programme has been designed with the intention that ECTs will complete one module per week. However, we know that schools are busy places, and occasionally a week of self-study will be missed. If this happens, you can pick up where you left off in the following week. There’s also time built-in to Year 2 to complete any outstanding Year 1 content.
ECT Year 2
1. What changes in Year 2?
Year 2 of the programme builds on the firm foundation you built in your first year. It gives you more flexibility to revisit content and deepen your knowledge as you develop as a practitioner. It also aims to set you up for success beyond the end of the programme, as you begin to take on more responsibility within your school context.
You’ll continue to use Steplab to complete any remaining self-study content and to access new ‘stretch modules’ to deepen your knowledge further. Your coaching cycle with your mentor will change from weekly to fortnightly, and you’ll be expected to spend time completing self- study work across the year.
2. What are ‘stretch’ modules?
‘Stretch’ modules are optional additional content released in Year 2 of the ECT programme. They’re designed to help you develop your practice and expertise in specific areas and count towards your programme engagement.
You can complete stretch content as part of your fortnightly self-study. However, as only a couple of stretch modules are released each term, you’ll still be expected to revisit the familiar strands of Behaviour, Instruction and Subject from Year 1.
3. What is the Diagnostic Tool?
The Year 2 Diagnostic Tool is a low-stakes quiz, designed to help you and your mentor identify where you have developed your mental models of content from Year 1, and where you may need to develop your understanding further. You should work with your mentor to analyse the feedback and design a personalised action plan for your self-study in Year 2.
ECT Mentors
1. What is my role as a Mentor in Year 1?
In Year 1, mentors are expected to:
• Each week, observe their ECT for 15 minutes and then lead an instructional coaching for 45 minutes.
• Engage is self-directed study, for instance working through modules in the ‘Mentoring and Coaching Development Area’ on Steplab.
• Attend two conferences and one clinic. You’re also entitled to two years of your own professional development alongside that of your ECT. Through this, you’ll develop your knowledge and skills around effective instructional coaching and learn how to best support teachers in their first two years.
You can find more information on the mentor programme in the Programme Handbook in the ‘Library’ tab of Steplab.
2. What is my role as a Mentor in Year 2?
In Year 2, Mentos are expected to:
• Each fortnight, observe their ECT for 15 minutes and then lead an instructional coaching session with them for 45 minutes.
• Engage in self-directed study to keep improving your instructional coaching skills.
• Attend one clinic.
You can find more information on the mentor programme in the Programme Handbook in the ‘Library’ tab of Steplab.
3. What is Coaching for Mentors?
The mentoring element of the ECT programme is designed around ‘instructional coaching’. We know that not everyone taking on a mentor role will have existing experience of this, so our ‘Coaching for Mentors’ offer entitles mentors to up to three one-to-one sessions with an experienced coach.
You’ll be given a choice of focus areas around instructional coaching, and your assigned coach will tailor session to best support your professional development. You’ll get expert feedback and guidance on how best to support your ECT.
4. Can I be a Mentor again?
If you’ve already completed the two-year mentor programme, you can still act as a mentor for a new ECT! As you’re already a fully-trained mentor, you won’t need to attend any further programme events, or complete any more self-study.
You’ll just need to complete the weekly (Year 1) and fortnightly (Year 2) coaching cycles with your ECT.
Induction Tutors
1. What is my role as an Induction Tutor?
As your school’s ECT Induction Tutor, you have overall responsibility for putting the ECT programme into action. You’ll need to support your ECTs and Mentors with their engagement with the programme by:
• Protecting both ECT and Mentor time ‘off timetable’
• 10% in Year 1
• 5% in Year 2
• About 1 hour a week for Mentors
• Advocating for ECTs and Mentors during their time on the programme, ensuring buy-in and support from SLT.
• Using Stephan to track and push programme engagement.
• Supporting ECTs and Mentors to arrange cover so that they can attend programme conferences and clinics.
More information can be found in the Programme Handbook in the ‘Library’ tab on Steplab.
2. How can I support Mentors in my school?
Mentors play an integral role in the ECT programme. The best way to support your Mentors in your school is to regularly check in with them:
• Do they have a solid understanding of instructional coaching and deliberate practice?
• Is their ECT progressing through action steps on Steplab, or are they having to repeat steps multiple times?
• Are mentors regularly observing their ECT and recording their constructive feedback on Steplab?
• Can you observe their coaching sessions with their ECT and give them any constructive feedback?
Events
1. What are Conferences?
ECTs and Mentors both attend conferences throughout the ECT programme. Conferences are full- day, face-to-face events which aim to support and build on your understanding of key curriculum content and give you the chance to meet and discuss ideas with your peers. You will often be provided with supplementary content or pre-reading on Steplab ahead of your next Conference.
2. What are Clinics?
Clinics are smaller group sessions, which run for 60-90 minutes, usually online. You’ll explore one typical problem that all teachers face and will analyse and evaluate a selection of classroom scenarios in an increasingly independent way. Clinics usually have supplementary workbooks and pre-reading tasks which you can access on Steplab ahead of your session.
3. What if I miss an event?
We strongly advise prioritising event attendance throughout your time on the ECT programme. Conferences and Clinics are designed to help you contextualise the self-study you’ve completed on Steplab, and are also a great chance to build a local network of teaching colleagues.If you do miss a Conference or Clinic, you’ll be assigned catch-up materials on Steplab shortly after the session date. These materials will contain key information and can be completed around your schedule when it works for you.