Supporting Beginnings, Developing Futures - the Early Careers Framework
Left: Michelle Minton - Lead Mentor, Louise Wisson - Assistant Principal & Charlie Glossop – Professional Development Leader.
At the White Rose Academies Trust we believe that our Early Career Teachers deserve high quality support throughout their careers. As a trust we are determined to defy the national trend of retention in the early years of teaching through an exceptional early careers support package for all teachers in the first 5 years on their career.
At the White Rose Academies Trust our beliefs and values regarding Early Career Teachers align with the foundations on which the Early Careers Framework has been built upon. Teachers are the foundation of the education system – there are no great schools without great teachers. Through our work with Bradford Teaching Schools Hub we are able to deliver a programme of high quality support that surpasses the statutory entitlement recommended by the Early Careers Framework.
Across the WRAT, all Early Careers Teachers access a package of structured training and support which stems from the best available research evidence. Within each academy, our Early Career Teachers have dedicated time to focus on their development, an experienced mentor to coach high quality classroom practice and an experienced Induction Lead to ensure that all Early Careers Teachers thrive in their induction years and beyond. Our support package across the trust includes:
Protected timetabled lessons to allow time to focus on development and observing best practice.
Weekly self-study resources.
Weekly meetings with a well-trained subject mentor.
Responsive academy based CPD.
Monthly WRAT CPD with the trust-wide Early Career Teacher network.
Coaching for colleagues in there second year of teaching and beyond.
Wellbeing offers.
A bespoke CPD offer to support second and third year Early Career Teachers following a disrupted training and NQT year
Career Optimisation Programme (coming soon)
As a direct reflection of our Early Careers Programme, our retention figures across the WRAT for Early Career Teachers defy the national trends. Last year’s data showed 100% of our Early Career Teachers wanting to remain within the WRAT in the following year and 90% seeing themselves in a teaching career in 5 years time. This compares to a national figure of 67.4% who remain in the classroom in their first 5 years of teaching. As we continue to develop and respond to feedback from our esteemed mentors and early career colleagues, we hope that this will only increase and continue to buck the national trend.
In order for us to continue towards our vision for Early Career Teachers we have expanded our team. New recruits Charlie Glossop (Leeds City Academy) and Michelle Minton (Leeds West Academy)will play pivotal roles in developing our mentors and shaping our CPD offer across the Trust and wider Luminate Education Group.
Michelle Minton – Lead Mentor
“I feel very privileged and excited to introduce myself as WRAT Lead Mentor. My vision for the role is to celebrate, grow and empower mentors so that early career teachers thrive in the classroom and have a lasting impact on young people across Leeds. Great mentors help create the climate, culture, support and strategy to drive improvement by delivering carefully crafted, bespoke and specific CPD to help teachers get better. In turn, this transforms student outcomes across our Academies. Through my work in this role I look forward to collaborating with and supporting colleagues across the WRAT and wider Luminate group as I am driven by the quote “How powerful it would be if every child was taught with the collective expertise of the whole system” (Weston, D and Clay, B., 2018).”
Charlie Glossop – Professional Development Leader
“As the new Professional Development lead for the Early Career Programme, I cannot wait to work with Early Career Teachers to support and develop their teaching practice. As a recent graduate of the Early Career Programme, I recognise the importance of a productive yet supportive network. I hope to build a warm and open community for Early Career Teachers to share and observe best practice”.
As we continue to develop our Early Career Programme, the future is bright for our colleagues and the pupils we serve. We look forward to watching our Early Career teachers grow into leaders within their classroom and in the education sector across West Yorkshire and around the world to transform the lives of young people.
If you are looking for a new career opportunity within a value driven organisation, click here to see our current vacancies.
