A complete guide to ECT Induction and 11 top tips for your NQT year
Your ECT Induction can be an intense time. We’ve gathered some of the best advice the internet has to offer.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
There’s no nervous feeling like the one you feel just before your NQT year or, as it is now called, ECT induction. The last week of your first summer holiday, the one after your training year is pretty much guaranteed to be filled with apprehension. Just remember: you’re not alone. Many teachers feel ‘the fear’ at the end of the summer holidays.
But what wise and comforting advice can more experienced teachers provide Early Careers Teachers embarking on their first teaching job? We’ve put together a complete guide to ECT Inductions and gathered together some of the best tips for new teachers. Worry not. We've got your back!
What is an ECT or NQT?
ECT stands for Early Careers Teacher. Before 2021, teachers new to the profession were called NQTs, which stands for Newly Qualified Teacher.
Since 2021, NQTs are now ECTs, and the induction programme they take after their Initial Teacher Training (ITT) has changed.
What is ECT Induction?
In 2021, the Department for Education introduced the Early Career Framework for new teachers into the profession. This is a structured two-year professional development programme.
The programmed offered to ECTs must contain the following:
A reduced timetable for the first two full years of teaching.
An Induction Tutor who provides support and guidance throughout the induction.
An Induction Mentor who has one-to-one mentoring sessions with the ECT.
Observations of the ECT in the classroom and discussions based on this.
Regular reviews of the ECTs progress.
The opportunity for the ECT to observe experienced teachers.
A programme of training and professional development that supports the Early Career Framework (ECF).
Two formal assessments: one at the end of year 1, and the other at the end of year 2.
What’s the difference between the NQT and ECT induction?
There are quite a few differences between an NQT year and an ECT Induction.
Length of induction
The main difference is that the NQT year was, as the name suggests, one year. The ECT Induction is two.
Reduction of timetable
Before 2021, NQTs got a reduction of 10% to their timetable, helping to support their self-study and reflection outside of the classroom.
ECTs also get an initial 10% reduction to their timetable in their first year. This drops to 5% in their second year.
Support
All Early Careers Teachers are provided with an Induction Tutor and an Induction Mentor. NQTs received only an Induction Tutor.
Professional development
NQTs weren’t required to receive any extra professional development training, whereas ECTs are provided a programme of training that supports the Early Career Framework.
Assessment
NQTs were formally assessed against the Teaching Standards three times in one year.
ECTs are still assessed against the Teaching Standards, but this occurs formally twice (once at the end of each year), with regular informal progress reviews at the end of each term.
Is the ECT Induction harder than a PGCE?
Every Early Careers Teacher’s experience is different. There is, of course, a large increase in the number of teaching hours you do in your ECT Induction, but you no longer have academic assignments to complete.
If you are worried about your workload going into your ECT years, speak to your mentor and your colleagues for tips and tricks for reducing workload.
Know that your ECT Induction might be tough, but you are tougher. You got this.
11 top tips for your NQT year and ECT Induction
We’ve scoured the internet for top tips.
1. You don’t need to plan from scratch
We love this tip from @MsGHist on Twitter:
“My biggest ECT advice is DO NOT plan everything from scratch. Use resources from others to help you save time and give you inspiration.”
Even better, @MsGHist requested experienced teachers leave links to their shared Google Drives that contain resources ECTs can use. Win-win! Check out the link here.
Related content:
Behaviour management in the classroom: a guide to 9 strategies you can use today
7 easy ways to improve pupil progress that you can use in your classroom today
13 ideas for teaching wellbeing and self-care
2. Turn to Twitter
Speaking of Twitter, there is a huge wealth of experience and support via Twitter. If you’re struggling with anything, from finding a resource to managing mentally, the community of teachers on Twitter is unparalleled and is always willing to support anyone in the profession.
The hashtag #edutwitter is one of the most popular, but you can also tag in influencer teachers that specialise in your problem area to get the most help from far and wide.
3. Mr T’s NQT/ECT support
This account on Twitter deserved an entry all of it’s own. Mr T, an experienced NQT mentor, has created this account specifically to support Early Careers Teachers and it is 100% worth a follow. They share accounts to follow, helpful links to check out, and top tips from teaching professionals on Twitter.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
The ECT Induction is designed to support new teachers through the first two years of teaching, which can be tough to say the least. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and support from those around you. You will have a mentor and a tutor you can turn to. But you can also turn to colleagues in your school.
If you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed, Education Support provides mental health support designed specifically for the teaching profession. Reach out. You’re never alone.
5. Get to know your school’s policies and procedures
This might seem obvious but in your first few weeks, this kind of information is often presented to you en masse and gets filed away to be looked at ‘later’. Translation: never. But policies and procedures, particularly behaviour policies, can come in very handy in those first few weeks when you’re establishing yourself in a new school.
Make the time to read through and make notes on the ones you’ll be employing daily.
If you’d like more tips for behaviour, our blog and accompanying webinar has some great tips!
6. Try new strategies and methods
There’s no denying that the first few years in teaching are intense, but they also provide the opportunity to try new things and be brave. Try out new strategies for teaching and learning and throw yourself into the programme of professional development provided for you.
7. Be nice to yourself
When trying new strategies or ideas, be kind to yourself. Some will work. Some won’t. Some lessons will be a disaster, some will be the best ever. All of that is okay - in fact, it’s a sign you’re making the most of your ECT years.
We tell children they learn the most from mistakes; practice what you preach and give yourself a break!
8. Set your stall early for work/life balance
We’re not going to lecture you about making sure you take breaks or tell you not to take work home. Rather, we think it’s good to use this time to work out a pattern of working that works best for you.
Ask colleagues how they manage workload and try out their tips. Try not taking work home. Try only working until 6pm. Try going into school early. Decide what works for you and stick with it.
9. Make your classroom your own
If you are lucky enough to get your own classroom, make it yours. Decorate the walls with displays or children’s work and equip them with the resources you need. Some good-quality whiteboard pens are a must, and you might find a slide remote really handy for going through PowerPoint slides without needing to stand by your laptop.
Don’t be afraid to play around with seating arrangements either. If rows work for you, great. If you’d rather group tables, fab. Remember, your ECT years are for checking this stuff out.
10. Look after yourself
The ECT years can be overwhelming. It’s helpful to have a few go-to self-care activities you can do when you’re feeling it.
And don’t be afraid to take days off if you’re unwell. Going into school when you’re ill will not help anyone and your pupils will be fine whilst you get yourself back to fighting fit.
11. Try Learning by Questions
Learning by Questions is perfect for Early Careers Teachers. It helps reduce workload and eases the pressures of subject knowledge by providing a huge bank of teacher-written resources. LbQ will free you up to concentrate on progressing your teaching practice.