Changes to inductions for early career teachers from September 2021

Changes to inductions for early career teachers from September 2021

You may have heard that government is making changes to teacher training this year. This week, we’re taking a look at what these changes mean for newly qualified teachers, and for those who are thinking about undertaking a PGCE. 

So, what’s changed?

The term early career teacher (ECT) replaces newly qualified teacher (NQT). 

There is now a two school year induction period that all qualified teachers must undertake in order to be employed as a teacher (there are some exceptions to this applicable to certain educational settings, which you can find out more about here). This two school year induction period is an increase from the previous one school year period. 

ECTs will now have a mentor during their induction period. The role of the mentor is to provide support and mentorship to the ECT. The mentor should hold qualified teacher status (QTS). 

ECTs will continue to receive a 10% timetable reduction in their first year of induction, in addition to a 5% timetable reduction in their second year of induction. 

ECTs will be assessed at two points in their induction. The first will occur midway through induction and the second at the end of the induction period. Regular progress reviews will also take place to monitor the progress of ECTs; these will occur in each term where no formal assessment period is scheduled. 

These changes will be supported by the Early Career Framework (ECF) as central element of ECT induction. The ECF core areas are as follows and will enable ECTs to develop key knowledge and skills, setting them for a successful teaching career:

• behaviour management
• pedagogy
• curriculum
• assessment
• professional behaviours

Why have these changes been introduced?

Statutory induction for ECTs bridges initial teacher training and a career in teaching. Induction provides ECTS with “a structured programme of development, support and professional dialogue, underpinned by the ECF, with monitoring and an assessment of performance against the Teachers’ Standards” (Department for Education, 2021).

The induction programme aims to support ECTs and provide them with important training to ensure they are able to demonstrate satisfactory performance against the Teacher’s Standards by the end of their induction period. Induction should be equip ECTs with the tools they need to be ‘an effective and successful teacher’ (Department for Education, 2021).

What standards do these changes relate to?

The Teachers’ Standards will be used to assess an ECT’s performance at the end of their induction period. The decision about whether an ECT’s performance against relevant standards is satisfactory by the end of the induction period should account for the context in which the ECT has been working. The decision must also be made based upon reasonable expectations of an ECT by the end of the induction period, again within the context of The Teacher’s Standards. 

The decision should reflect ‘the expectation that ECTs have effectively consolidated their initial teacher training (ITT) and demonstrated their ability to meet the Teachers’ Standards consistently over a sustained period in their practice. The ECF is not and should not be used as an assessment tool’ (Department for Education, 2021). 

Where can I read more about these standards?

• The Teacher’s standards: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-standards
• Early Career Framework: https://www.early-career-framework.education.gov.uk/ and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-career-framework-reforms-overview
• Initial Teacher Training: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/initial-teacher-training-criteria/initial-teacher-training-itt-criteria-and-supporting-advice

What are the benefits to ECTS?

• ECTs will have access to two full school years of support from a qualified and experienced mentor.
• ECTS will be have access to high quality ECF materials that will enable them build a strong set of professional practice skills to use throughout their career. 
• Formal assessments will be supported by regular progress reviews, giving ECTs chance to understand their progress, and reflect on their induction period journey. 
• The changes to the ECT induction period will ensure that ECTs have consistent professional development opportunities and protected time to undertake these. 

Where can I find out more?

You can read more about the standards via the links above. You can also find out what schools, educational charities and other teachers are saying about these changes using the links below. 

The Early Career Framework reforms – something to get excited about: https://teaching.blog.gov.uk/2021/03/30/the-early-career-framework-reforms-something-to-get-excited-about/

What to Expect from NQT or ECT Years: Guidance & Tips: https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/what-to-expect-new-teachers/

The Early Career Framework: what you need to know: https://www.tes.com/news/early-career-framework-what-you-need-know-new-teachers-schools

ECT Framework and Induction Overview | September 2021 changes | NO LONGER NQT | All you need to know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDOsLd0JzPQ

Don’t forget!

The Careers and Employability Team can help if you are thinking about applying for a PGCE, or are interested in teacher training. Get in touch with us via My Career Enriched, where you can ask us questions, book and appointment with an adviser, send us your CV or application for feedback, and search for opportunities. 

💻https://mycareerenriched.cumbria.ac.uk/

Time to Celebrate: Graduate Outcomes Survey

🎉We’re top in the North West for the second year in a row! 🎉

Earlier this month, The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) released the latest national results from the Graduate Outcomes Survey.

94.9% of the University of Cumbria’s graduates who responded to the survey confirmed that they were in employment or further study 15 months after completing their courses. That’s impressive!

It’s even more impressive considering that most of these graduates were starting their careers, looking for employment or further study opportunities during the pandemic. 

