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| Early Careers

At Fairfax Multi Academy Trust, we believe that a high-quality induction process is the bedrock for a successful teaching career.

As such FMAT use STAR as Appropriate Body for the Early Career Framework and our ECT programme is delivered through National Institute of Teaching. This programme is underpinned by the Early Career Framework, developing your self-evaluation, professional, subject and curricula knowledge, enabling you to realise your potential in the classroom.

»ÆÉ«Ö±²¥ clearly prioritise ECT development and have years of experience supporting Early Career Teachers.

STAR Appropriate Body Quality Assurance Nov 2024

Year 1

ECTs are assigned a mentor who provide day by day and week by week support through the cycle shown in the diagram below. Self-directed study is accessed through the evidence based ‘Great Teacher Toolkit’ allowing ECTs to access current evidence whilst learning to implement it with support of their mentor and Professional tutor who oversees the ECT provision within the ECTs academy. In addition to the standard ECT programme, FMAT ECTs attend two Trust Network Events each year, providing them with the opportunity to meet ECTs from other schools and form relationships beyond their home academy. The Trust ECT lead meets with ECTs half-termly in order to ‘check in’ and provide an additional tier of support.

ECTs corroborate the fact that the trust heavily invests in ECTs and that the school considers the needs individual ECTs. This includes the opportunities to network with ECTs from across the trust and to collaborate with colleagues in subject-specialisms across schools.

STAR Appropriate Body Quality Assurance Nov 2024

Year 2

In year two, FMAT ECTs complete FMAT’s Exceptional Teacher Programme. The FMAT Exceptional Teacher Programme is designed to develop our Trust ECT+1 teachers in the FMAT Teaching for Excellence model. The programme comprises seven sessions, each focussing on a strand of our Trust Teaching for Excellence Framework to ensure that in FMAT classrooms:

Overall, the ECTs were extremely positive with the support they were receiving at all levels: their mentor, the school and the trust. The ECTs mentioned that while they were getting more support than what was required, they nevertheless never felt as though they were a ‘lesser’ member of staff.