Progress Reviews and Formal Assessments

Under the 2-year induction arrangements, full-time ECTs will have 2 formal assessments of their practice carried out, one at the end of the first year and a final assessment at the end of the second year. For part-time ECTs, these are carried out on an FTE basis. Additionally, at the end of each term where a formal assessment is not due, a progress review is to be completed for each ECT. If an ECT leaves post partway through induction. an interim assessment will be required in order to provide the next inducting school with a picture of an ECTs progress and development targets (see below).

At the end of each assessment period (year 1 and year 2), the headteacher/principal will send a formal assessment report to the Appropriate Body providing evidence of the ECTs progress towards consolidating their Initial Teacher Training and meeting/fully embedding each of the government teacher standards. At the end of statutory induction, the headteacher/ principal will recommend and evidence in the year 2 (final) assessment whether the ECT has successfully met the teacher standards or not (see below).

NB: Please remember the Early Career Teacher Entitlement training (formerly ECF programme) is not and must not be used as an assessment framework, During and throughout statutory induction, ECTs must only be assessed against the government teacher standards.

Please also note that ECTs cannot ‘pass or ‘fail’ the ECTE training nor can they ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ an individual induction term or year 1 – they can only ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ statutory induction at the end of a fully completed 2-year period (FTE for part-time ECTs)

In terms of progress reviews and formal assessment, the statutory guidance places the following expectations on the induction tutor, ECT, headteacher/principal and the Appropriate Body:

Induction tutor: coordinate and carry out 2 formal end of year assessments (FTE for part-time ECTs) and at the end of each term where a formal assessment is not due, complete a progress review for each ECT. If an ECT leaves post partway through induction, this will become an interim assessment. In all instances, an end of period meeting must be arranged with the ECT to discuss progress – there must be no surprises!

ECT: to keep track of, and participate effectively in, the scheduled progress reviews and assessment meetings and maintain regular dialogue with their induction tutor, mentor and/or headteacher/principal

Headteacher/principal: to ensure completion of end of term progress reviews and that formal assessments are completed when due and sent to the appropriate body with a recommendation evidencing whether the teacher standards have been met at the end of the period (see below).

Appropriate Body: quality assure and monitor the return of progress reviews and assessment and at the end of the induction period, upon receipt of assessment and recommendation from the head/principal, decide whether the ECT has met the teacher standards to successfully complete in­duction and notify the relevant parties within the agreed time limits.  Additionally, provide the government Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) with accurate data on ECTs starting or completing in­duction and those who start, then leave a school partway through an induction period.

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End of term progress reviews…

Progress reviews are not formal assessments however under 2-year induction arrangements they are to be completed by the induction tutor (not mentor) at the end of each term where a formal assessment is not due. Review meetings should also be held with the ECT at the end of each term. These meetings are an opportunity for the induction tutor and ECT to record and discuss progress, achievements, areas for development and agree any changes to the induction plan in terms of objectives or actions – there must be no surprises!

Both the induction tutor and ECT should be properly prepared before the progress review meeting.

For an ECT this could include maintaining a self-reflection, identifying gaps in knowledge/CPD needs, self-evaluation against the teacher standards (this is not a statutory requirement for ECTs but good practice to do so)

For the induction tutor, this includes capturing and maintaining evidence of ECT progress against the teacher standards, seeking feedback from mentors and other colleagues who have worked with the ECT in a professional capacity, for example, run specialist induction sessions or observed ECTs in the classroom.

Please see our guidance for completing progress reviews and assessments including example

NB: Where ECTs leave or are due to leave a post partway through induction and before the next formal assessment point, an interim assessment will be required in order to provide the next inducting school with a fuller picture of and ECTs progress including area(s) for further development and/or any concerns. This is still a statutory requirement if you believe an ECT has or will be leaving the profession – they may return to teaching at some point in the future and all statutory induction documentation is to retained at school level for a minimum of 6-years

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End of year formal assessments…

Formal assessments are to be completed by the induction tutor and submitted by the headteacher/principal to the appropriate body at the end of each completed induction year (FTE for part-time ECTs).  Additionally an assessment meeting must be held with the ECT before the due date and prior to final submission of the end of year formal assessment. These meetings provide an opportunity for induction tutor and/or head/principal to discuss with the ECT what will be written about them including areas for further development and/or concerns – there must be no surprises !

Meetings should be informed by descriptive evidence of an ECTs professional practice and performance against the teacher standards and progress made against any previous objectives/development targets set e.g. previous progress reviews. Objectives/targets should be reviewed and re­vised in relation to the government teacher standards (not the ECTE programme) and the individual needs and strengths of each ECT.

The outcomes of the final (end of year 2) formal assessment meeting provide an opportunity for the ECT and induction tutor and/or head/principal to take stock of what has been achieved over the induction period and prepare the ECT for involvement in performance management/appraisal arrangements should they successfully complete statutory induction.

Please see our guidance for completing progress reviews and formal assessments including example

Important note:  Performance management/appraisal arrangements do not apply to ECTs or statutory ECT Induction. You must only assess an ECT against the government teacher standards during and throughout induction.

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Evidence of progress towards meeting the government teacher standards…

Over the course of the induction period, evidence from day-to-day practice as well as from specific development activities will build up to show how the ECT is making progress towards meeting/embedding the government teacher standards and induction tutors should regularly capture this evidence in preparation for completing formal assessments. The illustration below provides some examples of naturally occurring evidence

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ECTs are not responsible for assessing themselves and are not required to provide anything additional to the evidence that should be naturally occurring through their day-to-day practice which must be assessed by the induction tutor (not mentor)

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