Just like any industry, education is a competitive field with every school on the constant lookout for the brightest and best teachers.
Obviously, their goal is to find the individuals who will bring a blend of talent, expertise, and a strong commitment to providing productive lessons for their students.
However, the path to being a teacher isn't always a straight one. For every bright-eyed grad eager to inspire young minds, there's another being whose heart isn’t really in the job.
Perhaps they were pushed by parents or a tutor in university. Either way, schools need to spot any signs early for the benefit of both sides.
For some, teaching strikes a chord that resonates loud and clear, but for others, being on the other side of the teacher’s desk isn’t their calling.
Teacher colleges all around the world, are tasked with sifting through all the applicants that will really shine in the classroom from the ones who will decide it’s not for them.
Their goal is simple: identify individuals who aren't well suited for this profession before their students are stuck with teachers who don’t want to be there.
However, this situation is made worse by the current teacher shortage crisis. This forces headteachers to sometimes gamble on ECTs (Early Career Teachers) they might otherwise overlook.
The economic downturn across the UK makes matters worse.
This is because some individuals may cling to teaching positions out of necessity rather than passion. However this adversely affects both their well-being and the quality of education delivered to students.
A Remarkable Track Record
In the face of these difficulties, the last 10 years have been overwhelmingly successful for early career teachers. More than 300,000 have passed their induction, with only 0.05 percent failing to do so.
This record proves the selection and training process is doing a pretty decent job. However, it does raise questions about whether the current teacher shortage is skewing the figures.
The former Chief Inspector of Schools in England and head of Ofsted Sir Michael Wilshaw, is in agreement. He believes headteachers face a tough time holding onto staff during an economic crisis.
He also points out that the remarkably low failure rate might just be a reflection of pressure to turn a blind eye to quality.
The Induction Years: A Crucial Period
The induction period is a critical time for newly-qualified teachers. The process should offer ECTs the support and guidance needed to become valuable teachers.
However, variations in the effectiveness of the induction period have been noted by various inspection teams up and down the country. Some schools provide substantial support while others appear to merely see it as a box-ticking exercise.
The Department for Education is aware of these inconsistencies. Therefore, they are trying hard to strengthen the induction framework.
Improving the ECT Induction Procedure
Extending the ECT induction period from one year to two is a significant step in providing better support for new teachers. This extension is part of a bigger recruitment and retention plan in the United Kingdom to reduce teacher “burnout”.
This longer period means extended mentoring and a more realistic timetable for all new ECTs. This attempt to create a better environment for Early Career Teachers is a commitment to helping them through the challenging first years of their career, with the positive result of higher educational standards.
Lambeth Wants You to Make a Roaring Success of Your ECT Period
There is a wholehearted dedication in Lambeth, on compelling educational grounds, to seeing you through a successful two-year ECT induction period.
Why this intense commitment? Well, simply because Lambeth believes the quality of education for its students is directly connected to the quality and well-being of its staff.
Investing in Future Excellence
Lambeth sees that the ECTs of today will become the educational leaders of tomorrow. By giving an individual a strong foundation in the early years, Lambeth is investing in the future of education within the borough and ensuring that it continues to be known for excellence and innovations in teaching.
Building a Strong and Dedicated Community of Educators
Induction needs to create a sense of belonging. We want Lambeth to continue to be a thriving community of educators who are committed to helping one another, sharing their best practices and contributing to a positive working culture where they collaborate to ensure we have great teachers all over Lambeth which leads to a more stable and richer environment for all our students.
Enhancing Teacher Retention
If you are certain you want to become a teacher, you will want to stay a teacher for an extended period. Teachers quitting is a problem right now.
Lambeth is confident that by providing new teachers with heightened support during their induction years, along with the sense of feeling supported, valuable, and part of a community, they will choose to commit for the long term to a career as a professional teacher.
And therefore living in and building the local area, thus avoiding the disturbance that a high turn over of teachers causes for schools and students.
Maximising Student Achievement
At the core of Lambeth’s commitment to ECT success is – of course – the students. Well-supported, confident, competent teachers are a key factor in maximising student achievement. Through its comprehensive induction support,
Lambeth aims to enable and encourage new teachers to deliver outstanding, stimulating lessons which your students richly deserve!
Reflecting Lambeth's Values
By focusing on your induction success, Lambeth is promoting inclusivity, support and excellence. Lambeth wants all of our students, staff and learning community members to have the opportunity to succeed.
As an ECT you too represent all these values, because Lambeth supports talent and helps create a positive, inclusive education world.
A successful two-year induction is about investing in the individual and the collective future of education in Lambeth. It is about creating a nurturing environment for new teachers to grow; students to achieve; and as an educational community to grow stronger and more connected.
Lambeth believes in the power of education and wants to support those delivering it day in and day out.
Final Thoughts: Why Lambeth is Your Go-To for Beginning Your Teaching Career
Stepping into teaching feels like a giant step, but in Lambeth you aren’t stepping alone. Lambeth is that friend who always has your back (especially during your ECT years).
Lambeth isn’t just an employer: it is a community that welcomes and supports new talent.
We want your two-year induction period to be a triumph. Why? Because we want to give you the room to grow, to learn to walk and to find your feet – you’re not to be expected to be super-human from day one.
This means more mentoring, more support and a softer entry into the ever challenging world of teaching.
But it’s not all about the formality of it all – whichever school you go in, Lambeth has a diverse range of schools, challenging and supportive in equal measure.
With colleagues who aren’t just colleagues but mentors, cheerleaders and fellow adventurers on this teaching journey. Plus, in the abundance of schools there’s always someone nearby who has the answers and well, schools help schools.
And of course, there’s London itself. A lively, buzzing hub of culture, history and career opportunities.
With a job in Lambeth, you’re in the thick of it all – with a whole city’s worth of enriching experiences right on your doorstep. Imagine the class trips and the projects and the real-life learning you can pack into your teaching!
Deciding to start your teaching career in Lambeth is not just a job decision, it is choosing to unlock a future supported, celebrated and full of possibility. It is about being in a place that believes in the power of new teachers, values you and what you bring and invests in your success.
If you’re one of the newly qualified teachers contemplating a career in teaching then think Lambeth.
Come to Lambeth and you’ll start your teaching journey with confidence, support and the promise of going from teacher to truly inspirational educator.