23/24 Term 4 - ECT Induction Newsletter

Welcome to Term 4

We have developed this newsletter to let you know about the activities and information that we consider to be most useful in term 4.

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 assessments still awaiting completion.

In This Newsletter

- Assessment date deadlines.

- How to submit the E1 Grading document.

- ECT Conference - for Primary and Secondary ECTs.

- Professional development time.

- Assessment meetings.

- What do we expect to see from you?

- Have you completed part of your induction in another authority?

- Are you struggling?

- Teacher self-service.

- Early Career Framework with Best Practice Network.

- Professional development opportunities.

- How to contact us.

Reminders for Term 4

If you haven't already signed off your term 3 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 4 assessment is due by 26 March 2024. For the majority of ECTs who started at the beginning of an academic year this will be an interim assessment (the same as the assessment in term 3).

Interim Assessments

For all our ECTs 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.

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.

Our online Early Career Teachers Conference is designed for primary and secondary ECTs in year one of their induction period.

The Conference opens with an award-winning motivational keynote speaker Kelly Hannaghan, who will be followed by a number of interactive and engaging workshops. Finally, ICT with Mr PLee Parkinson will close the conference with his addictive enthusiasm, leaving delegates feeling inspired as well as offering tips on how to succeed in the best career in the world! He loves sharing ideas and is sure to include the humorous side of life as a teacher!

Welcome - How to Live Well to Teach Well

Kelly Hannaghan is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Consultant and the Director and founder of Mind Work Matters Ltd. Kelly puts wellbeing and people at the heart of education. She is an award-winning motivational speaker, school improvement adviser, published author and founder of the ‘Family Matters’ empowerment and engagement programme.

Workshop One - Four Principles for Assessment: Design, Comparison, Reliability and Inference - Andrew Woods (Specialist Lead Adviser Mathematics, The Education People)

Workshop Two - The Inclusive Classroom - Kristian Laslett (Assistant Headteacher, Head of Lower Site and SENCO, The Royal Harbour Academy)

Workshop Three - Behaviour for Classroom Management - Peter Stewart (Principal Lead Special, PRU & SRP, The Education People)

Workshop Four - Working Smarter Not Harder: Making the Most of Your Time to Promote Pupil Learning - Louise Agley (Specialist Lead Adviser English, Curriculum, T&L, The Education People)

Conference Close - ICT with Mr P

Lee Parkinson (Mr P) has been a classroom teacher for over 13 years and still works part-time in school. He also now works internationally with schools looking to embed technology to transform learning. He puts pedagogy at the heart of everything he does and is the most followed teacher on social media in the UK.

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 aid your development.

For a list of suggested activities, visit the ECT Handbook in the Resources section on ECT Manager –document E3, Suggestions for ECT release time.

Have You Arranged a Date for the Pre-assessment Meeting?

What Is It?

The pre-assessment meeting gives an opportunity for you and your tutor to discuss the formal assessment and prepare comments for the assessment form as well as SMART targets.

When Should It Happen?

It should take place towards the end of term 4 before the assessment is submitted online. For more information on this, see guidance document C8 from the ECT handbook which can be accessed via ECT Manager – select ‘Resources’ from the menu.

What to Do if You Resign from Your Teaching Post

The Induction Team should be informed by phone or email as soon as you have handed in your resignation. This is because it is necessary for the team to ensure that paperwork is correct and the TRA informed promptly.

If you leave part way through induction, your mentor may be required to complete a ‘half term assessment’. The team needs to know in good time to ensure that the correct assessment is available for completion. Please contact the team if you think this will apply to you and we can confirm what will need to be completed before you leave your school.

In terms of the Early Career Framework your mentor must inform your lead provider (Ambition Institute; Best Practice Network; Capita; Education Development Trust; Teach First or UCL Institute of Education) to withdraw you from the programme.

What Do We Expect to See from You at This Point in Terms of Progress?

Most of you are nearly a third of the way through your induction period and so we would now expect to see you making sustained improvements. You should be beginning to show consistency in meeting all the standards to at least a satisfactory level by the end of term 4.

Have You Completed Part of Your Induction in 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.

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 in the first instance to find out whether you require additional support and therefore a meeting with the Induction Team. We are here to support you, so don't panic if we book a meeting to see you - we want to help you pass your induction!

Do You Follow Us on Social Media?

We send regular updates, reminders and links to resources on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram to keep you updated with what is expected of you during your induction period. It also offers the opportunity to seek support from colleagues, share best practice and discuss key topics.

The Teacher Self-service Portal Has Been Replaced

The TRA now have a new digital service for teachers and teaching professionals to gain access to their records and services - Access Your Teaching Qualifications (AYTQ). This replaces the Teacher Selfservice (TSS) Portal that previously teachers would use to access their record information. Therefore the Teacher Self-Service (TSS) portal is no longer in service. You can use this service to:

• download your teaching certificates

• check your qualification status

• check your early career teacher induction status

• change the name on your teaching certificates.

Before you start - You’ll need to create a DfE Identity account to access your teaching qualifications. You'll use the account to sign-in to this service and other DfE teaching services. Please use the following link to create an account, or if you have an existing account, log in:

Access your teaching qualifications (education.gov.uk)

If you require any further information on this please contact: QTS.ENQUIRIES@education.gov.uk

Are You Following the ECF Full Programme with Best Practice Network and The Education People?

Did you know? Attendance at the ECF face to face and online events is essential for achieving the required levels of engagement with the ECF programme. Failure to attend events and engage sufficiently with the online modules on Canvas could impact, not only the ECT entitlement to valuable CPD and support in your first two years of teaching but also the funding your school receives from the Department for Education to release ECTs and mentors.

What is Classed As Engagement?

Engagement is defined as attending face-to-face and online events, watching a recording of an event (if attendance is impossible) and interacting with the modules on Canvas, the virtual learning environment.

How Do the DFE Know Who Is Engaging with the ECF Programme?

BPN are expected to provide evidence of engagement to the DfE in order to secure each schools funding. Canvas records which participants have engaged online and ECF facilitators also mark registers of attendance at each event and this forms the evidence to show which ECTs and ECMs are participating appropriately with the programme and are therefore eligible for the funding.

How Do I Access Canvas?

It is best to access Canvas via the participant dashboard The participant dashboard is the ECT/ ECM’s go-to portal for everything to do with their ECF journey. This can be used to:

• view their schedule of events for the year (‘Events’ tab)

• access the links to their online events (‘Events’ tab).

On the right hand side of the dashboard they will see a link to Canvas which is the Virtual Learning Environment – this is where they will undertake the online modules.