Monitoring, Assessment, Timetabling and Observing

Monitoring, support and assessment during induction

A suitable monitoring and support programme must be put in place for the ECT, structured to meet their professional development needs (including the development needs of part-time ECTs). This is expected to include:

• a programme of training that supports the ECT to understand and apply the knowledge and skills set out in the Early Career Framework’s evidence (“learn that”) statements and practice (“learn how to”) statements;
• regular one-to-one mentoring sessions from a designated Mentor who is expected to hold QTS and has the time and ability to carry out the role effectively;
• support and guidance from a designated Induction Tutor who is expected to hold QTS and has the time and ability to carry out the role effectively;
• observation of the ECT’s teaching with written feedback provided;
• professional reviews of progress conducted by the Induction Tutor to set and review development targets against the Teachers’ Standards; and
• ECT’s observation of experienced teachers either in the ECT’s own institution or in another institution where effective practice has been identified.

Reduced timetable

The Headteacher must ensure that the ECT has a reduced timetable. In the first year (terms 1-3) of induction an ECT must not teach more than 90% of the timetable of the school’s existing teachers on the main pay range and in the second year (terms 4-6) of induction must not teach more than 95%. This time off timetable should be used to specifically enable ECTs to undertake activities in their induction programme. This is in addition to the timetable reduction in respect of planning, preparation and assessment time (PPA) that all teachers receive. ECTs in independent schools, academies and free schools, BSOs, independent nursery schools and FE colleges must also have a reduced timetable on a comparable basis.

Suggested uses of ECT time:

• Meetings with mentor
• Meetings with other staff with key responsibilities e.g. SENCO
• Joint planning
• Observing other teachers teaching
• ECF-based training activities
• Compiling evidence against the Teachers’ Standards

Observation of the ECT’s teaching practice

An ECT’s teaching is expected to be observed at regular intervals throughout their induction period to facilitate a fair and effective assessment of the ECT’s teaching practice, conduct and efficiency against the Teachers’ Standards. Formal observations of the ECT should be undertaken by the Induction Tutor or another suitable person who holds QTS from inside or outside the institution. The Induction Tutor should observe the ECT at least once each term.

As a minimum, the ECT should be formally observed teaching a minimum of once per half term, so at least 12 times during their induction period.

The ECT and the observer should meet to review any teaching that has been observed, with arrangements for post-observation review meetings made in advance. Feedback from the observation should be provided in a prompt manner and is constructive, with a brief written record made on each occasion. Any written record should indicate where any development needs have been identified.

It is important to note the ECT may also be informally observed by their Mentor as part of their ECF programme requirements outside of formal observations.

Observing other teachers

ECTs should use some of their ECT induction time to observe experienced teachers either in their own school or in other schools where effective practice has been identified. The observations an ECT undertakes should have a focus which is informed by the ECF programme or the ECT’s areas for development identified from progress reviews or formal assessments. The ECT should make notes about what they have learnt from these observations and share these with their Mentor and/or Induction Tutor during their meetings.