Mentors
What is the Early Career Framework?
The ECF programme is a two year package of professional development, designed to help ECTs transition from their Initial Teaching Training and to thrive as new teachers in the profession. It is also a structured professional development programme for mentors, supporting them to develop their knowledge of both effective coaching strategies alongside the evidence base underpinning the ECF.
The role of ECF mentor and the responsibilities which go alongside it are different to those of an NQT mentor.
ECF mentors guide their ECTs through 12 blocks of evidence-led content, supporting them to develop their knowledge and skills to be successful in the early stages of their career. Through discussion, practice and reflection, mentors encourage ECTs to identify their own action steps to further develop their classroom practice and subject specific pedagogy.
More information can be found in your welcome pack, which your Induction Tutor will share with you.
Each half term, ECTs should:
1. Work through the self-study content on the EDT portal during their ECT time including watching any webinars.
2. Meet with their mentor once a week* to discuss the evidence base introduced in the self-study materials and identify next steps to move their practice forward. *Once a fortnight in the second year.
3. Attend face to face and / or virtual training sessions with other ECTs from North Birmingham once per term.
4. Complete the survey at the end of the block and reflect on their progress and action points.
At the start of each half term, Mentors should:
1. Log into the EDT portal and download the content for the weekly meetings.
2. Watch the webinar and read the reading and reflection document which shares the evidence base for each block. There is also a short podcast available for each block, giving mentors the option to develop their understanding of the ECF evidence base through multiple channels.
3. Prepare for the weekly* mentor meeting by reading through the proposed content.
*Once a fortnight in the second year.
4. Meet with their ECT using the content from the portal to structure the meeting.
5. Mentors might choose to do some informal lesson drop-ins to identify the next development steps for their ECT.
6. Attend the virtual / face to face training sessions delivered by the Arthur Terry TSH, North Birmingham to further develop their understanding of mentoring and the ECF evidence base.
All of the content for your weekly mentor meetings, any webinars and reading and reflection documents can be found by visiting ECF: DP Dashboard (eddevtrust.com).
Once your Induction Tutor has registered you on the DfE portal, EDT will send you a user name and password. These will be sent from ecf@educationdevelopmenttrust.com. Please check your junk, clutter or other inboxes if you haven’t seen these details.
If you haven’t received your user name and password for this site please attempt to re-set your login details. You can do this by visiting ECF: DP Dashboard (eddevtrust.com), entering your school e-mail address as your username and then click re-set password. If this doesn’t work, please e-mail ect@atlp.org.uk
Mentor Training
Mentors joining the programme in April 2024.
Mentors joining the ECF programme in April 2024, will follow the new mentor training programme. This has been re-designed following feedback from mentors and leaders within schools in order to offer additional flexibility for mentors.
When mentors receive their login details from EDT, they will be signposted to the mentor induction programme available on the EDT online platform. This is made up of a series of webinars and short information videos supporting you to find out more about the ECF programme, the principles of instructional coaching as well as providing guidance on how to navigate the platform. Mentors should work through this programme at their own pace.
Mentor Training Events
In addition to the online induction programme, mentors will also attend six training events over the course of the two years; one each term. These events take place at the beginning of each half term, providing you with an opportunity to develop your understanding of the evidence base and to develop your own mentoring practice.
Details of all mentor training events can be found on our ECF Events page. Click the button below.
Who do I contact if I have a problem?
Speak to your Induction Tutor in your school.
If they can’t answer your question, please e-mail our ECF Team ect@atlp.org.uk
