Early Career Policy - Lady Margaret Primary School

Rationale

The training that a teacher receives and their introduction into the profession are fundamental to the teacher that they will become. The Lady Margaret Primary school training and induction process ensures the appropriate guidance, support and training for trainees, newly qualified teachers and recently qualified teachers, involving the development of knowledge and skills through the sharing of clear expectations and a robust, yet flexible programme of support, which are adapted to the needs of the individual. This programme will enable teachers to form a secure foundation upon which a successful teaching career, fulfilling their professional duties, can be built. This is linked to the government’s teacher recruitment and retention strategy.

Aims for trainee teachers

Our school’s induction process has been designed to make a significant contribution to both the professional and personal development of teachers in the formative years of
their career. The purposes of this include:

Ensuring that trainees understand the purpose and importance of their role and their accountability for standards
Ensuring that trainees are welcomed and valued within the school community
Supporting trainees through the use of a mentor and an experienced class teacher as a buddy
Supporting trainees so that they are able to settle into the school quickly and are able to teach effectively
Make clear the roles of all participants in the trainee programme
Providing a bespoke support programme that is appropriate to the individual needs of the trainee
Ensure that guidance is provided to support the trainee in meeting the Teaching Standards and achieving QTS
Providing opportunities to recognise and celebrate good practice
Providing opportunities to identify areas for development
Supporting trainees in forging appropriate professional relationships with all members of the school community and stakeholders
Beginning to develop the trainee’s awareness of the school’s role in the local community
Encouraging and supporting the trainee to reflect upon the effectiveness of their own practice through modelling, facilitated discussion and opportunities for reflection
To ensure compliance with their respective institution’s training procedures, assessments and set tasks

Aims for ECTs in their first year

Ensuring that first year ECTs are welcomed and valued within the school community
Supporting first year ECTs so that they are able to settle into the school quickly and are able to teach effectively, gaining support swiftly to improve and develop their practice
Providing a bespoke support programme that is appropriate to the individual needs of the first year ECT
Providing first year ECTs with good models of professional practice, teaching and learning
Supporting first year ECTs in forging appropriate professional relationships with all members of the school community and stakeholders
Encouraging first year ECTs to reflect on their own and observed practice
Providing opportunities to recognise and celebrate good practice
Providing opportunities to identify areas for development
Making clear the roles and responsibilities of teaching staff
Providing an appropriate level of guidance and support to ensure that first year
ECTs are consistently meeting the Teachers’ Standards for induction
Providing a foundation for longer-term professional development
To utilise their 10% non-contact time effectively and meaningfully
Providing regular time for feedback and review meetings with the ECT induction co-ordinator

Aims for ECTs in their second year

Providing a bespoke training programme for second year ECTs based upon areas of development
Developing the professionalism of the second year ECT by increasing their influence on areas to be focused upon
Establishing a foundation for longer-term professional development
Supporting second year ECTs to maintain and develop appropriate professional relationships with all members of the school community and stakeholders
Providing opportunities to recognise and celebrate good practice
Providing opportunities to identify areas for development
Continue to provide second year ECTs with good models of professional practice, teaching and learning
Supporting the development of the second year ECTs s ability to reflect upon their own teaching
Providing regular time for feedback and review meetings with the early career development leader
Providing additional support for second year ECTs through regular meetings with their mentor and bespoke plans for development
Providing an appropriate level of guidance and support to ensure that second year ECTs meet the Teachers’ Standards for induction and develop an understanding
and expertise in the five areas identified in the Early Career Framework (Behaviour Management, Pedagogy, Assessment, Curriculum and Professional behaviours).
To utilise their 5% non-contact time effectively and meaningfully
Providing regular time for feedback and review meetings with the ECT induction co-ordinator

The whole staff will be kept informed of the school’s Induction policy and encouraged to participate, wherever possible, in its implementation and development. This policy
reflects a structured, whole school approach to teacher induction and recognises that the quality and commitment of the people who supervise the induction a crucial factors in its continued success.

The Induction Period

ECTs complete an induction period of two years, beginning when they first take up a post that lasts for a term or more. It is the school’s responsibility to provide an appropriate induction programme in line with national arrangements.

The school makes recommendations to the local authority (Teach West London ), which acts as the ‘Appropriate Body’, based on rigorous and fair assessment procedures as to whether the ECT has met the induction standards.

