Early Career Training Programme at Darwen Vale High School

The ECT Programme at Darwen Vale is built on strong support, clear structures, and a shared commitment between the school, the Trust, and Teach First. Aldridge and Darwen Vale’s partnership with Teach First has been central to the programme’s success. The combination of online and in-person seminars, alongside Brightspace training, provides ECTs with consistent, research-informed guidance that they can revisit whenever needed. This has supported them to embed key teaching practices confidently and sustainably over time. 

Darwen Vale has also invested significantly in developing its mentors to ensure they make the most effective use of the Teach First framework. Not only is the provision from Aldridge’s ECTP supportive in engaging and developing the mentoring and instructional coaching of mentors through the conference and seminars. But also, the additional support from Aldridge Education's ‘Growing Together’ in a bespoke ‘coaching mastery’ course designed around Paul Bambrick-Santoyo’s instructional coaching model used in the school and the Trust. This has enabled and added a layer of support and professional development to coaches. As a result, there has been a significant increase in engagement with the ECTP/ECF from mentors, with a corresponding impact on the classrooms of ECTs. Each half-term, facilitators and course leaders work with the mentors to narrow the focus on one precise action or part of the instructional coaching model, providing support to demonstrate models, refine practice, and create a safe space for mentors to engage in deliberate practice of their coaching.

Also, the use of IRIS Connect as a recording and feedback platform has enabled trust and leaders in the school to continuously give feedback and support both ECTs and the mentoring provision. It allows regular and low-stakes feedback that enables staff in both the classroom and mentoring interactions. All mentors are expected to submit 1 to 2 videos per half term, while ECTs, alongside the ECF/ECTP, provide one video reflection and self-reflection pathway. Not only does this help negate much of a busy school schedule, but it also means there is a continuity and sequence to the learning for both ECTs and mentors that isn’t disrupted. 

Intensive instructional coaching, through weekly coaching sessions, focused action steps, and regular walkthroughs, has become a core part of our approach, leading to clear and measurable improvements in classroom practice. This is complemented by our bespoke, in-house CPD for ECTs, allowing us to tailor support precisely to staff needs while keeping Teach First principles at the heart of our provision. 

Importantly, the outsourcing of theoretical input through Brightspace and bi-termly Trust-led sessions as our delivery partner ensures ECTs receive high-quality instruction without adding to mentor workload. The Trust-led training sessions are particularly valuable, as they provide mentors with opportunities to share experiences, collaborate with peers, and sharpen their focus on developing ECTs effectively. 

External verification, quality assurance and bespoke support from the Trust have confirmed that the systems embedded at Darwen Vale are having the intended impact. The outcomes speak for themselves: last year, three second-year ECTs progressed into internally promoted roles, including Head of House, PSHE Coordinator, and Assistant Head of Humanities. These successes demonstrate the strength of the collective investment made by Teach First, the Trust, and Darwen Vale. At the same time, retention rates are higher, as are satisfaction rates of both ECTs and mentors. While the impact on the classroom is hard to gauge in terms of tangible outcomes, we know that the ECTs at Darwen Vale are some of the most evidence-informed and research-led in our wider network. The level of professionalism and application of pedagogical knowledge in a school of a comparable low socio-economic community is above and beyond what you might expect from other ECTs in similar settings.

Overall, the ECT Programme at Darwen Vale, supported throughout by Teach First, is successfully developing early career teachers and creating genuine opportunities for professional progression. 

This academic year, my role as a coach (ECT mentor) at Darwen Vale has grown significantly, shaped and strengthened by my involvement in the Growing Together coaching programme [bespoke support for instructional coaches of novice teachers]. Through the guidance of the ECTP and SCITT leads in the MAT, I have not only refined my coaching practice but also seen a meaningful impact across the department, both in terms of staff development and student outcomes.

One of the most valuable shifts in my approach has been the increased importance of planning. Inspired by ECTP Lead’s emphasis on structure, I now script key sections of a coaching session before it begins. This has brought greater clarity and direction to the conversations, ensuring that we start with purpose and remain focused on what matters most: supporting high-quality teaching and learning. While sessions remain flexible and responsive, having this structure has given both myself and those I coach a stronger sense of progress and momentum.

The SCITT Lead’s sessions were particularly impactful in developing my understanding of “back pocket questions”: powerful, open-ended prompts that help sustain momentum when conversations slow. These questions have become essential tools in my coaching practice, allowing me to create moments of genuine reflection and professional challenge. They have enabled me to keep the “sparring” productive, encouraging deeper thinking and allowing teachers to arrive at their own solutions rather than feeling led or directed.

The use of these techniques has significantly enhanced the quality of my coaching conversations. Staff feel more empowered and valued, and they are increasingly reflective in their own practice. For example, one member of staff who initially felt hesitant about being coached later shared how the structured, yet flexible, nature of our sessions helped her regain confidence in the classroom. Her development over the year has been remarkable, and it has been deeply rewarding to see how effective coaching, built on trust, professional challenge, and skilled questioning, can unlock such progress.

Another key learning from Growing Together has been the importance of listening to our novice teachers during mentoring, not just hearing what is said, but truly listening for the values, beliefs, and challenges that sit beneath the surface. Both the ECTP and SCITT leads modelled this consistently in their own sessions, and I have worked hard to emulate this approach in my coaching. This has strengthened relationships with staff and made sessions feel more impactful and personalised.

In short, coaching this year has moved from something I “do” to something I am. The tools, models, and habits developed through Growing Together have helped me approach coaching as a craft one rooted in curiosity, compassion, and high expectations. I am proud of the positive changes I have seen and excited to continue developing this work next year with even greater precision and purpose.

When I arrived at Darwen Vale, I had very limited experience with the concept of coaching, as opposed to simple mentoring, and only a basic understanding of scope and sequence [Aldridge Education document and tool for setting action steps for observation and feedback]. During my first full academic year, undertaking the coaching course was incredibly helpful. It allowed me to fully grasp all aspects of scope and sequence and how to set highest leverage and sequenced action steps for my ECT following their weekly short observation.

On the course [ECF], during the live training, I met many teachers from other schools. This gave me the opportunity to plan, practice, and act out some of the scripts I might use with a coachee. The live sessions and example videos enabled me to identify the highest-leverage steps from the scope and sequence to support that coachee. We then planned the scripts for coaching sessions and practised them with colleagues who were also on the course.

This detailed course helped me plan scripts for my second-year ECT and also encouraged me to reflect on my own practice. It challenged me to follow the action steps precisely, which has made me a better teacher as well. When I gained a Year 1 ECT this year, I felt prepared for the expectations of the role. I knew how to plan the scripts, PowerPoints, and back-pocket questions for the coaching sessions, and I felt more confident in modelling what I expected my coachee to do.

It has also been helpful to stay in contact with other coaches through online sessions, allowing me to refresh the coaching course and share practice. The support of an excellent teaching and learning lead, alongside a strong pair of ECT mentors, has been invaluable. I monitor my ECT weekly, but so do they. They provide advice and sometimes set additional action steps that I may have missed. My ECT also benefits from whole-school action steps, not just those I identify, which helps her connect with other ECTs and understand where they are in their development.

Thanks to this support, my Year 1 ECT is progressing rapidly, and it is a joy to see. Not only is the coachee supported, but the coach is too. There is always someone available for guidance and advice at every stage.