Intent

• To ensure high-quality mentoring and coaching for ECTs so that they develop in line with, or exceeding, expectations over the two years.
   

• To deepen ECTs’ understanding of pedagogy, the Teachers’ Standards, and the characteristics of excellent teaching, so their professional practice positively impacts student outcomes, well-being and wider development.
   

• To build a critically reflective culture in which ECTs regularly evaluate and improve their own practice through structured instructional coaching and peer collaboration.

Implementation

• Clear mentor expectations and CPD: Mentors will receive training to ensure they deliver structured, consistent, and high-quality support aligned with the ECF.
   

• Instructional coaching: ECTs will receive half termly instructional coaching sessions using an evidence-informed model focused on precise, incremental improvements to classroom practice.
   

• Lesson observations: ECTs will be observed six times throughout the year by their mentor and their coach.
   

  • Terms 1, 3 & 5: observation and feedback with mentor

  • Terms 2, 4 & 6: joint observation and developmental feedback with mentor and ECT Lead

  • Terms 1-6 observation by their coach
     

• Coaching and professional dialogue: ECTs will be placed with a coach and will be able share reflections and discuss strategies in response to common classroom challenges in their group coaching sessions
   

• Peer observations: Once every half term, ECTs will observe a colleague, focusing on a specific aspect of pedagogy. Written reflections will support their own development and inform coaching conversations.

Impact

• ECTs will develop increasing confidence in their subject knowledge, pedagogical strategies, and the principles of excellent teaching aligned with the 'LPS Way', leading to improved student outcomes and classroom culture.
   

• A sustained culture of reflective practice will be embedded, where ECTs are open to feedback, confident in trialling new strategies, and committed to ongoing professional growth.
   

• Instructional coaching will support a consistent, developmental approach to improvement and will be fully embedded into the ECT programme across both years of induction.