Term 5 - ECT Induction Newsletter

Welcome to Term 5!

We hope you enjoyed your Easter break!

Please see below a list of important activities and information for this term.

Remember, if you need to contact us we are here to help, so please don't hesitate to call or email:

If you haven't already done so, please complete and digitally sign any outstanding assessments. This is now a matter of urgency.

Check your email for reminders of any

What’s in this Newsletter?

• Reminders for Term 5

• How to submit the E1 document on ECT Manager

• Feedback - ECT Conference 2023

• Guide to Successful Induction Webinar

• Accessing ECT Manager

• Information About Induction - Key Documents

• Are you struggling?

• NQT Transitional Arrangements Reminder

• The Education People Appropriate Body Service and ECF full induction programme from September 2023

• Have you completed part of your induction under another authority?

• Additional information for ECTs who started their induction period at the beginning of this term

• Are you making good use of your professional development time?

• Contacting the ECT Induction Team

Reminders for Term 5

If you haven't already signed off your Term 4 assessment, please make this a priority. As a reminder the assessment grades are as follows:

A: This ECT is currently making excellent progress towards meeting the induction standards.

B: This ECT is currently making good progress towards meeting the induction standards.

C: This ECT is making satisfactory progress towards meeting the induction standards.

D: This ECT is making limited progress towards the induction standards.

E: This ECT is not making any progress towards the induction standards.

The term 5 assessment is due by 22nd May For the majority of ECT’s who started in September, this will be an interim assessment (the same as the assessment in Term 4).

Interim Assessments

For our new ECTs starting induction from 1st September, we do expect to see the E1 Grading document against the Teachers’ Standards. This should be submitted on ECT manager and can be done by the ECT or the mentor. We ask for this as it forms the evidence for the grade awarded that term. If there isn’t any evidence and you begin to struggle during your induction period, it will be harder to argue that you are making sufficient progress. It is therefore important for ECTs to be proactive and ensure this document is uploaded at each interim assessment point. Instructions for uploading the E1 document are on page 4 .

Assessment Meetings

The assessment meeting gives an opportunity for you and your tutor to discuss your progress and the grade that best represents your progress for the term. The meeting should take place towards the end of the term before the assessment is submitted. The E1.

Grading Document can be accessed via ECT Manager –select ‘Resources’ from the menu.

Assessment date deadlines

Term 5: 22/05/2023

Term 6: 17/07/2023

How to submit the ‘E1—Grading Using the Teachers’ Standards’ document on ECT Manager

Under each of the Teachers’ Standards within the E1 document, there are comments relating to the different grades. We would like your tutor to highlight the comments that best fit the progress you are making at this point in time. This will help your tutor determine the overall grade you are working to. Once your tutor has highlighted the relevant comments, they can save a copy of the revised document so that it is ready to be uploaded to ECT Manager.

After your tutor has submitted the Interim Assessment on ECT Manager, when on the ECT’s overview page, select:

• ECT documents (on the left-hand side of the page)

• Add a new document (in green)

• Complete the document name and description

• Select ‘Choose file’ to upload the E1 document

• Select ‘Save ECT Document’ (in green)

• If the document is saved successfully the following will appear at the top of your screen:

• The document will then be ready for the ECT Induction Team to review.

Please note: we will be expecting it to be submitted with the next interim assessment. Any problems meeting this deadline, please get in touch.

Feedback

ECT Conference 2023:

Ensuring success in the best career in the world!

It was fantastic to see so many ECTs take part in our annual conference on 8th March!

We offered 4 workshops throughout the day as well as an engaging welcome from mental health and wellbeing consultant Kelly Hannaghan and an inspiring close from ICT with Mr P who shared many useful ideas to make you work smarter, not harder!

Workshop 1‘The Inclusive classroom’ - Kristian Lasslett

Workshop 2‘Behaviour for classroom management’ - Peter Stewart

Workshop 3‘Working smarter not harder: Making the most of your time to promote pupil learning’ - Louise Agley

Workshop 4 - ‘4 Principles for Assessment: Design, Comparison, Reliability and Inference’ - Andrew Woods

The feedback has been excellent so far. Here are some of the things delegates had to say:

‘Very interesting and diverse with lots to think about.’

‘Great discussion with peers, nice being able to share techniques with other teachers from different settings’

‘Aspects relatable to ECTs were made into individual workshops’

‘Great talks and diverse workshops’

‘All talkers were really interesting and gave lots of useful information.’

Conference Resources

We have added the resources from the conference to ECT Manager. Just log in to your account on ECT Manager and select ‘Resources’.

The Guide to Successful Induction Webinar

The Guide to Successful Induction webinar will ensure you understand your role and responsibilities as an ECT throughout induction. Dates for our next session will be released in Term 5 once we have enough ECTs on our waiting list. If you haven't already attended one, complete this form and we will be in touch.

Accessing ECT Manager

Q: How do I access my assessments?

A: Go to: ECT Manager

Q: I've forgotten my login details! What do I do now?

A: Under 'Members', select 'forgotten password reminder?' Enter your email address to receive your username and password (this must be the email address that

Information About Induction

Do you know where to access key documents to support your Induction?

