Please help me figure this out-ECF

[ECFLead]

Hi all,
Anyone on here an ECF induction tutor but also have a pretty normal teaching timetable?

I'm trying to work out if I'm being reasonable or incompetent. Most of the people on my courses have been in SLT and so not comparable with myself.

The ECF lead is in SLT, as they should be, but when I read what they should be responsible for it seems they have delegated most of it to me. I report to them, I know more than them, and I'm absolutely snowed under with the new framework. I have a normal teaching load and multiple ECTs. I also manage all the trainee teachers and providers and their mentors. I receive a TLR for this (Off the top of my head about £2500 a year).

I don't run training for the ECTs or mentors as that is being handled at a trust wide level. I do, however, have all queries directed at me etc and am expected to monitor mentors.

Under the new framework I'm expected to do all observations, write ups, feedback every half term. I'm also expected to do the termly targets. I also have to do the termly reports. This wasn't the case last year, the frame work this year puts a lot more on the induction tutor than the mentor.

It's being questioned why I'm struggling with workload...I can't understand how normal teachers doing this aren't struggling too. I'm normally exceptionally effective and organised. School have allocated me 2 free periods a week to do the job too!

I've been recording the amount of time the whole role takes and it is more than 6+ hours per week so far on top of my normal directed time/teaching/marking/planning. It's all the emails I receive and people needing meetings to discuss concerns too. All the things with no paper trail! I've recorded it all.

Is anyone else in this position? Am I just being ineffective?!

It depends how many trainees, training providers and ECTS you have really and the size and type of school ( are you in a teaching school?)

I haven't been involved in trainees or NQTS for a few years now but have been previously. At my last school this would have been standard, not so much at my new one so depends on school culture too.

If I understand correctly you mentioned getting two extra frees a week so therefore is not a normal teaching load - just in case you wanted to take it further you may wish avoid this as a contradiction. (Not saying it is enough: it isn't)

I teach a normal scale timetable 25 period week and have 3 PPA)

Thank you, I think it will calm down as things move forward. Last year I had periods of time when it was manic but mainly just before the reports were due. I would observe once a term and the mentors would do the reports and formal obs. I would just observe to monitor.

Perhaps I'm just shit

I'm the lead and I am trying to lift the burden from my mentors because they get no time and no money.
I'm not snowed under with it because our provider is shit and has told us pretty much nothing. I'm not sure what I'm meant to be writing up or feeding back...

That doesn't sound right at all. With the new framework the mentors are entitled to getting an hour off timetable for mentoring. They should use that time for their mentor meetings. They are expected to do drop in observations of a few minutes, no write ups etc. Mine also do half termly training but compared with last year they have it much easier!

I assumed that this was standard across the country but I'm beginning to wonder if it all depends on who you are signed up with!

Mentors all hold HOD or 2nd in my school. 2nds get an additional non-contact and we all have 1 ECT each. Personally I feel the workload and responsibilty would be too much on a full timetable.

With the new framework the mentors are entitled to getting an hour off timetable for mentoring
Yes but it's bobbins.
We have 50 minute lessons. I was told the slots have to be an hour.
It's funded. But only at the end of two years when they complete do we get the money.

Crackle - have you all been told to do the formal observations and reports as mentors? Or is that your induction leads responsibility?

I'm really starting to think that it's the hub we signed up to who has heaped it all onto me! I thought this was the way all of them did it!

MrsHamlet, who’s your provider?

I thought the induction had to be standardised?

TeachFirst, sadly

Technically it is standardised. But we can't give what we don't have.

Oh goodness @MrsHamlet, I’m sorry, I wouldn’t normally expect that from them.

Good luck OP - no advice but here to say chin up and hope it gets better

We are doing the observations, not sure about assessments yet. It's all been very last minute from the provider.

We are doing the observations, not sure about assessments yet. It's all been very last minute from the provider.

Hmmm, you've inspired me to email our provider and ask if it is a government say so that the induction lead has to do all the evidence collecting or whether it's just how they want to do it. I've also asked if they expected me to be in SLT with a tiny teaching load.

We have an online platform that we (mentors and ects) have to log in to weekly. There are modules to complete and we have to keep a log. I know that first round of obs have to be completed before half term if that helps anyone.

I'm mentoring an ECT this year and from reading all previous postsI am assuming that all providers must be different. As a mentor I'm spending about 90mins a week on ECT work. The induction tutor has been told to simply make sure I do everything I am supposed to do, so I'm doing the reading, watching the video, followed by 10-15 mins observation while recording notes on a online system, then using the same system to plan an instructional coaching session which is supposed to last at least 45 mins. As a HOD for a team of 3 I'm really struggling to keep on top of everything, whereas our induction tutor feels like she isn't doing anything.

This is all very interesting! I assume some of you are running the ambition institute? We trialled that last year and the mentor and ECT said it was hours worth of time. Our trust then didn't go with it. There must be a middle ground somewhere.