The mentor programme

For mentors, the one year programme provides a balance between excellent training and consideration of workload and commitments for busy colleagues. It has been designed to ease the workload for new mentors while ensuring continued support for ECTs in their second year. Existing mentors can stay up to date with the latest programme enhancements and refresh their knowledge through accessible online training materials, without needing to complete the programme again.

Mentors completing the programme will have a thorough understanding of instructional coaching; how to do it well, and how to adapt it to the needs of their ECT.

The coaching tool on Steplab is now more user friendly and offers personalisation of action steps, empowering mentors to tailor the coaching experience.

The wellbeing of ECTs is supported through pastoral coaching, which provides dedicated time for essential conversations about wellbeing, workload, and all other aspects of teaching, ensuring a holistic approach to support and development that complements instructional coaching. Schools have the flexibility to include this innovative pastoral coaching in the weekly coaching cycle or maintaining their commitment to weekly instructional coaching.

Instructional coaching should continue in year 2 on a fortnightly basis to ensure sustained support and development for the ECT, whilst allowing ample time to implement new strategies effectively.

A key element of the programme continues to be the live training events – Conference 1, Conference 2, and Clinic 1. These events help mentors engage with the theory behind instructional coaching, whilst emphasising their own development.