How to go about securing an ECT role

[NameChangingGame]

Hi all,

I'm hoping for some advice from some seasoned professionals!

I am a career changer trainee teacher mid way through PCGE on a school direct programme within a Multi Academy Trust. I teach a KS4/KS5 subject with many technical and academic qualifications.

My first/main placement is great - trainees have no duty/tutor groups, and I have a light timetable. All staff fully embed the behaviour policy and the school runs very well. Its a tricky demographic and intake (higher than Nat Ave SEN & EAL) but thats state inner London across the board. I'm teaching the less academic qualification and its quite easy, the KS5 offer is limited but the school is hoping to expand it next year. They have asked me if I was offered a place if I would take it and I said that I probably would, but on some conditions (I have a yr 7 class that I teach once a week as a non specialist, I want to drop that, my colleagues teach it at yrs 8 & 9, I am not prepared to do that.)

I'm mid way through 2nd school placement. I realise I'm not really getting enough exposure to behaviour mgt and diversity of subject/teaching content at my main school.

So, my first dilemma is about whether I go for a new job or not.

Pros of staying are that its a great commute (important to me and my family), well supported staff, could happily spend 10 years there and not have to stretch myself too far, just get really good at teaching my core subjects that I really love.

Cons are that because its a well run school the staff are not that dynamic, and its very siloed, kind of split between lots of SLT and ECT, not much in between. I'm in a tiny team. HOD, me and part time ECT. We have no office and I spend my day alone or wandering around logging in and out.

Secondly, if I do decide to leave, I understand you tell your team that your looking, - but what if I don't find anything? Come back and say, actually heres fine???!! I'm also really nervous of ending up in a school where SLT don't give a crap/inconsistent behaviour policy implementation/'them-us' culture between teachers and SLT, and I'm 2 weeks into a new job before I know it. I don't feel like I have to tools yet to decipher this information just from an interview.

How does this process work?

Thanks to anyone who got to the end and can offer any advice.

You secure a job by applying for one, going through the interview process and being successful. Have you actually been offered a role? I was asked the "would you take a role here" in both of my placements but it was asked out of sheer curiosity.

If you don't like the set up with the placement school you like then I think you need to look elsewhere. You may have an easy ride at the moment but there's a huge difference between being a trainee and being a teacher at a school.

FWIW I work at one of my placements. I was told to apply but the selection process was as rigorous as any other. I really don't think someone applying as an ECT1 can start requesting specific conditions.

Hi thanks for replying - yes clearly one needs to apply and go through the process, but in my old career you would skulk around in the background and only if successful in getting another/better job would you inform your current employer you are leaving. I read that in teaching you inform your team/head much earlier in the process, but how does this play out if you don't secure a more suitable role somewhere else?? Thats what I'm really puzzled about. I haven't been offered, but I'm pretty sure they would have me in the team if the budget is there.

In respect of making demands being an ECT1, I see your point, but I came into this to teach my specific subject. If I'm expected to teach something entirely different just because of how the departments work/shortages then I'll find a role in a school that doesn't require that. There is a shortage of teachers, and students deserve to be taught by teachers who a) know what they are doing and b) love that subject.

Do be very careful of "would you take a role here?". It in no way constitutes a job offer, and if they advertised and a better candidate applied, they would offer them the role not you.

Unless you are on e.g. Schools Direct etc, there is not even a guarantee of an interview, whatever verbal offers are made.

Presumably you need a job for September, so until you have a role secured you need to apply for every vacancy you like the look of. If the school you're at want to keep you, then you interviewing elsewhere might push them into doing something about it.

It is very, very normal to interview widely on your PGCE, there wouldn't be any awkwardness.

Oh, and depending on subject, you can 100% negotiate as an ECT +1 BUT they won't be written into your contract, so you have to be aware things may change in the future.

No tutor group is a massive perk, and I would think quite unusual.
Fwiw, I'm a teacher of a nationwide shortage subject, and also teach 2 lessons a week of PSE. I didn't know this would be the case until I got my timetable. Thankfully, I enjoy it!

