Early Careers at the WRAT
At the White Rose Academies Trust our beliefs and values regarding Early Career Teachers align with the foundations on which the Early Careers Framework has been built upon. 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 their early career years, teachers require high quality, structured support in order to begin the journey towards becoming an expert.
During induction, it is essential that early career teachers are able to develop the knowledge, practices and working habits that set them up for a fulfilling and successful career in teaching. The Early Career Framework (ECF) is an essential and valued entitlement utilised and surpassed across the WRAT so that all Early Careers Teachers access a package of structured training and support which is embedded in the best available research evidence. Our Early Career teachers have dedicated time to focus on their development, an experienced mentor to coach high quality classroom practice and an experienced Induction Tutor to ensure that all Early Careers Teachers thrive in their induction year and beyond.
Partners and Providers
The White Rose Academies Trust works closely with Exceed Teaching Schools Hub in order to deliver a high-quality Early Careers offer to teachers in their first years after gaining QTS. By using resources developed by Ambition we ensure that all Early Career Teachers develop at a manageable pace with support that is embedded in educational research.
We are fortunate to have several Ambition Visiting Fellows for the delivery of the Early Careers Framework working within academies across the WRAT. This means that our early career teachers have access to experts in the new framework to support their daily practice.
In addition to the Early Career Framework, Exceed Teaching School Hub provides our NPQs with the use of Ambitions resources. For early career colleagues that wish to continue on Ambitions ‘golden thread’ of development, they will be able to access familiar resources which will support the completion of further, national recognised, qualifications.
As our Appropriate Body, the Exceed Teaching School Hub quality assure our Early Careers provision to ensure that it is high quality and serves its purpose in ensuring every Early Career Teacher has a successful start to their teaching career.
The WRAT Offer for Early Careers Teachers
As a Trust we believe that all teachers should receive support and development opportunities regardless of career stage. National statistics show that teachers are most likely to leave the profession in their first 5 years of teaching, therefore we continue to provide a bespoke offer beyond the first 3 years in teaching. Last year a staff voice survey showed that 95% of WRAT Early Career Teachers saw themselves remaining in teaching in comparison to the national statistic of 50%.
The table below outlines the entitlement of Early Careers Teachers in their first 4 years of gaining QTS at the White Rose Academies Trust:
WRAT Early Careers CPD Offer
The White Rose Academies Trust offers a range of unique professional development opportunities whereby professionals across the Trust can come together to develop, collaborate and network. Our philosophy is that the early years of teaching demonstrates a clear investment in our early career teachers, as we foster the thirst for success by giving a high-quality and bespoke training offer.
The Early Careers Programme is one of the Trust-wide CPD strands that is specifically catered to teachers at the start of their teaching career. The sessions offer additional pedagogy and teaching and learning development that compliments the Early Careers Framework entitlement and the additional Early Careers offer within each academy. Importantly, the Early Careers Programme expands the network of each colleague who attends in terms of support and opportunities for collaboration.
The WRAT Early Careers Programme is an offer that is highly valued by our colleagues:
''Early Career Teacher CPD has included lots of practical teaching strategies and I have loved the opportunity to speak to Early Career Teachers across the Trust.'' - (ITT)
''I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I have already spent at Leeds East Academy; the dedication to pupil cohort and comradery between colleagues creates and incredibly appealing atmosphere for all.'' - (ITT)
''The CPD throughout the term was very versatile, focusing on different aspects of remote learning, both teaching live and asynchronous lessons. They highlighted areas of practice which I often overlooked when creating lessons for students to complete.'' - (Early Careers Teacher)
''White Rose Academies Trust has been phenomenal. I have enjoyed all CPD that I have undertaken, specifically the reactive teaching CPD. Through the Trust CPD offer, I undertook a session about Autistic Spectrum Disorder, which I found very insightful'' - (ITT)
Initial Teacher Training
The White Rose Academies Trust works with a range of specially selected high quality providers to offer high quality and well supported placements on all routes to becoming a qualified teacher. This includes:
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A highly skilled subject mentor from the academy you are placed in, who will work closely with you throughout your training year. This will include weekly mentor meetings as well as regular feedback on your strengths and areas for improvement.
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Close links to our specialist Early Career Programme team, ensuring your experience during placement is extremely enjoyable; allowing you to fulfil your potential as a teacher.
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The opportunity to access academy training events as well as trust-wide training where you will meet other early career teachers from the across the trust.
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An invitation to the Early Careers Programme social events and support from a wealth of wellbeing offers.
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Recruitment opportunities coupled with potential financial incentives if you secure an Early Careers post within the Trust.
Wellbeing and Workload
At the White Rose Academies we are committed to supporting the wellbeing and workload of all colleagues. We are acutely aware that the initial years in teaching are particularly challenging. As such, we are dedicated to going above and beyond the Early Careers Entitlement of PPA and also offer the following:
If you would like any more information on being an Early Career Teacher within the White Rose Academies Trust, or would like to visit any of our academies, then please contact Rebecca Ashraf: ashraf.re@whiteroseacademies.org
