This portal from the School of Education is an online gateway to our growing research-informed programme of events and resources, guidance, support, and continuing professional development (CPD) for all early career teachers (ECTs).
Teachers are the foundation of the education system – there are no great schools without great teachers. Teachers deserve high quality support throughout their careers, particularly in those first years of teaching.
DfE 2019
Students graduating from an initial teacher training (ITT) course at St Mary's and other providers become an early career teacher (ECT) when they accept their first position.
Your school is responsible for registering you as an ECT and appointing your mentor to provide you with the entitlement for two years of CPD, which is underpinned by the by the Early Career Framework. The framework is linked to the best available research evidence, to help early career teachers develop their practice, knowledge, and working habits.
Our provision at St Mary's will build on the ECT training programme in your school at a time when your learning curve is at its steepest.
The ECT Exchange
The ECT Exchange is a community of practice where knowledge, resources, expertise, and experiences are shared across:
- ECTs from both primary and secondary phases, in mainstream and SEND schools
- experts, practitioners and researchers from within the School of Education (SoE)
- practitioners and specialists from across the education sector
As a member of the ECT Exchange you have access to a wide range of benefits which are designed to complement the ECT induction programme and wider CPD provision in your school, and support your journey through your first years of teaching and beyond.
We are proud to host regular online events for ECTs to engage in CPD and professional dialogue, and share their experiences. All events are specifically designed for ECTs across phases and provide easy to implement strategies for key elements of the Early Career Framework, including behaviour for learning and adaptive teaching, as well as practical support on managing your own wellbeing and workload.
Join the ECT Exchange
ECT specific CPD (E-CPD)
Experts take an accessible and interactive approach in accredited E-CPD sessions which provide effective, easy-to-implement strategies to use in your own classroom. These have a granular focus on key areas of pedagogy identified by members of the ECT Exchange.
16 January 2025 at 4pm Behaviour for learning: how to maintain a consistent approach in your classroom as an ECT with Pietro Tozzi (Course Lead PGCE Secondary Mathematics with QTS)
Secure your place
27 February 2025 at 4pm Adapting teaching for multilingual learners as an ECT with Juliette Claro (ECF Facilitator, NPQSL)
Secure your place
Pedagogy Panels for ECTs
Our specialist panel of current school practitioners, researchers and lecturers discuss practical approaches to key pedagogical issues and respond to questions and case studies specific to your context.
27th January 2025 at 4pm Managing low level disruption and challenging behaviour through planning strategies as an ECT
Secure your place
10th March at 4pm Adapting teaching to the needs of all pupils using the technology available in your classroom effectively
Secure your place
Please also contact Becky Knowles (ectexchange@stmarys.ac.uk) for any further information.
More resources for ECTs