We have developed an ECT Induction Handbook which holds a wealth of information that you should find useful in your Induction period. To access this, when logged in to ECT Manager, select ‘Resources’ from the left hand side menu.

Recommended documents for ECTs at the start of their induction are:

• B5. Induction Tutor & ECT Checklist

• B6. Overview of the induction period (provides a timeline of activities required as part of induction)

• C1. Summary of Meetings

• E3. Effective use of professional development time

• E4. Evidencing the Teachers’ Standards

Are you struggling?

Are you struggling or concerned about your progress?

Always talk to your school-based mentor in the first instance and feel free to contact us at ect@kent.gov.uk for confidential support and guidance.

I was graded a D or an E in my last assessment. What happens next? The Induction Team will contact your induction tutor/mentor by email to find out whether you require additional support and therefore a visit from the Induction Team. We are here to support you, so don't panic if we book a visit to see you - we want to help you pass your induction!

It helps to talk!

It is tough for lots of people at the moment, not just with pressure from work. Counselling services can help you to manage anxieties and / or financial worries and will help you to improve your overall wellbeing. Contact Support Line on 03000 411 411 for free, confidential support to those working in the education sector in Kent.

‘

Transitional Arrangements Reminder’

(for NQTs who started induction before 1 September 2021)

NQTs who started but did not complete their induction by 31 August 2021 are now known as ‘transitional ECTs’. To complete a one-year induction, transitional ECTs must finish by 1 September 2023. From 1 September 2023, all ECTs will need to complete a 2-year induction period

If a transitional ECT has not completed their induction by 1 September 2023, they do not need to start induction again. Instead, they must complete what remains of a 2-year induction. This includes transitional ECTs whose induction has been extended because of ad hoc absences, or where an ECT accepts to have their induction extended due to statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, or parental bereavement leave.

The only exception to this change will be transitional ECTs who on 1 September 2023 are serving an extension as a result of a decision made by the AB at the end of their induction period, following a final formal assessment. These transitional ECTs will only need to complete the agreed period of extension (subject to successfully meeting the Teachers’ Standards) and will not be required to complete what remains of a two-year induction.

If you think this may affect your ECT, please get in touch so we can advise.

The Education People Appropriate Body Service from September 2023

From September 2023, only Teaching School hubs will be accredited to act as an Appropriate Body for new ECT registrations. We have been working closely with the Teaching School Hubs and are delighted to be able to confirm that we have now formed an agreement with both Teaching School hubs serving Kent. This means we can continue to provide support to ECTs during their Induction via the Teaching School Hubs Appropriate Body service. How will this affect you?

• Any ECT currently registered with us (The Education People’s AB service) who is due to complete their induction period by July 2024, can remain with the Education People. No action is required.

• Any ECT currently registered with us (The Education People’s AB service) who is due to complete their induction period after July 2024, will need their induction record transferred to a Teaching School hub AB service from September 2024. This can happen at any point between now and September 2024. Guidance on how to do this will be circulated to your tutor / mentor shortly.

Early Career Framework full induction programme from September 2023

We will continue to deliver the Early Career Framework full induction programme in partnership with Best Practice Network until July 2024. This is to ensure continuity of the programme for those ECTs who are currently completing the ECF programme with us and Best Practice Network.

For ECTs starting from September 2023, we will be working with the Kent Teaching School hub to provide the ECF via the Ambition Institute full induction programme of the Early Career Framework. If you have any queries about the above, please get in touch by emailing ect@kent.gov.uk

Have you completed part of your induction under another authority?

If you have completed part of your induction in another authority, it is important to ensure you have informed your school and also the induction team as this time must count towards your induction. If you have any queries about this, please email the induction team.

Additional information for ECTs who started their induction period at the beginning of this term

Observations and Meetings

Has your tutor/mentor agreed a date to observe you?

Statutory regulations stipulate that an ECT should be formally observed in the first 4 weeks and thereafter at least once in any 6-8 week period (i.e. one per Kent term). Informal observations may be on-going as and when necessary.

Have you set up regular meetings with your tutor/mentor?

You should be meeting with your tutor/ mentor regularly (ideally once a week) during this first assessment period to agree targets and to discuss your progress. Most meetings will be informal but you should have a formal meeting at the end of each Kent term.

Teachers’ Standards

Are you familiar with the Teachers’ Standards you will be expected to meet throughout your induction period?

For more information about the standards, log in to ECT Manager, select ‘Resources’ from the left hand side menu and click on ‘Teachers’ Standards’ to download the document.

We recommend that all ECTs use our ‘E4. Evidencing the Teachers’ Standards’ document to help you keep a record of evidence that shows how you are meeting the Teachers’ Standards. This document helps you to record where your evidence is kept and is useful for discussions with your mentor about your progress. This document can also be found in the ‘Resources’ section on ECT Manager.

Are you making good use of your professional development time?

You only get this additional professional development time during your induction period so it is really important that you are using it effectively to aide your development. For a list of suggested activities, visit the ECT Handbook in the Resources section on ECT Manager – document E3. Effective use of release time.

Contacting the ECT Induction Team

What do I do if I have any queries about my

Please do contact us if you have any queries about your Induction. We are happy to speak to you in confidence if your query is sensitive and can call you back at a convenient time.