As CEO of Bridge Academy Trust, I have always believed that genuine school improvement thrives on meaningful partnerships. Our continued collaboration with Saffron Teaching School Hub is a powerful expression of that belief. Together, we are shaping a coherent, connected professional development offer that supports teachers and leaders at every career stage – from Initial Teacher Training to system leadership. 

Across the board, there was an abundance of curiosity, camaraderie and genuine commitment to improving practice – expertly harnessed by our fantastic facilitators.

Huge congratulations to everyone who passed!

At Saffron Teaching School Hub, we’re proud to serve over 266 schools across Braintree, Chelmsford, Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford. From Initial Teacher Training (ITT) through to the Early Career Training Programme (ECTP) and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), we’re here to support educators at every stage of their journey. 

Despite their impact, several myths still surround NPQs - creating unnecessary barriers to engagement. Let’s bust them!

In the last fortnight, we are also delighted to have welcomed our Year 2 ECTs and mentors back to their training, as they continue their programme of development. Designed to support and empower educators at the start of their careers, the programme blends evidence-based learning with practical, in-person events hosted at key locations throughout the region.

As well as continuing our longstanding partnership with Teach First, we are also partnering with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) to deliver some of our National Professional Qualifications (NPQ) programmes.

From September 2025, the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE) replaces the previous Early Career Framework (ECF)-based induction. ECT training programmes will be based on the ITTECF - an updated framework based on a combination of initial teacher training (ITT), core content framework (CCF) and the ECF. 

The ECTE is designed to better integrate the training and development of new teachers with the latest educational research and classroom needs. The updated programme ensures that there is an increased focus on areas such as SEND, oracy, adaptive teaching and literacy, with more exemplification included for different phases, settings and subjects. In addition, mentors will have access to diagnostic tools to tailor content for their ECTs.

For mentors, from September 2025 there will be a one-year development programme designed for supporting and developing ECTs' practice. 

The DfE update on the changes can be found here: ECTE Changes 2025

At Inspires Multi-Academy Trust, the commitment to “fulfilling potential, fostering belief, and seeking excellence” is more than a vision - it’s a lived reality. With a growing family of primary academies across Essex, the Trust is united by a mission to provide every child with an educational, social, and emotional offer that inspires them to “aspire to be the best we can be in all that we do.” This ethos extends to every adult in the organisation too, from classroom teachers to senior leaders. 

Working alongside the Greater Essex Careers Hub, and our regional Hub partners Chafford Hundred TSH and Unity TSH, we’ve developed a guide for 14-18 year-olds designed to showcase the exciting rewards and benefits of this extraordinary profession, and map out the range of routes young people can follow on their pathway into teaching.

The series aims to provide practical guidance and evidence-based strategies for school leaders to develop effective PD that enhances teaching quality and positively impact student outcomes.

Below is a summary and direct link to each of the two newer publications.

The programme allows teachers, leaders and support staff working in state schools to access fully-funded group coaching and workshop support from the start of their parental leave all the way up to when their youngest child is 5 years old.

The purpose of these events is 3-fold: to connect committed colleagues from across our Hub region, introduce our team of fantastic facilitators and share our collective intentions and aspirations for the programmes. 

There were high levels of engagement throughout as we built on the prior knowledge of our delegates, with the ECT conferences focusing on adaptive teaching and supporting critical thinking, and the mentor conferences focusing on balancing support and challenge and building resilience.

Thank you to everyone who attended and to our host venues and expert facilitators.

Hosted by Saffron Walden County High School, and expertly facilitated by Phil Heath, Emma Carvalho and Katie Pieri, the conference explored critical aspects of Leadership and SEND:

• Understanding and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
• Establishing and Positive Culture for SEND and
• Assessment and Identification Strategy

• Early Years webinar on 3 June;
• Instructional Coaching webinar series starting on 5 June.

See below for full details of these events and how to sign up. 

National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) provide the bedrock of CPD on which excellent practice is built. Bringing together the highest quality research and evidence-based practice, NPQs bridge the gap between theory and practice – and make a fundamental difference to the way in which change and improvement is implemented. This is the impact of an NPQ.