Ask an AB about... Moving schools partway through induction
What you need to do.
There are plenty of reasons why an ECT might move schools partway through their induction: fixed-term contracts; maternity cover; finding a new job closer to home; and so on. Or sometimes the first school you work in might not be a good fit - there can be lots of reasons for this, and it doesn't mean you or the school have done anything wrong. Or maybe your circumstances change, and you can't work for a while. None of these things need to derail your induction permanently, and there are things you can do to make sure you have everything you need for your new school.
Interim assessments
When you leave a job during induction, your school must complete an interim assessment for your AB. This is exactly the same as an end-of-year assessment report: more detailed than a progress review, with explicit reference to all the Teachers' Standards. If you're leaving part-way through the school year, your end-of-term progress review will be converted automatically to an interim assessment when your induction tutor indicates that you are leaving the school. We strongly recommend that you engage fully with the assessment process. Your next school will receive copies of all of your progress reviews and assessment reports; do make sure that you're happy with what's written in them, and add your own comments for further context.
I've had to leave my post suddenly and won't be back in school, what do I do?
If you can, please do complete your part of the report and digitally sign it. You can change your email address via ECT Manager if you no longer have access to your school email account.
In extremely extenuating circumstances, your AB can override the need for your signature and finalise the report in your absence, but we don't recommend this unless it is truly unavoidable.
I don't have another job lined up, what happens now?
Your reviews and reports remain with your AB. When you join a new school, your new AB will need copies of these: you can download and keep them yourself, or make a note of who your AB is and how to contact them.
If you don't have your reports and don't remember who your old AB was, don't worry - your new AB will be able to find the information and request the reports directly. Do bear in mind that this may delay the resumption of your induction.
I won't be returning to teaching, do I really need to worry about this?
Never say never. We totally understand that you may change your mind about your career and that's fine! But there isn't a time limit within which you must complete induction so it may be worth keeping your options open.
Leaving in less-than-amicable circumstances
It happens, we know this. Hopefully you and your school have accessed all the support available from your AB - but sometimes a clean break is the most beneficial solution. Again: we strongly recommend that you engage fully with the assessment process. Always remember that your next employer will read the interim assessment: when you add your comments, be factual about any challenges and how you approached solving them.
I don't agree with what my school has written in my interim assessment, can I refuse to sign it?
You can - but your next school will see that you haven't signed it. We recommend that, instead, you add your own comments to contextualise the situation. Stick to the facts.
I was on a personal support plan (PSP) when I left, do I have to tell my next school?
Your PSP will form part of the documentation shared with your new school. We recommend being honest from the start.
Saving your progress
Obviously the terms of induction you've already completed are banked and documented by your AB - they can't be taken away from you. We also recommend that you save the evidence of what you have studied in your ECT induction training programme: this can be really useful whether or not your next school is following the same provider's programme. You can download your portfolio from StepLab - this is a list of the modules completed - or you can download and save the content of the modules for future reference.
You've got this
Starting a new job is always daunting, especially early in your career. The beauty of the ECF-based induction programme is that it standardises the induction process, meaning that you know what to expect in your new school. Keep engaging with the programme, keep in touch with your AB, and you'll be fine.
