Making the transition from training to teaching as seamless as possible

The hardest year of my career

I started teaching in 2016 in Leeds, while I completed my PGCE. I finished my newly qualified teacher (NQT) year in 2018.

This was just before the guidance changed, meaning my induction period was just one year, instead of two.

I felt such a huge amount of pressure in the jump between being an NQT and my first year post-induction.

Going from having great support and training, to being on a 22-hour timetable felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me.

Since then, I’ve been a head of department and assistant principal, but I still say that year following my NQT was the hardest year of my career to date.  

The transition from training to teaching

This is why I feel the Early Career Framework (ECF) is such an important programme.

I believe that in the early stages of your career, you should have access to support for as long as possible while you find your feet and work out what kind of teacher you are.

I’ve been involved in the ECF, both as a mentor and an induction tutor, and I’m passionate about ensuring early career teachers (ECTs) receive all the support they’re entitled to, and making their transition from training to teaching as seamless as possible.

Honing their skills

The ECF is flexible, well researched and supports new teachers without there being an overwhelming amount of pressure to meet deadlines and drown in admin.

Each half term has a different theme and goal which helps to structure the support offered, especially from new mentors.

And the addition of the optional modules is useful for those who need extra support in a specific area or are looking to hone their skills.

Balance and flexibility are key

Teaching is an emotional job. You’re dealing with people and understanding the best way to support them can be challenging.

In the same way that we work out what our classes need, it’s important as a mentor to understand each ECT and how you can best support them.

Sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day and you constantly question if you’re doing enough. But this is the benefit of a two-year programme.

It doesn’t feel rushed and mentors have more flexibility as different ECTs will need different levels of support throughout the programme, so you can balance your time and trust yourself.

Removing barriers to learning

Most of the challenges new teachers face boil down to understanding how to remove barriers to learning for pupils.

The most common issue I’ve found in training sessions is discussions around behaviour management and building effective working relationships with pupils.

I love helping ECTs unlock the root of the problem and figure out the barrier that needs removing.

A full circle moment

It’s so rewarding when new teachers see their own progress and start to reflect on how far they have come. It really brings me joy.

I also love working with mentors.

One of my most fulfilling moments with the ECF so far is watching someone I mentored become a mentor themselves and seeing them gain so much understanding about their practice, as they see it through the eyes of someone else.

Working together and supporting each other

Building a supportive network of ECTs has been instrumental in my role as induction tutor.

This was originally something I worked on as a response to feedback from my first year in the role. The ECTs wanted to spend more time together as a group and I thought this was a great idea.

I love seeing them working together across different subjects, observing each other, sharing their experiences and growing together.

Every two weeks they meet and use the time to complete ECF modules together and have discussions, as well as more bespoke problem-solving sessions and training linked to our school’s context.

Having this time together as a group and the structure of the ECF has made it a truly collaborative process so our cohort really feel like a team.

They advise and support one another, with allocated time to complete their modules.

This has really helped our successful implementation of the ECF.

Changing the way I approach professional development

I think the second year of the ECF programme being much more subject specific is crucial.

Once people have mastered the basics (by which I mean built up their confidence, because no one has ever truly mastered teaching), it really is about getting your teeth stuck into your subject.

It’s going from ‘how to teach’ to ‘how to teach your subject well’ which wasn’t covered for me when I started out.

It has changed the way I think about continuing professional development (CPD). The programme has helped me structure the CPD and training we give for all our ECTs.

Supporting new teachers as a mentor

I’ve found the mentoring side of the ECF programme to be really effective.

It’s flexible and doesn’t add to an already mountainous workload of a mentor. Support is structured, but mentors can dip in and out of key areas.

Whether you’re a new mentor or someone who has been mentoring for years, there are modules you can learn from.

The support from our Development Lead (DL) has been incredible.

The DL is the main point of contact for our school, supporting me to help ensure both ECTs and mentors get the most our of their time on the programme.

This is my second year as an induction tutor in my current role and I have found the regular calls and email updates so helpful in making sure I’m giving my ECTs and Mentors everything they need.

I stressed to my DL that it was important for me to have up to date analytics as often as possible so I could see early on if anyone needed any extra support with accessing the ECF and they send me data twice every half term.

As a result, I have been able to address any issues as soon as they arise, meaning our ECTs always meet their milestones.

Supportive, useful and developmental

My biggest piece of advice to an ECT about to start their ECF is don’t ever feel like you can’t share something.

I once saw behaviour management described as a ‘dirty little secret’ because no one wants to confess when things aren’t going right. But everyone is going through the same thing!

For any current or aspiring leaders responsible for ECTs, my advice is to encourage them to lead on CPD, listen to all their feedback and build a strong network of mentors that you trust in the school.

Celebrate every little win and always make time for a cup of tea with someone who needs it.

If I had to summarise my ECF experience in three words, I’d say: supportive, useful and developmental.

Find out more about the Teach First ECF programme, including the benefits of becoming an ECF mentor today.