ECT

[rainbows55]

Anyone qualified as a teacher quite late in life and not bothering/bothered doing the ECT (or the equivalent of what came before it) ? Apparently, five years after gaining QTS, you can no longer work as long term supply etc or direct part-time contract with school, unless you have embarked on ECT. But i read somewhere that you can just apply to have this period extended if you want? Anyone have any knowledge of this? Or of taking a break in their ECT? Thanks in advance. I’m wondering, having come into the profession late in life and planning to only ever work part time, if there is any point in doing ECT. with all its extra obs etc, or do you not get holiday pay without ECT? Can a school employ you on a part- time one-year contract (or permanently) without ECT?

I'm not sure I understand. Are you asking if you can work as an unqualified teacher? You can, but the pay is understandably less.

I don't understand why you would train to be a teacher and then choose to never complete the course by completing your ECT? I qualified years ago, so was an 'NQT' rather than 'ECT', which only took one year to complete if you worked full time, rather than the current two year program for ECTs. I understand that it will take even longer to complete, if you're part time, but it's still worth completing to become a fully qualified teacher, with the pay benefits and freedom that brings (far less observations and paperwork for starters!). I don't see the sense in choosing not to do it. If you never intend to become a fully qualified teacher, why on Earth put yourself through the stress of teacher training? Not to mention the cost of that training!

If you only ever work as a supply teacher, you won't be paid in the holidays. Long term supply placements (a term or longer) can count towards your ECT though.

As for your question about whether you can extend the 5 year period, I'm honestly not sure. I've never heard of this, as anyone I know who has completed teacher training has either naturally gone on to teach, completing their NQT year or ECT program, or they've decided it's not for them and left the profession altogether. I've never heard of anyone still in teaching 5 years after their training who has actively chosen not to complete it.

If you are employed by a school for a period of 1 term or more (full or part time) then my understanding is that you have to be registered for induction and that period counts towards your ECT induction.
You can complete ECT induction in more than one school, so, for example, you might do 1 year in one school and one in a second school.

Essentially, if you are employed, I don't see any way around you completing induction. To be honest, if you have trained, I don't see why you wouldn't complete induction?

If you are feeling that perhaps teaching isn't for you after all and want to maybe do supply for a while, you could. If you then wanted a more permanent post, you would need to complete induction.

Everything you need to know is here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6629237f3b0122a378a7e6ef/Inductionfor_earlycareerteachersEnglandstatutoryguidance.pdf

Section 2.14 sets out the information about the 5 years. It's no longer possible to extend that.

You can be employed without having completed but the school has to register you for induction.

Thanks for the responses. I only ever intend to work part time as a teacher, and combine with something else I do , hence the questions about ECT. Probably makes sense to do it though else in five years time I wouldn’t be able to do supply or part time work with schools. Thanks.

Yes, even if you only work part time, you still need to have completed induction

Hi,
I have just completed my first year ECT after doing my teacher training in my 40s.

From what I understand, all ECT providers are slightly different in their expectations and what they offer.

From my point of view, I don't understand why you wouldn't want to complete your ECT? In your first year you are eligible for 10% extra time out of your classroom to complete your ECT learning tasks which for me is a whole extra afternoon out. My ECT modules are a mix of online reading and videos along with a quiz each week, this takes me far less than a whole afternoon to complete. I also have a weekly mentor meeting where we sometimes talk about the ECT learning but more often than not we talk about issues I may be having in the classroom and ideas or strategies to support me. The extra observations are one observation a term. My mentor is meant to drop in weekly for a few minutes, sometimes this happens, but with the realities of school life, we are often short staffed and this doesn't happen.

My headteacher did look into fast tracking my ECT years as I have had many years of working in schools as a TA but we decided that there is more to gain from actually having that time out and support, something you won't get as you progress further into your career.

Any other questions, please ask!

You can complete your ECT induction as a part time member of staff.

I get why you might like to do supply as you can kind of choose the days you work, but it's not even necessary to have a teaching qualification to do that anymore. It might help you secure jobs but in reality not school really cares what qualifications their supply staff have - they only care that they're a body in the room and the kids are quiet and the rooms not left in a tip.

I personally can't think of anything worse than doing supply - but each to their own.

As a part time member of staff, you would have to take longer to do the ECT but your school can ask to reduce the period - which works in their favour often as this means they don't have to worry about your induction.

ECT means you're an early career teacher. It's your two year induction and you need to do it, just like you did your initial teacher training to gain QTS.

It isn't anything to do with working part time (although it'll take longer to complete if you do) or taking on any sort of additional responsibility or qualification - it's just the basics that every teacher needs to do, as there is more training and support around the framework at this point than you'll get later in your career, with a mentor and extra non contact time, to help you show you meet the teaching standards.