For the second year in a row, graduates of the University of Cumbria have achieved an employment / further study rate that is:

• Higher than the national sector-wide average 
• Higher than the comparable rates achieved by all of the other 11 non-specialist universities in the North West. 

These latest results of the Graduate Outcomes Survey show that University of Cumbria graduates are equipped to succeed in finding employment or progressing to further study, and that not even a global pandemic can stop them!💪💪💪

🚀Looking to boost YOUR graduate potential?

Don’t forget, the Careers and Employability Team are here to support you during your studies and for up to three years after graduation. You can:

Get in touch with us via the Student Enquiry Point:

And browse our resources on MyCumbria:

And finally…

📝🧑🏽‍🎓A reminder for the Class of 2020👩🏼‍🎓📝

If you’re a UoC Class of Summer 2020 graduate, look out for your chance to complete the Graduate Outcomes Survey this September. You’ll receive an email with a link to complete the survey securely online. 

You can find about more about completing the survey here.

What does the graduate labour market look like?

The media talks a lot about the job market, but it can be difficult to know what things ‘really’ look like out there.

The UK graduate labour market update from Prospects can help you to make sense of what’s happening, and inform you career planning and job-hunting activities. 

Here are the headlines from Prospect’s latest update on 6^th July: 

• “Nearly a third of university students said they had changed their career plans as a result of the pandemic.”
• “A quarter of university students are considering postgraduate study but costs and funding are major concerns.”

If this sounds familiar, come and talk to us! The Careers and Employability Team can talk with you about your career planning, job hunting and advise you on further study options. Book an appointment with us via My Career Enriched.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

And now for some good news: 

• “The volume of UK online job adverts on 18 June 2021 was at 129% of its February 2020 average level, with all major graduate employment sectors except oil and gas and law running at or above February 2020 levels (both were over 90%).”
• “In the week of 21-27 June, there were a total of 1.55 million active job adverts in the UK.”
• “With 192,000 new job postings in the same week, employers demand remains buoyant and at a level higher than before the onset of lockdown in March 2020.”
• “Higher demand for roles in education sector, as well as more adverts for professional and skilled occupations at the end of June.”
• “There are nearly 130 thousand vacancies in healthcare, nursing and social work, most at graduate level, and nearly 75 thousand in both hospitality and sales.”

This data is positive for student job hunters and graduates – there are jobs available, with increased demand in some sectors.

Remember that we advertise a host of internships, jobs and graduate schemes on My Career Enriched, so take a look if you’re in the market for a job. 

To read more or sign up for labour market updates from Prospects, click here.

Greetings from the new Careers Intern.

Hello Everyone, I’m writing this to introduce…. Well ME!

I am the New Careers and Employability Graduate Intern. I recently graduated from the UoC Working with Children and Families course (July 2018).

I wanted to write this to introduce myself and describe some of the experiences I had as a student in relations to careers, future planning, time management and general student activities. Hopefully so you can see ways you can make the most of your time at Uni.

Future Planning – It’s never too early to start exploring what you want to do. I came to university not knowing what career path I was on or what pathways and avenues were open to me. However through exploring using the careers service, work experience and speaking to my course (both staff and students) I was able to focus on what was important to me and to get to somewhere I want to be.

Time Management – Obviously your course should be a priority to you, but if you plan and prepare efficiently then you can find the time to do other things. For those who have dependants or other responsibilities you have even more to balance before you can look to do other things (and, if you manage it, you deserve it). Whereas if you have free time there is so much you can do to boost your employability and improve yourself whilst at university:

Being a member of a society (especially if holding a leadership position or helping to start a society); work experience, voluntary or paid work; being a Student Ambassador, course representative, or serving on the student council/panel. All of these provide and demonstrate key life and job skills.

General Student activities – I’ll be honest I didn’t always turn up to lectures on time and if something wasn’t timetabled 50% of the time I wouldn’t be there (and if I was I might not have been fully invested). Looking back I would shout at myself and force myself to go to the extra events, to listen and make note. It was through one of these events I made contact with someone from an agency that provided me with work through my second and third years. They are there to help the students so use them to your own advantages.

My Career Enriched – There is now a Careers Hub called My Career Enriched where you can ask queries, book appointments, see advertised jobs (that you can also filter for relevance), and submit applications and CV’s for feedback.

You can find this in the student hub from the university login, or at https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/Student-Life/careers/My-Career-Enriched/

Career Ahead – Career Ahead is an employability award offered by the careers team. It is an award that is designed to make you ready for your career. There are different levels of the award and none of them are overly taxing to complete: Bronze, Silver and Gold. It is that extra thing to help you stand out and show that you have put in extra time and effort. This is available to every UoC student and is worth completing. I only did bronze myself but wish I had completed the full award even with all the experience I got with agency work and events through UCSU.

