Progress Reviews and Formal Assessments

Under DfE 2-year statutory induction arrangements, full-time ECTs will have 2 formal assessments of their practice, one at the end of a fully completed first year and a final assessment at the end of the fully completed second year. For part-time ECTs, these are carried out on an FTE basis. Additionally, at the end of each period 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 and before a formal assessment point, an interim assessment will be required in order to provide the next inducting school with an up to date picture of an ECTs progress against the government teacher standards and development targets for the following period.

Please remember the training element under the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (formerly ECF programme) is not and must not be used as an assessment framework nor is it something an ECT can pass or fail. ECTs must only be assessed against the government teacher standards during and throughout statutory induction which remains a one-time only process that cannot be retaken.

Additionally, performance management/appraisal arrangements do not apply to ECTs or statutory ECT Induction. You must only assess an ECT against the government teacher standards.

.

In terms of progress reviews and formal assessment, statutory guidance places the following expectations on the induction tutor, ECT, headteacher/principal and us as 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 period 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, and in addition to standard meetings an induction tutor will have with an ECT, an end of period review meeting must be arranged to discuss progress with the ECT and what will be written about them – there must be no surprises!

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

Headteacher/principal: to ensure completion of end of period 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 statutory induction period (see below).

Appropriate Body (AB): quality assure and monitor the return of progress reviews and formal assessments 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.  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.

.

Progress reviews…

Progress reviews are not formal assessments however under the 2-year induction arrangements they are to be completed by the induction tutor (not mentor) at the end of each period where a formal assessment is not due and submitted via Mosaic. Review meetings should also be held with the ECT at the end of each period. These meetings are an opportunity for the induction tutor and ECT to record and discuss progress, achievements, and areas for development and/or concerns – there must be no surprises!

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

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

Please see our guidance for completing progress reviews including example

Please note: ECTs cannot ‘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)

.

Formal assessments…

Formal assessments are to be completed by the induction tutor and submitted by the headteacher/principal to the appropriate body via Mosaic at the end of each fully completed induction year (FTE for part-time ECTs).  Statutory induction formal assessments must evidence an ECTs progress towards consolidating their initial teacher training and meeting/fully embedding each of the government teacher standards over a sustained period.

At the end of statutory induction, the headteacher/principal will recommend and evidence in a final end of year 2 formal assessment whether the ECT has met the teacher standards to a satisfactory level or not. Additionally an assessment meeting must be held with the ECT before the due date and prior to final submission of the 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 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 training as part of the ECTE – formerly ECF 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 which will begin should they successfully complete statutory induction.

Please see our guidance for completing formal assessments including example

Please note: ECTs cannot ‘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)

.

Interim assessments…

If an ECT leaves 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 an up to date picture regarding an ECTs progress towards meeting the teacher standards, areas for further development and if applicable, areas of the teacher standards causing concern and accurately recording any number of absences.

Interim assessments should be completed before an ECT leaves post to allow ample opportunity to discuss with the ECT what you will be writing about them and allow them to complete their part of the assessment – again, there must be no surprises.

Please note:  Interim assessments are statutory where an ECT leaves post before a formal assessment point, they are not optional

.

.

| . Next: Additional Support >

.