Summary updates from induction tutor briefing - 19th May 2023

Dear Colleagues

Many thanks to everyone who attended the induction tutor briefing meeting this morning. It is with great sadness that we started off the meeting explaining that from 1^st September we are no long able to register new ECTs and will be ending the AB service on the 31^st August 2024. Thank you to everyone involved in ECT/NQT induction over the years, we have loved working with your ECTs/NQTs and dedicated schools, headteachers and induction leaders, it has been an honour and a privilege.

Action:

• ECTs registered with Southwark as the AB can continue to be registered with us and will in the majority of cases completed their induction with us at the end of July 2024. Please reassure current ECTs we will continue to offer a high level of service and we will ensure that we will continue to support them until they have completed.
• If you have new ECTS joining with you in September you need to allocate a new Appropriate Body. Please ensure you understand the support available for any ECTs who have been identified as needing more support. Please ensure that there are not any gaps in provision as ECT induction cannot be back dated.
• Do please get in touch if your ECT requires more support so that transition arrangements can be co-ordinated.
• The London allocated teaching school hubs with AB services are listed below:  

National Updates

From 1 September 2023 a statutory instrument will come into force that will confirm the changes to which organisations can operate as an appropriate body (AB).

• Only teaching school hubs (TSHs) and other organisations determined by the Secretary of State will be listed as being as able to act as ABs.
• During a transitional period from 1 September 2023 until 31 August 2024, local authorities (LAs) can only continue to act as ABs in a limited capacity where the LA was acting as an appropriate body for an institution immediately before 1 September 2023 for an early career teacher (ECT) who was serving an induction period in that same institution immediately before 1 September 2023.

That is to mean that for the school year 2023/2024 LA ABs will be able to continue providing AB services to the ECTs already registered with them immediately prior to 1 September 2023 but will no longer be able to register  ECTs after 1 September 2023.

Term 3 and Term 6 Formal Assessment

The final date for submitting your ECT(s) formal assessment is 13^th July 2023 (please note the release date that tutors can start adding their comments to the assessment form is 22^nd May 2023 this is helpful where you have a   large number of ECTs)

Please find attached the  following Well written assessment guidance and report writing documents to assist you with writing the reports.

Action: please ensure you have scheduled a meeting with your ECT and mentor and ensure at least one lesson observation has taken place per half term.  

Extending an induction period to account for ad hoc absences

The induction period is automatically extended prior to completion when an ECT’s absences per year of induction (or equivalent for part-time teachers) total 30 days or more (with the exception of statutory maternity leave, statutory paternity leave, shared parental leave, statutory adoption leave, or parental bereavement leave (see para 3.7)). In these circumstances the induction period must be extended by the aggregate total of days absent. If the ECT is unable to serve the extension in the same school/institution, the minimum period of employment of one term or equivalent must be served in a new school/institution.

Action: please check the absence figures for ECTs registered. If the number exceeds 29 across each three term period of time please do get in touch, so extension details can be explained.

Length of the induction period for an ECT who works part time

ECTs serving induction on a part-time basis at any point will need to serve the full[1]time equivalent (FTE) of two full school years (based on a school year of three terms). Therefore, an ECT working part-time as a 0.5 FTE will need to serve induction for four school years.  It is for the school and appropriate body to decide in each individual case the length of the induction period required which is fair and takes full account of the ECT’s working pattern.  In cases where part-time ECTs have completed a period covering but not equivalent to two full school years and can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards they may be able to have their induction period reduced (see para 3.5 on reductions)

Action : please do get in contact if you have part time ECTs who may qualify for a reduced induction period.

Tutors can access the recording of today’s briefing on the following link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/pvx78ptW7dYz3iKB9u2AACY2mxB6eIDMcNhEfEMNmULhyDi7OzBtNcz548imqZr2.3uBE9rKRk7QJnZDH
Passcode: %B6?hh&d