For more information visit here: https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/Student-Life/careers/Career-Ahead/

Graduate Success Guide – As a Graduate the university doesn’t just stop offering support, it is through ‘us’, you and whoever is in the next class of graduates that they can show their success. My Career Enriched is still accessible and the careers team even produce a guide on planning the next steps, for both further study and career support. The guide is a useful tool and worth looking at even whilst studying. As I said before it is never too early to start planning and it can be really daunting to transition from one thing to another, especially when your course has been your life for the last few years. This is here to help you light that dark time.

It is available here: Graduate Success Guide [PDF]

But it is also worth looking at: https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/Student-Life/careers/Graduates/

I hope this helps some of you, and remember, the student services are always here to support you with issues. I know they helped me a lot especially when I was unsure or felt lost. Hopefully we can help you too.

Ones to Watch: Emma Kirby

Welcome to part one of our new ‘Ones to Watch’ series, in conjunction with the University of Cumbria’s Alumni team. We think all University of Cumbria graduates are amazing, and are proud of each and every one of you. Occasionally we get to hear about certain individuals who are already making a huge impact, despite only graduating recently. Those who have really applied themselves whilst still a student; taken advantage of every opportunity and worked exceptionally hard to get where they want to be. 

Emma Kirby

BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS

“I had the pleasure of working with Emma in her role as student ambassador in the alumni office. She was always keen and enthusiastic (even on the mundane data entry tasks!), it is great to meet a student with such ambition and determination. She was such a hard worker, always in the library and going the extra mile for her assignments. Emma squeezed every opportunity she could out of her time as a student, earning extra money, skills and gaining experiences whilst supporting the university through her  work as a student ambassador.

“I had absolutely no doubt that Emma would do well in her degree (she got a first!) and would have no trouble securing a teaching job. Emma would make a fantastic asset to any school and she is destined to go very far!” 

– Joanne Lusher, Alumni Office

Course: BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS

Campus: Fusehill Street, Carlisle

Graduation year: 2014

Hometown: Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Current job: I have just started my NQT year in a Year 5 class at a school in Harrogate.

What made you choose the University of Cumbria?

I visited the university on an open day before I made my choice, and I loved the fact that the campuses are so small and compact. The tutors were nothing but welcoming and I really got a sense of community there. The small class sizes also attracted my attention, as you really get the opportunity to achieve your maximum potential and make some really close friends. Carlisle has a lot to offer as a city, and I loved the fact that it is located right near the Lake District. Not only that, it has great travel links to Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Why did you choose your particular course?

From a young age I have been interested in teaching. The Primary Education course at the University of Cumbria offered some great opportunities, such as a variety of placements across Key Stages 1 & 2. The course also gives you the opportunity to undertake an alternative placement in education, which I completed in Finland.

What did you like most about your course?

Something I enjoyed the most was the small class sizes of about 20-30. We had several lectures altogether as a cohort, but the majority of our seminars were as the small group. We gave each other support in the times we needed it and I have made some lifelong friends from the class.

What was your favourite experience at university?

My best memory of university was our leavers ‘assembly’. We had the chance to celebrate everything we had achieved and look towards the future.

How did coming to university change your life?

In my first year I moved into halls of residence, which proved to be challenging. Coming straight from sixth form, at first I found it difficult to adapt to living away from home. I learned how to cook and how to manage my money to make sure I had enough for my shopping. University really is the time you grow up and become more independent. Moving away from home has provided me with invaluable life skills and I am already missing it now I am back home!

Did you make any lifelong friendships at university?

Over the three years, I have made some lifelong friendships. Despite the fact that we are dotted around the country, I know we will stay in touch and visit each other as much as possible!

What were your career ambitions when you started studying and do you think that you have achieved them?

When I finished university my ambition was to get a teaching job straight away and after plenty of job interviews, I have done just that.

Would you be where you are today, without your degree?

I have always wanted to go into teaching and my degree has allowed me to take the first step on to the career ladder.

What are your current career ambitions now and in the long-term?

My current career ambition is to carry on teaching and progress up the career ladder, hopefully taking on a subject leader

An Introduction to Career Ahead

What is Career Ahead?
It’s an employability award run by the University of Cumbria which enables you to develop your employability skills to get a good job when you graduate. You complete the award in your own time online through PebblePad, and it is a way to evidence your extra-curricular activity while at University.

Why should I complete the Career Ahead award?
Employers want graduates with good employability skills. They don’t just look at your degree; they want to find the candidate with the best skills for the job. According to High Flyers (2011): “new graduates who’ve not had any work experience during their time at university have little or no chance of landing a well-paid job”. Career Ahead allows you to evidence the skills you already have, develop those skills that you want to develop, crate effective employability tools such as cv and cover letter writing skills, interview skills and allows access to free workshops, both face-to-face and online. In short, Career Ahead enables you to be job ready when you graduate.

