As I enter the final full term of my two year ECT induction process, I've found myself reflecting on the programme as it stands and whether it is successfully delivering on its aims.
The (mostly) supportive aspects
There exist some supportive aspects in the current programme. Firstly, the inclusion of "on-side" mentoring has been brilliant for me. I'm lucky enough to have one of the kindest and most supportive people I have ever met in a professional capacity as my mentor and being able to talk through issues with them has certainly helped me through some tough times over the past five terms. It hasn't been without its challenges though. Having dedicated time to meet was something my mentor had to argue for in the first place as it was not automatically given. Additionally, since my mentor leads two subject areas on top of their teaching load it can be difficult for them to find the time to support me. The DfE need to make sure schools are supported with funding required to cover mentor meeting time so that it can be done properly.
Progress reviews have also been done broadly right. Three formal observations every year is not too burdensome and the online system for managing these is far better and more straightforward to use than the system for accessing the provider-led training. It does however suffer from a similar issue to that of the mentoring. Due to the number of ECTs we have at our school it seems to me that the induction tutors just don't have enough time to meet with an feedback to ECTs properly post observation. Even when you do get feedback there is often a long wait between the time of the observation and the feedback being given. This can be very anxiety inducing especially given that failing induction means you losing your job.
Possible reforms
Currently, in ECT1 your teaching load is reduced by 10% and in ECT2 it is reduced by 5%. Whilst this is certainly welcome, after completing the ECF tasks little if any time if left for additional PPA for ECTs which is what ECTs really need to be using this time for. In my own experience and the experience of every other ECT I've spoken to in my local cluster and school, the centrally provided ECT programme has been worse than useless. Not only is what you're required to spend your time doing not normally relevant to the context you're working in, it also adds to an ECT's already high workload. Therefore, if I had my way, I'd remove all mandatory training elements of the programme and increase timetable reductions for ECTs to 20% and 10% respectively. This would allow ECTs the scope to spend some time really honing their pedagogical practice rather than drowning in mandatory paperwork requirements set by pen pushers at the DfE. (Personally I firmly believe all teachers, not just ECTs, should get more PPA but that is for another blog)
There may of course be some ECTs for whom additional training beyond ITT is useful and desirable. What cannot be desirable though is having an ECT who really wants to improve their behaviour management but who is able to plan excellent lessons in their subject/phase sat in a training session on the basics of lesson planning. What is needed here is greater flexibility for ECTs to access the training they personally require. I'd personally favour an on-demand system of free access to online courses on all the areas currently covered by the ECF. Such is the diversity of prior experience of ECTs that this is the only realistic way I can see these training needs being adequately met. The DfE have a thing about making you do a million and one surveys to monitor your engagement with the current programme so if they really wanted to they could mandate that you do a minimum number of courses. However I'd really rather they trusted people who are now qualified teachers to act as professionals and engage with it as required. After all, TS8.4 is:
"take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues"
Furthermore, I have a particular bone to pick with the aspect of the programme which requires ECTs to spend extended periods of time working on professional development outside of directed time. ECTs could participate in something on-demand inside of their additional timetable reduction inside of directed time. Under the current system, if you include trapped time (which we absolutely should be doing), ECTs can be working a more than 10 hour day on days they have to attend after school training. This isn't helping ECT wellbeing and is certainly not helping retention of these teachers especially when they feel the extra hours put on on those days aren't helping them become a better teacher.
With the current recruitment and retention crisis deepening still further, we can only hope that the DfE sees sense and reforms the ECF sooner rather than later. I know ECTs who are considering either leaving the country to teach abroad or leaving the profession all together. Ultimately, children in our schools deserve high quality teaching delivered by teachers who stay but the ECT programme, in its current form, is failing to help facilitate that.