In order to meet these responsibilities the school will:

provide each ECT with an ECT mentor who is there to support the ECT on a weekly basis
designate a professional ECT induction coordinator for the ECTs provide professional training, which includes a bespoke personalised programme of training and support for each ECT
ensure that any duties assigned to the ECT are reasonable
ensure that the ECT is provided with a timetable representing no more than 90% of the average contact normally allocated to more experienced teachers in the
school
provide the ECT with the means of raising concerns about the induction programme and their resolution
inform the appropriate body about any ECT who may be at risk of failing to meet the induction standards
and arrange for an appropriate action plan to be put into place to provide extra support for the ECT as soon as possible
keep the Governing Body informed about arrangements for ECTs in the school and the results of formal assessment meetings

Roles and Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the ECT to:

provide evidence that they have QTS and are eligible to start induction
meet with their induction leader to discuss and agree priorities for their induction programme and keep these under review
agree with their induction leader how best to use their reduced timetable allowance
provide evidence of their progress against the relevant standards
participate fully in the agreed monitoring and development programme
raise any concerns with their induction co-ordinator as soon as practicable
consult their appropriate body (Teach West London) named contact (Dharmini Shah) at an early stage if there are or may be difficulties in resolving issues with their induction co-ordinator within the school
keep track of and participate effectively in scheduled classroom observations, progress reviews and formal assessment meetings
agree with their induction coordinator the start and end dates of the induction period/part periods and the dates of any absences from work during any period/part period
retain copies of all assessment forms

The Headteacher is, along with the appropriate body, jointly responsible for the monitoring, support and assessment of the ECT during induction, and should:

Ensure ECT have access to the appropriate training from a funded led provider led programme
check that the ECT has been awarded QTS
clarify whether the teacher needs to serve an induction period or is exempt
notify the appropriate body (Teach West London) when an ECT is taking up a post in which they will be undertaking induction
meet the requirements of a suitable post for induction
ensure the induction leader is appropriately trained and has sufficient time to carry out their role effectively
ensure an appropriate and personalised induction programme is in place
ensure the ECT’s progress is reviewed regularly, including through observations and feedback of their teaching
ensure that termly assessments are carried out and reports completed and sent to the appropriate body (Teach West London)
maintain and retain accurate records of employment that will count towards the induction period
make a recommendation to the appropriate body (Teach West London) on whether the ECT’s performance against the relevant standards is satisfactory or requires an extension
participate appropriately in the appropriate body’s (Teach West London) quality assurance procedures
retain all relevant documentation/evidence/forms on file for six years
while the Headteacher may not delegate these responsibilities, many of the associated tasks will be carried out by the ECT induction leader

There may also be circumstances where the Headteacher should:

obtain interim assessments from the ECT’s previous post (where applicable)
act early, alerting the appropriate body (Teach West London) when necessary, in cases where an ECT may be at risk of not completing induction satisfactorily
ensure third-party observation of an ECT who may be at risk of not performing satisfactorily against the relevant standards
notify the appropriate body (Teach West London) as soon as absences total 30 days or more
advise and agree with the appropriate body (Teach West London) in exceptional cases where it may be appropriate to reduce the length of the induction period or deem that it has been satisfactorily completed
provide interim assessment reports for staff moving in between formal assessment periods
notify the appropriate body (Teach West London) when an ECT serving induction leaves the school.
The Headteacher must also ensure that the ECT’s post and responsibilities comply with the specific requirements for statutory induction

The induction leader should:

Ensure ECT have access to the appropriate training from a funded led provider led programme
provide, or coordinate, guidance and effective support including training, coaching and mentoring for the ECTs
professional development (with the Appropriate Body – Teach West London – where necessary)
Carry out regular progress reviews throughout the induction period
undertake six formal assessment meetings during the total induction period, coordinating input from other colleagues as appropriate (normally one per term, or pro rata for part-time staff)
inform the ECT during the assessment meeting of the judgements on the agreed template
record and invite the ECT to add their comments
ensure that the ECTs teaching is observed and feedback provided
ensure ECTs are aware of how, both within and outside the school, they can raise any concerns about their induction programme or their personal progress
take prompt, appropriate action if an ECT appears to be having difficulties

The Governing Body:

should ensure compliance with this guidance
should be satisfied that the school has the capacity to support the ECT
should ensure that the Headteacher is fulfilling his/her responsibility to meet the requirements of a suitable post for induction
must investigate concerns raised by an individual ECT as part of the school’s agreed grievance procedures
can seek guidance from the appropriate body (Teach West London) on the quality of the school’s induction arrangements and the roles and responsibilities of staff involved in the process
can request general reports on the progress of an ECT

The Appropriate Body:

quality assure that the schools and governing body are capable of meeting their responsibilities for monitoring, support and assessment of newly qualified
teachers
ensure that the monitoring, support and guidance procedures in place, are fair and appropriate;
ensure that the records and assessment reports are maintained
identify a named contact on induction matters, with whom issues about provision may be raised where they cannot satisfactorily be resolved within the school
decide in the light of the head teacher’s recommendations whether ECTs have satisfactorily completed the induction period and inform all concerned of the
decision
at the request of the schools, provide guidance support and assistance on matters related to induction

Review of the Policy

The Policy for the induction of ECTs is regularly reviewed and updated where necessary, taking account of any relevant feedback from ECTs.

Approved by the:
Governing Body on 16th September 2025

Last reviewed on:
August 2025

Next review due by:
August 2026