I first became a teacher because I wanted to change children’s lives.
As a trust leader, I have learned that for all the challenges a child might face, it is consistently good teaching that is central to achieving this. And carefully designed, evidence-based professional development is fundamental in helping every teacher to develop and strengthen their practice.
This is why it has been a privilege to have supported both the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) and the Early Career Framework (ECF) from their inception through to delivery in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
ITT and the ECF working in tandem
The CCF has helped to establish a minimum entitlement to evidence-based training for all trainees - something that has never been achieved before.
The ECF programme is now in its third year of national delivery, and I have seen the benefits of it in my own trust, where early career teachers (ECTs) have become more confident and effective teachers as a result of the high-quality training and support they have received.
Together, the CCF and ECF have raised our ambitions for the training and support that new teachers should receive either side of gaining qualified teacher status.
Together, they have also helped to develop a common understanding of what good quality teaching looks like and, from my experience in my trust, a stronger and more confident workforce.
Of course, such major reform is going to take time to fully embed across the system (though it’s a notable achievement that 96 per cent of schools are taking advantage of the fully funded ECF programmes).
It is vital that the Department for Education listens to the sector on what is working and what could be better, and adapts accordingly. It has concluded its review of the CCF and the ECF and I am clear: it has listened.
Meaningful changes
The DfE has consulted widely with the profession, and I have worked with other sector colleagues to help it make important changes to the training and support that all teachers receive at the start of their career.
At its heart, ECF training needs to be high-quality and impactful and feel like an effective use of busy teachers’ time.
One of the criticisms of the programme so far has been that there is unnecessary duplication of elements of ITT in the ECF.
Every teacher knows the importance of revisiting prior learning to deepen understanding, so it’s understandable that the ECF visits important content from ITT. But this must be done consciously and deliberately, acknowledging teachers’ deepening expertise.
I am pleased to see the DfE has decided to combine the CCF and ECF, bringing them into one framework to better join up the journey between ITT and the induction period.
Better SEND support
Supporting our children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is one of the biggest challenges that the profession faces, so it’s right that the DfE has added new framework statements to support trainees and ECTs to feel confident in teaching all children to succeed, including those with SEND.
Much of this has been intentionally aligned with the new National Professional Qualification for Sendcos, which comes online later this year, building greater connection between the training that teachers and leaders receive at different career stages.
Improving mentor workload
Finally, I want to recognise the important role that mentors play in both ITT and early career training, offering guidance, challenge and tailored support - as well as helping teachers to relate training to their context.
We know how much trainees and ECTs value time with their mentor, and it is important that we, as senior leaders within schools and trusts, acknowledge the work that they do and empower them to carry out their role effectively. The plans announced today to reduce mentor workload are critical.
Great school leaders are also great innovators. I’m looking forward to seeing innovation from trusts in how they recruit and deploy mentors effectively, and how they make mentoring a rewarding career pathway. Some trusts are already on this journey.
I’ve been in this profession for over 30 years. For a large proportion of my career, government invested very little in teacher professional development. Now it spends £130 million per year on ECTs and their mentors alone.
This is huge progress. And the improvements announced today will make sure that this investment helps every new teacher to develop their practice and to improve outcomes for all.
Richard Gill is CEO of The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership and chair of the Teaching School Hubs Council
