Newsletters

w/c 9th May 2022

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Today's newsletter focuses on new guidance and revised processes for setting up Early Career Teacher induction for 2022-23. For any school likely to employ an ECF from September 2022 this newsletter contains essential information and resources. For those who don't think they'll be employing an ECT, there are still actions to be taken. 

Schools employing an ECT need to:

  • Set up Early Career Framework based training
  • Appoint an Appropriate Body
  • Provide an ECT with their statutory entitlement

I'll use the newsletter to set out, in chronological order, what all schools should do now and in the future once an ECT has been appointed. 

I hope this is helpful in guiding induction tutors, headteachers, governors, and HR professionals through the new, streamlined processes that will remove the duplication of data as schools navigate the processes. The majority of the set-up processes will be managed by the school on the enhanced DfE portal, although schools will need to appoint an Appropriate Body via a separate process.

Best wishes

Paul

Paul Butler

Director of Exceed Teaching School Hub

Your quick reference guide for setting up induction:

www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/induction

> Actions ALL schools can take now

1. By Friday 20th May, please support us to inform national discussions and help secure sufficient ECF-based training and National Professional Qualifications training places for local schools. Please provide us with your 'best guess' as to how many training places your school may need in 2022-23:

Survey

2. The Induction Tutor (sometimes referred to as the Induction Coordinator) who will/might oversee the induction of an ECT should become familiar with the new DfE guidance and processes for setting up induction. Our website is now live with this information, including links to relevant DfE resources.

An Induction Tutor is a senior leader who ensures the ECT receives their entitlement and leads the progress reviews and assessments of the ECT against the Teachers' Standards via the Appropriate Body. The Induction Tutor will need to disseminate some of this guidance to colleagues.

Guidance
3. Find out more about setting up ECT induction. Register for our free Teacher Development Network (TDN) LIVE! event on Thursday 19th May:
TDN LIVE

> Actions schools can take from Tuesday 10th May 2022

On Tuesday 10th May, the enhanced DfE portal opens for schools to commence the process of setting up induction. Schools will be contacted directly by the DfE in relation to this w/c 9th May 2022.

ALL schools - regardless of whether they anticipate appointing an ECT or not

4.  Via the DfE portal, inform the DfE whether you anticipate appointing an ECT who will commence induction in 2022-23. If you don't envisage appointing an ECT but circumstances change, you can update this information via the DfE portal at any time. In doing so, you are completing step 1 of the DfE guide to setting-up induction:

DfE's step-by-step guide
Once your school has appointed an ECT
5. If or when you have appointed an ECT, nominate your Induction Tutor on the DfE portal. This is step 2 of the DfE guide:
DfE step-by-step guide

> DfE funded training: Access local training and support

Nationally, 96% of schools choose the 'DfE funded provider' option for accessing ECF-based training and support. This maximises the funding schools receive from the DfE; reduces teacher workload as they do not need to design and deliver all aspects of their own programme for ECTs and mentors; and schools do not need to self-fund potentially expensive fidelity checks via the Appropriate Body they appoint. Over 425 ECTs and Mentors accessed Exceed Teaching School Hub's training and support in 2021-22. We deliver this in partnership with Ambition Institute.

To access 'DfE funded training' and support via Exceed Teaching School Hub, please choose, in steps 3 and 4, the 'DfE funded training provider' option, Ambition Institute as the Lead Provider, and Exceed Teaching School Hub as the Delivery Partner (if required).

6. The Induction Tutor should continue to follow the remaining steps set out in the DfE guide to set up the ECF-based training for the ECT via the DfE portal. This information with be shared with the programme lead provider (e.g. Ambition Institute) and delivery partner (e.g. Exceed Teaching School Hub). You won't be asked to duplicate this information.

If circumstances change, the Induction Tutor can log on to the DfE portal and update information held on the portal:

DfE step-by-step guide

Your quick reference guide for setting up induction:

www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/induction

> Appointing an Appropriate Body

7. Once you have appointed an ECT, appoint an Appropriate Body immediately. The Appropriate Body needs to sign-off the induction before it can commence.

In 2021-22, Exceed Teaching School Hub was appointed as the Appropriate Body by schools to quality assure the induction of over 175 ECTs. Our service is low costs (prices start at £40 per ECT per term), school-led, teacher workload friendly, and provides a seamless link to the 'DfE-funded provider' training - a unique feature of our service.

Induction cannot commence until an Appropriate Body has been appointed.

To access our service, the Induction Tutor should:

  • Register for Exceed Teaching School Hub's Appropriate Body service via 'ECT Manager' (new service users)
  • Login to Exceed Teaching School Hub's 'ECT Manager' portal to register a new ECT (existing registered users)

> Provide an ECT with their statutory entitlement

8. Prior to the ECT commencing their employment, the Induction Tutor will need to plan and prepare so that the ECT's can access their full entitlement.

The DfE's 'Statutory guidance for the induction of ECTs' is a must-read for the Induction Tutor and headteacher. The school should make governors familiar with aspects of the guidance. We'd also encourage HR colleagues to be familiar with this.

Statutory guidance

> TDN LIVE! ECT induction briefing event, 19th May, 13:15-14:15

Teacher Development Network LIVE! ECT Induction
1:15pm – 2:15pm
19
May

Your quick reference guide for setting up induction:

www.teachingschoolhub.co.uk/induction

Exceed Teaching School Hub, led by Copthorne Primary School and Exceed Academies Trust, has a leading role in signposting and delivering teacher development support to all 215 Bradford schools and our partners in other regions wishing to access support from Exceed Teaching School Hub.

The Hub helps to fulfil one of Exceed Academies Trust's ethical goals: to contribute to system-wide improvements in education.

Designated by the Department for Education (DfE) in February 2020, Exceed Teaching School Hub’s core functions support schools and trusts to invest in their workforce to grow, recruit, develop and retain the very best teachers, support staff and leaders. We will achieve this through a place-based approach to signposting and delivering high-quality progressive teacher development programmes that complement the internal support provided by schools and trusts. Our vision acknowledges teacher and leadership development are two of the most important forms of school improvement. We will achieve this by enhancing partnership working with schools, trusts and high-quality providers; improving the communication of opportunities with the workforce; introducing new professional learning opportunities; supporting teachers and leaders to make informed choices when selecting continuous professional development (CPD) and support, and ensuring that no school is left behind.

Find out more about our vision, strategies and priorities here.