In 2019, the Department for Education, announced the arrival of the Early Career Framework (ECF), which promises recently qualified teachers a two-year package of structured training and support based on “the best available research evidence” (DfE, 2019).
Subsequently, as an ECT you will be expected to spend anything between 10 to 90 minutes a week or fortnight on directed self-study, which will be based on the curricula materials offered by the government’s accredited providers (a minority of schools have developed their own curricula based on the framework).
You will also need to attend regular training sessions centred on the framework and have weekly ECT mentor meetings focused on the curricula materials. On top of all of this, you will have “regular” observations and meetings with an induction tutor, although the feedback here will centre on the Teachers’ Standards (DfE, 2011).
Research canvassing the views of current ECTs and mentors suggests the majority believe that the ECF is largely beneficial (DfE, 2022; 2023). However, in order to get the most out of the framework, my ECTs have offered some top tips in navigating what could otherwise be, in their words, “an overwhelming and burdensome programme of study”.
Take the ECF seriously: The DfE and its “expert advisory group” have devised a framework that, while prescriptive, does give you a solid grounding in current pedagogical practice. It builds on the work of influential academics and research institutions and has been independently reviewed (EEF, 2019). Therefore, perhaps the best advice from one of my current ECT mentees is to “use the ECF for what it is intended and you’ll find it very useful”.
Manage your ‘self-study’ time: The overriding message from my colleagues completing their ECT years is to manage your time, especially in terms of meeting the ECF self-study requirement. Having a regular “reading time” is recommended. One colleague suggested: “Finding a designated time in the week to do the weekly readings and sticking to it.” Some do this on Sunday evenings whereas others are adamant that you complete it in school. Nevertheless, the idea is you choose a suitable time convenient to you and stick to it. Importantly, another ECT advised that if you do as required: “(The readings) don’t take long and are largely relevant.”
Organise your ECT mentor meetings: It is also important that you organise a weekly meeting with your ECT mentor and, if possible, have this blocked out on both your timetables. It might be worth doing the same with your induction tutor sessions, which are often monthly or half-termly. Block out your meeting times well in advance. Your school should also give you a 10% timetable reduction in your first year and 5% in your second. Ensure you check this is the case as things can get overlooked. Ask your school’s ECF lead to intervene if you are not getting your full reduction.
Build positive relationships with your mentors and tutors: Develop a positive attitude towards mentor meetings and try to build a good working relationship with your ECT mentor and induction tutor. Your school has more than likely assigned them due to their expertise and experience, so treat their knowledge, advice and anecdotes with respect. Ask them plenty of questions and listen to their answers. However, if you have any issues with your mentor or tutor, especially if they are “too busy” to meet you or not taking the curriculum seriously, don’t be afraid to raise this with your ECF lead. Remember, these meetings are a statutory entitlement.
Build positive relationships with other ‘experts’ in school: One of the drawbacks of the ECF is that ECT mentors are meant to focus sessions on the framework’s core content. This means that traditional expert-novice mentoring, where you might be guided by specific issues you face day-in, day-out or events such as parents’ evenings, is not always possible given time constraints. Therefore, it is worth reaching out to other experienced colleagues, particularly those in your department or pastoral teams, so you can draw on their expertise and experiences in an ad-hoc manner.
Ask fellow subject specialists for support: It is important to build relationships with colleagues who teach your subject. ECT mentors and induction tutors do not need to have the same subject specialism as you and the ECF is somewhat generic, so having colleagues you can lean on for subject-related tips and ideas is important. One of the biggest complaints about the framework from my colleagues is that it is “not subject-specific enough”. See if you can find time to observe your more experienced colleagues’ lessons and ensure you fully participate in department meetings and discussions.
Don’t be limited by the ECF: Your colleagues’ expertise and experience might go beyond the pedagogical confines of the ECF. While the framework is definitely research-based, it is largely centred on cognitive science and meta-analyses. This means there are other pedagogical ideas and taxonomies out there – see Aubrey and Riley (2022) and Suto et al (2020) for example – that don’t get a look in, as well as more controversial ideas, like critical pedagogies, which are – perhaps – deliberately sidelined. Your older colleagues may have learnt their trade using some of these ideas and some of their old tricks may still be contextually meaningful and useful in your classrooms.
For a wider overview of CPD, see Capel et al (2019) and Aubrey & Riley (2022). And for a critical overview of the ontological and ideological biases in current DfE policy and research, see Brown & Wisby (2022) and Ball (2021).
Build strong relationships with other ECTs: When I asked for “top tips” from my ECT colleagues, one reply was immediate: “Talk to other ECTs and share best practice among yourselves – they are your biggest allies.” They, like you, are “going through the same things with getting to grips with everything we’re asked to do as well as pupils’ behaviour, parents asking questions and colleagues’ expectations”. It is “good to off-load with each other” and to “realise you are not alone”.
Remember to take care of your wellbeing: The ECF self-study requirements, mentor meetings and training sessions undoubtedly add to your workload despite the reduction on your timetable, so it is worth remembering that if you miss the odd reading or cancel the occasional meeting, it is not the end of the world – just be honest about it with your mentor. You should also ensure you have a cut-off point at the end of the day, have other activities and interests aside from your teaching and subject area, and maintain a life away from school.
Remember why you want to be a teacher: We often forget this, regardless of experience and especially when challenged, exhausted or if things have gone wrong. Nevertheless, most of us enter the profession with idealistic ideas of helping others and improving the life chances of the pupils we teach. There is nothing wrong with being idealistic – please, please, please remind yourself of this whenever possible.
Final thought
It is worth noting that this level of support was never offered to the likes of me under the old NQT programme, which was often haphazard and random. While the framework is, at times, heavily reliant on cognitive science and somewhat generic, it does offer a firm foundation for new teachers to deepen their understanding of the best profession in the world.
- Andrew Jones is assistant headteacher at The Reach Free School in Hertfordshire. Follow him at @abowdenj.
The SecEd Early Career Teacher Supplement 2023
- This article first appeared in SecEd's annual Early Career Teacher Supplement, which features 20 pages of advice, guidance, ideas and hacks for new teachers. This published in June 2023 and is available to download free of charge. Download the supplement here.
Further information & resources
- Aubrey & Riley: Understanding and using educational theories, SAGE, 2022.
- Ball: The Education Debate, The Policy Press, 2008.
- Brown & Wisby (eds): Knowledge, policy and practice in education and the struggle for social justice: Essays inspired by the work of Geoff Whitty (pp. 13-27), UCL Press, 2022: https://bit.ly/3KsWpId
- Capel, Leask & Younie (eds): Learning to teach in the secondary school: A companion to school experience, Routledge, 2019
- DfE: Teachers’ Standards, 2011: https://bit.ly/2GGsQ59
- DfE: Early Career Framework, 2019: https://bit.ly/3vqkRQc
- DfE: Evaluation of the national roll-out of the ECF induction programmes: Interim research brief, 2022: https://bit.ly/3KtWwTQ
- DfE: Evaluation of the national roll-out of the ECF induction programmes: Annual summary, 2023: https://bit.ly/3zvGKl3
- EEF: Early career teacher support pilots study plan, 2019: https://bit.ly/3K635L3
- Suto et al: A way of using taxonomies to demonstrate that applied qualifications and curricula cover multiple domains of knowledge, Research Matters, 30, 2020: https://bit.ly/44fYAXz