Thanks for your thoughts.
@Postapocalypticcowgirl thank you - this was what I was hoping to find out. I do want to take a look around, but didn't want to make a massive faux pas at the very beginning of my career. Im aware that throwaway comments are meaningless, contract is all.

Also as @HedyPrism points out the training year has been supportive but sheltered. Well aware that ECT is going to be very different, and so I need to get the school right.

How do you identify what is a supportive SLT? I've heard horror stories of students being exited from a class for bad behaviour (insulting the teacher direct ie name calling) and then brought back 10 mins later, even though this is not school policy? Or another situation where SLT have more gravity than the teachers, and its exploited by the students "I don't have to do that, you're not even SLT". That's poor mgt IMHO, and not where I want to work.

I don't want to leave a potentially safe option but not mentally stimulating for something that has a wider subject offer but may ruin my confidence!

Do remember though that even at the school you like you'll more than likely do break duties and they'll be directed time: they will not be optional.

I teach a core subject and PSHE. All form tutors at my school do. Again, no room for negotiation.

I’m a primary school teacher so I’m not in an identical situation to you, but some matters I think can flip between primary and secondary so these are my thoughts.

I started at my school as a TA and then did the teaching apprenticeship to gain my QTS (Primary Ed degree achieved a decade or so back). Being a couple of years further along of you in my teaching career, my advice would be spent underestimate how mentally stimulating the school is based just on your training year, because, like you say, you are sheltered and you don’t and won’t truly know how much you have been sheltered until you are actually teaching.

I too was sheltered in my training year and only now appreciate how much. For example I wasn’t allowed to take any clubs, I had no additional subject responsibilities, I had extra non-contact time, my HOD handled the hardest situations with me / for me.

If I translate that to you, once you gain a tutor group, have a full timetable instead of a “light” one, are thrown in last minute to cover other teachers classes and clubs, and are indeed staff, not the trainee, you will most certainly feel more mentally stimulated. Likewise even once you completed ECT….I was the final year of NQT so therefore only had one year of having a mentor and an extra 10% non contact or whatever it was. So even crossing over that line gave the brain a firing up. Judge the school you’re working in certainly for how well they look after you and treat you and how you witness them work and deal wit( the students, but don’t make your full assumptions based purely on placement. If you’re treated well there and they offer you a job, I would take it.

You sound incredibly passionate which is great, so I’m sure once you have truly stepped on the teaching treadmill you will get the stimulation you’re looking for.

As for how to judge an SLT team, that’s harder, because at interview they will want you to see them a certain way. This could be accurate or completely not. You can only truly go with your gut instinct. Research policies prior to interview and be ready to ask about them. I had interviews where I was not comfortable with the Head, in one instance actually being quite scared of them. I’m sure my Head has that “side” to them but my interview and time at the school has been very positive and so you really have to gage each school one at a time.

Your placement school will know you will interview in multiple 0laces so it won’t be awkward. Best of luck

Also agree with others about the conditions you want, just be warned to be honest they can’t be promised anywhere. In primary, teachers are expected to teach across the whole range of ages, and most teachers will have preferences. But sadly teachers can’t just stay with their favourite year group their whole career. I’ve seen colleagues get very upset when they have to live but them staying put means someone else is deprived of the chance for professional development. I’ve never met a teacher who has a written contract stating they only teach one year group / subject.

You most likely will have to teach something non specialist as time goes by, yes it’s unfair on our children. It’s crazy. But until the shortage is sorted, it’s the way it is. Same as duties, extra curricular….may not be exactly what you want but you will be expected to do your share.

lots of great advice. Thanks @ChocolatemilkBertie

IMO, the best way to suss out a school is to ask around locally to see what people have heard about it as a place to work. This gets easier as you build more connections. Very often, someone you know will have experience, or have a friend who has experience of the school and they can let you know if it is not a great place to work.

However, everyone has different lines in the sand, and often you only know if a school is right for you after starting there. I think you do need to be prepared to move at the end of the ECT year if the school is not right for you. This is really normal and loads of people do it. It is tricky to move schools, but it can take a few tries to find the school that is the right fit for you.

Really helpful, thank you @Postapocalypticcowgirl