Teaching School Hub - Letter from Gill Bal

Dear Headteachers,

As you know, major reforms to teacher recruitment, induction and development (of teachers at all stages of their careers) are being nationally rolled out and led by the DfE. Teaching School Hubs are at the centre of these reforms. Wembley High Technology College has been selected by the DfE to be the Teaching School Hub for Brent, Barnet and Enfield and is called the North West London Teaching School Hub (NWLTSH).

North West London Teaching School Hub (Barnet, Brent and Enfield) covers the following:

  • 304 schools
  • 709 NQTs (in 2020)
  • 442 ITTs (in 2020)
  • 10,469 Teachers

North West London Teaching School Hub (Barnet, Brent and Enfield) has the following areas of responsibility:

1. ECF

2. Appropriate Body

3. NPQs

4. ITT

5. CPD

1.Early Career Framework (ECF) and induction of Early Career Teachers (ECTs)

From September 2021, there are major changes to the statutory induction arrangements:

ECTs are entitled to a programme of training based on the ECF.

  • From September 2021, the induction period for ECTs will be two years.
  • 10% teaching time reduction in Year 1 remains as it is at present. ECT’s will also be entitled to 5% time away from the classroom in Year 2.
  • ECTs are entitled to support from a dedicated mentor over two years.
  • Additional funding of £1400 for ECT (5% time in Year 2) and £1100 for mentor time (20 hours in Year 2) will be provided to schools.

      Option 1: Full Induction Programme

The DfE is fully funding the Full Induction Programme (FIP) for all ECTs. The national lead provider who will provide the training for the Hub in (Brent, Barnet and Enfield) is the Ambition Institute. All the training, materials, assessment and tracking of the progress of participants and mentors has been funded by the DfE and is free for schools. Ambition has a model whereby they deliver the training or a whereby they can support you in delivering the training.

  • Ambition Institute will lead or support the training for ECTs and mentors. You can decide how much capacity you have to deliver the programme or if you would prefer Ambition to deliver the programme.
  • Ambition will also provide training for staff who wish to lead on the ECT or mentor training. 
  • All resources and training materials will be made available (for free) by Ambition Institute. The training will be adapted for the Enfield context.
  • Through the Teaching School Hub you will have additional funding to support any costs (e.g. venue costs) you may incur.
  • There is additional funding (by the DfE) for schools for time spent by the mentor, on mentor training when this option is undertaken at (£800-£900).

      Option 2: Core Induction Programme

Schools can choose to deliver their own training using materials made available by a lead provider. This is called the Core Induction Programme.

  • Schools will need to demonstrate how they plan to deliver the materials to meet the ECF.
  • There is no external training available to support the delivery of the materials, or to train the ECTs.
  • Schools will need to train their own mentors.
  • No additional funding is available.
  • There is much greater scrutiny by the Appropriate Body.

      Option 3: Design Your Own Programme

Schools can choose to design and deliver their own training.

  • No additional funding or training is available.
  • You will need to strictly demonstrate fidelity to the framework. You will have to demonstrate that the materials and delivery of your programme meets the ECF.
  • There is much greater scrutiny by the Appropriate Body.

Number of ECT places available to schools in Barnet, Brent and Enfield

The Teaching School Hub has reserved 200 ECT places and 200 Mentor places with Ambition Institute. These will be made available on a first come first served basis (with proportionally equal places being offered) across Barnet, Brent and Enfield.

What you will need to do:

a) Please email me – gbal@whtc.co.uk or my PA Agata Czop at aczop@whtc.co.uk and we will reserve places for you. To reserve a place, please confirm the following: 

Name:

School:

No. of ECTs:

No of Mentors:

Possible number of facilitators to lead the ECT training (if any)?

Possible number of facilitators to lead the mentor training  (if any)?

b)  The DfE will be opening its online service (in the next week or so) and you will be able to sign up and give estimates of your numbers of ECTs/ Mentors.

2. Appropriate Body Service (ABS)

LAs will continue to provide an Appropriate Body Service. All Teaching School Hubs are also required to provide the Appropriate Body Service to their Hub area. Current Teaching Schools will come to an end in August 2021 and will not be able to provide the Appropriate Body Service.

You can choose whoever you wish to be your Appropriate Body. The costs of all the Appropriate Body Services (TSH, Barnet, Brent and Enfield) are very similar.

ABS will play a key role in checking that the two-year induction programme meets the new ECF for those not choosing the Full Induction Programme. TSHs and LA ABS have a statutory responsibility to check that the school’s own programme design and delivery covers the ECF.

What you will need to do:

a)  Select an Appropriate Body Service and sign up with them.

3.NPQs

Teaching School Hubs are the delivery partners for the new NPQs. We are partnering with the Ambition Institute to deliver the new NPQs.

New Leadership NPQs: Excutive Leadership NPQ Headship NPQ Senior Leadership NPQ
New Specialist NPQs: Leading Teacher Development NPQ Leading Teaching NPQ Leading Behaviour and Culture NPQ

In addition to the NPQs, the DfE will provide a target package of support for teachers new to the role of Headship 

(THE `NPQH Additional Support Offer for New Head Teachers`).

 Some of the above maybe free to schools(especially schools with high FSM)

 

The NPQs are the new nationally recognised qualifications. I will be running information sessions on the NPQs shortly to give you further information on what is available.

4.ITT

Schools can continue to work with their ITT providers. The Teaching School Hub will be working closely with the Compton SCITT. There are already some well-established links in the Hub area which we are happy to support.

5.Teaching School Hubs and CPD

We are working with Barnet, Brent and Enfield to signpost and promote all of the CPD opportunities available across the three local authority areas (some LAs have extensive packages which they will want to offer to all teachers across the Hub area). 

TSHs also have a role in promoting DfE based training (e.g. Behaviour Hubs, SEND Hubs, Research schools and the Curriculum Hubs) and sign posting these provisions.

I hope that the above summary of the Hub work is helpful. I am happy to attend meetings/briefings to keep all of you informed and updated so that you can make informed decisions for your staff and school. If you have any questions or would like a further conversation, please do contact me directly on the details below.

With best wishes and looking forward to working with you,

Gill Bal

CEO/Executive Headteacher

Wembley Multi Academy Trust

 

Contact details: gbal@whtc.co.uk

Agata Czop – Direct PA phone: 0208 385 4802

 

PS – Please find attached the responses to your questions in the ‘Chat’.