SSF SCITT

*From Trainee to Early Career Teacher - Top Tips*

As our trainee teachers approach the end of their training year and prepare to gain QTS in July, we’re talking about the next exciting stage of their journey: becoming Early Career Teachers (ECTs). 🎓🍎

Whether they'll be continuing their ECT years with our Teaching School Hub or moving on to a new school with a different provider, we're incredibly proud of everything they have achieved so far.

As they prepare for September, Andrew Friend from SFET Teaching School Hub shared some top tips:

✨ Be yourself.
Think about the classroom routines that worked well for you this year. Take inspiration from great teachers you've observed, but don't try to be someone else. Authenticity builds credibility, confidence and strong relationships with pupils.

✨ Get to know your new school.
Do your homework before September. What will be different from your training placement? What questions do you need answered early? Understanding the context of your new school can help manage expectations and make the transition smoother.

✨ Protect your ECT time.
It can be tempting to use your ECT release time for marking, planning or catching up on admin. Try not to. Using this time as it's intended will ensure you can protect a healthy work-life balance and build a routine that is sustainable as you progress through your career.

✨ Keep asking for help.
Although you'll gain QTS in July, there is still much learning ahead. The two-year ECT programme provides an entitlement to personalised support, mentoring and professional development. Take advantage of it. Remember: asking for help isn't admitting that you can't do it. It's recognising that you want to do it even better!
Good luck to all our future ECTs. The best is yet to come! 🌟