Building a Culture of Growth: Supporting Early Career Teachers
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Tony Towler is an established Induction Tutor and Lead on Teaching & Learning and Assessment. Here, Tony shares his experience as an Induction Tutor and the key aspects to ensuring a successful induction for ECTs that is embedded within the school culture.
As Induction Tutor, my priority is ensuring every new teacher feels supported, valued and ready to succeed. Whether working with one ECT or several across the trust, the aim is the same: to build confidence quickly and help them feel part of the school community. At Lift Westerings, professional development is embedded in everyday practice. Through coaching, collaboration and reflection, we create a culture where both staff and pupils thrive – and this sits at the heart of our ECT programme.
Starting strong before day one
Induction begins well before term starts. In the summer term, we design personalised programmes for each ECT, plan development opportunities, and prepare mentors. Early preparation, alongside transition work, helps build confidence, so ECTs feel ready from the outset.
Practical support that matters
Simple, thoughtful organisation makes a real difference. Dedicated release time, regular mentor meetings, and shared planning opportunities show that development is a priority. Wherever possible, mentors are based in the same year group, enabling natural, ongoing collaboration.
Coaching at the core
High-quality coaching underpins everything. Weekly meetings, paired planning, and shared PPA time create regular opportunities for reflection. ECTs also benefit from modelled lessons, team teaching, and focused observations linked to their goals. Skilled mentors provide both support and challenge, helping ECTs grow in confidence and independence as reflective practitioners.
Tracking progress and building connections
Strong systems support this work. Tools like Steplab help monitor progress, while trust-wide clinics and conferences broaden professional networks. Saffron Teaching School Hub, our Appropriate Body, provides clear structures for tracking against the Teachers’ Standards, used collaboratively to guide development rather than as a checklist.
A culture, not just a programme
Regular monitoring ensures all ECTs receive their full entitlement, but culture makes the greatest difference. Coaching is part of how we work, not an add-on. By embedding induction within a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, we support new teachers while strengthening the whole school community.
Working with Saffron Appropriate Body
The changes introduced by Saffron Appropriate Body this year have had a clear, positive impact on our induction process. The Development Log and Standards Tracker have streamlined how we monitor progress, and by embedding them from the outset, they feel integral to the programme rather than administrative tasks. This has strengthened collaboration between mentors, ECTs and induction leads, making it easier to track development and identify next steps.
Quality Assurance visit
The Quality Assurance visit from Paula Downes, AB Lead at Saffron Appropriate Body, was highly supportive, offering reassurance that our processes are effective while encouraging meaningful reflection. It created valuable opportunities for open dialogue between ECTs, mentors and leaders, helping to celebrate strengths and identify areas for further development in a collaborative, non-evaluative way.
Communication and support
Communication with Saffron Appropriate Body has been excellent throughout. The team is approachable, responsive, and consistently helpful, providing timely guidance at key points. This ongoing support gives us confidence that we are meeting requirements effectively while ensuring the best possible experience for our ECTs and mentors.
Top tips for a successful induction for ECTs
- Start strong before day one
- Prioritise time for collaboration (mentoring and planning)
- Invest in quality mentoring and development of mentors
- Use transparent, collaborative systems for guiding targeted support
- Embed a culture of coaching and learning
Tony Towler is Deputy Headteacher at Lift Westerings. He has worked within Lift Schools for 17 years and is passionate about school improvement, instructional coaching and helping staff and pupils to thrive.
Registering ECTs with Saffron Appropriate Body for September 2026
If you have ECTs joining your school in September 2026, and you would like to register them with Saffron Appropriate Body for induction, visit our Appropriate Body page here for details.