11 Recruitment of External Mentors for Statutory Induction and the Masters in Educational Practice (MEP) Garem Jackson – Professional Adviser School Standards and Delivery Division Department for Education and Skills Welsh Government WJEC conference Novotel, Cardiff – July 4 th 2013

2 The Welsh Government has introduced the role of external mentor to provide additional support to newly qualified teachers (NQTs) during their statutory induction period and to provide mentoring support to NQTs who choose to undertake the new Masters in Educational Practice (MEP). This role provides an exciting opportunity for practitioners to become involved in a new and innovative approach to mentoring at a national level and to shape and develop the new programme as it progresses. Introduction

3 There are two mentoring options available: supporting NQTs who are undertaking their statutory induction; and supporting NQTs who are undertaking their statutory induction and who have chosen to enrol for the MEP. Introduction

44 Releasing practitioners to mentor NQTs through statutory induction, or statutory induction and the MEP, affords excellent opportunities for both the mentors and their ‘releasing’ schools on many levels. It is an important investment in raising standards and provision for NQTs whilst helping to develop the school leaders of the future. It is also an opportunity to support a national initiative and meets the aims of head teachers in relation to fulfilling professional responsibilities towards the future development and improvement of their profession. Advantages and benefits

55 Excellent professional and career development Mentoring for induction or induction and MEP will afford excellent opportunities for development at many levels and will enhance mentors’ skills and knowledge. ‘Different’ and stimulating experiences and challenges External mentors will meet and work with a range of stakeholders in a variety of settings and will need to use a range of skills in order to fulfil their role. Advantages and benefits: the external mentor

66 Establishing valuable professional networks The external mentor role involves the requirement to build a strong relationship with a range of stakeholders (i.e. NQTs, other external mentors, school based mentors, head teachers, LAs, Professional Programme Co-ordinators, Welsh Government etc.). External mentors will also work together collaboratively in regional networks. Advantages and benefits: the external mentor

77 Access to quality materials for academic and professional development External mentors supporting MEP participants will be given Honorary Tutor status from Cardiff University and will have access to high quality learning resources at Cardiff University and the Institute of Education, University of London. Advantages and benefits: the external mentor

88 Development of the understanding of research methodology and specialist knowledge of specific areas within education External mentors with MEP participants will support them in these areas: An introduction to teachers’ professional enquiry Child and adolescent learning and development (0-19) Behaviour management Literacy Numeracy Reducing the impact of poverty on attainment Additional learning needs Leadership Undertaking an action enquiry project Advantages and benefits: the external mentor

99 Professional development of staff and increased internal capacity for leadership and management External mentors’ experiences as part of the induction and MEP programmes will enhance their skills and knowledge and will increase their capacity and ability to make contributions to curriculum development, leadership and management within their schools. Flexibility in relation to finance and time allocation The majority of days allocated for mentoring are concentrated in the spring and summer terms. This could mean that schools have a degree of flexibility regarding their use of external mentors’ time during the autumn term. Advantages and benefits: the releasing school

10 Promoting the school’s profile and evidence of meeting and promoting national priorities Enhanced and consistent development of NQTs is part of the Welsh Government’s strategy for improving standards in education. Releasing effective practitioners as external mentors for induction or induction and MEP will support this national priority. Contribution to the quality assurance and evaluation of the programme INSET opportunities using quality learning resources External mentors’ schools can benefit from the extensive learning resources of Cardiff University in addition to the world class materials held within the Institute of Education’s Newsam Library. Advantages and benefits: the releasing school

11 All NQTs commencing their first teaching post in a school in Wales are required to complete their statutory induction period in order to ensure that they have the necessary skills and competencies as set out in the Practising Teacher Standards. The external mentor role has been introduced to provide additional support to each individual NQT to ensure that there is nationally consistent high quality for statutory induction across the whole of Wales. External mentors supporting NQTs who are undertaking their statutory induction are allocated £1,406 per NQT per year. The External Mentor Role – Statutory Induction

12 The role requires external mentors to support teachers during their statutory induction period and during their participation in the MEP by providing high quality coaching and mentoring and supporting teachers through: their assessment against the Practising Teacher Standards during induction; and their module learning experiences, application of learning to practice and assessments for the MEP. For the first year of the programme external mentors are required to provide both induction and MEP support. External mentors supporting NQTs who are undertaking their statutory induction and the MEP are allocated £1,875 per NQT per year. External Mentor Role – Statutory Induction and the MEP

13 To be eligible for the role practitioners must: hold QTS; have excellent coaching and mentoring experience within an education context; and currently be employed 1 in a school, local authority or ITT provider or (for the MEP mentoring role only) have retired from a school, local authority or ITT provider within the last two years. 1 Practitioners employed on a part-time basis in an eligible setting will be considered for the consultant mentor role. Eligibility