So what do I have to do?
The award is broken down into three elements: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Bronze relates to personal development – completing a skills audit and a reflective diary to identify your career goals and skills gaps. Silver relates to skills development – you develop four employability skills, and undertake 100 hours of extra-curricular activity, as well as two online employability workshops. You also create a reflective diary of your progress in your web folio. Gold relates to career management and enables you to search for the job you want, create a targeted CV and cover letter or application form, and develop your web folio to evidence all your activity. Once you have completed and passed all 3 elements you will also have the chance to take part in a mock interview with an employer.

What workshops are available?
Some of the options include leadership, teambuilding, applications and CVs, interview skills, personal branding and mentoring.

What do I get at the end of the course?
Upon completion you will receive a University of Cumbria certificate, as well as having your web-folio evidencing your progress, skills and experience. Most importantly though you will have gained the skills you need to get the job you want!

What next?
Once you have completed the bronze silver and gold elements you can undertake the platinum award – you will complete and extra 50 hours of extra-curricular activity, mentor a bronze or silver student, as well as submitting a reflective diary of your progress. You will also get the chance to organise an event, share a skill, complete a placement or start up your own student enterprise!

Interested?
If you would like to find out more you can:
Come along to the Introduction to Career Ahead presentation today at the Fusehill Street campus (room LG101) at 4.15 pm.
Take a look at the Career Ahead areas on the University’s website or on BlackBoard (at the top of the page when you log in).
Email mailto: careerahead@cumbria.ac.uk to ask advice, find out more or register onto the award.

FAQ: Where can I get practice with numeracy, aptitude and personality tests?

We recently researched some Frequently Asked Questions for a forthcoming guideline to help our students and graduates.  Unfortunately there were so many, we couldn’t include them all! So this is the first in a mini-series to cover at least some of the ones that got missed out.

The trouble with tests is that no employer will be able to show you exactly what test they will use because it would render the test invalid.  Obviously previous knowledge of the exact test will skew candidates’ results.


So where can I get practice with numeracy, aptitude and personality tests?

Fortunately, the increase of careers materials on the internet has meant that a large number of sample tests have become freely available.

For an overview of the types of tests most commonly used in graduate recruitment, plus some further samples, start with  http://www.prospects.ac.uk/psychometric_tests.htm  Also useful for a broader overview of psychometric and personality tests used in a variety of different occupations is http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/psychometric_test_types

Even if you end up facing a test you’ve never heard of, don’t press the panic button before you start.  There will invariably be one or two trial items at the very beginning of the test to make sure you understand what’s required.

Employers’ Use of Testing Alienates Graduates

Another recent article from “Graduate Recruiter” (view earlier post) quotes research by Talent Q UK to suggest that candidates for graduate posts are becoming alienated by employers’ use of psychomentric and ability tests.

It all seems to come down an issue of poor communication.  According to the research, employers frequently make basic mistakes like:

•  not explaining why applicants are being asked to take a test and how the results relate to the job
•  not offering feedback on candidates’ performance, which breaches requirements of the British Psychological Society
• not telling people why their application failed, which may or may not be down to a poor test result

An additional problem is poor record keeping, resulting in duplication and frustration for applicants.

I am sure many Careers Advisers can report meetings with students and graduates who have been fed up with the sometimes apparently random nature of the tests they were asked to take and the opaque, remote nature of the whole process. Online tests seem to be particularly loathed.  But is there much consistent evidence that candidates with superior test scores really do perform better in the workplace?

Yorkshire Graduate Recruitment Fair

Also on the Careers Fair trail, The Yorkshire Graduate Recruitment Fair takes place on Thursday 31st May between 11.00 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. at The Edge, University of Leeds and is open to graduates of all UK universities.

There will be over 90 employers, CV checks and a series of 10 minute workshops.

Find out more at http://careerfairs.leeds.ac.uk/ygrf/

Manchester Graduate Recruitment Fair

We have received the following reminder notice about the above event from Manchester University:

• Hundreds of graduate jobs (local and national) starting June onwards (mostly permanent and paid, but a handful of voluntary positions too) plus some postgrad course opportunities, all on offer at:  The Graduate Recruitment Fair, Manchester.
• Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 June 2012, 10.30am – 4.00pm, The Armitage Centre, Fallowfield, Manchester.  DIFFERENT EXHIBITORS EACH DAY .
• 160 companies and institutions – with graduate vacancies for this year. Attend on both days if you want to see all the exhibitors.  BRING COPIES OF YOUR CV.
• STUDENTS & GRADUATES FROM ANY UNIVERSITY WELCOME.
• FREE bus from Piccadilly Railway Station to the Armitage Centre and back.
• For details and to register to attend, see http://www.manchester.ac.uk/graduatefair

[ends]

The Manchester event is probably the biggest Graduate Fair within easy travelling of Cumbria, so it’s well worth booking a place.