In this session we want participants to build on their understanding of the ECT programme so that by the end of the session, participants feel confident about the purpose of the programme, how it will support their learning over the course of the two years and what they are expected to do as participants on this programme. Participants will also develop their understanding of how pupils learn and explore why it is important to apply this knowledge to their teaching practice, including how to consider planning for long-lasting learning. It is advised that participants bring an upcoming lesson plan or unit of work to support their thinking, as there will be an opportunity for action planning in the final session

Arrival from 9:00am, session time starting at 9:30am.

This clinic explores the ways in which teachers can prevent and respond to low level disruption to create a positive, predictable and safe learning environment. ECTs will consider the importance of high expectations and their impact upon pupils, as well as focusing on what effective practice around maintaining high expectations might look like. The session supports ECTs to understand the process of using underlying features to analyse effective classroom practice which maintains high expectations, along with guiding participants to gain a deeper understanding of how the underlying features might apply across different classroom scenarios.

This session will build on participants’ understanding of adaptive teaching and how it is supported by formative assessment strategies. ECTs will also reflect on which aspects of their current practice support adaptive teaching, and through engaging with examples of teaching practice as well as discussion, further develop their understanding of how to be an adaptive teacher. It is advised that participants bring a lesson plan / resource that they have already planned to support with implementation.

Arrival from 9:00am, session time starting at 9:30am.

This clinic focuses on how teachers can support their pupils to think hard through establishing and maintaining culture, considering purpose and timing, planning and scaffolding and monitoring to adapt. The scenarios in this clinic will all address the following teaching problem: How can teachers support all pupils to think hard during whole class, group and paired discussions?

This clinic explores the ways in which teachers can give timely and effective feedback that supports pupils progress and is considerate of workload. The session supports teachers to understand the underlying features of effective feedback and the place it has in supporting adaptive teaching. We will also explore different forms of feedback with the classroom context.

This clinic explores the ways in which teachers can give timely and effective feedback that supports pupils progress and is considerate of workload. The session supports teachers to understand the underlying features of effective feedback and the place it has in supporting adaptive teaching. We will also explore different forms of feedback with the classroom context.

This conference explains what the second year of the programme entails, along with how the programme will continue to support ECTs as they develop their expertise. The session also focuses on the importance of protecting time for rest and recovery in order to manage wellbeing and the link between developing practice and wellbeing in the longer term.

Arrival from 9:00am. The session will start at 9:30am.

In this clinic we will explore how teachers can hold effective conversations with a range of people to support pupil wellbeing, motivation and progress. ECTs will understand the components of an effective professional conversation and know how effective conversations look in a range of contexts during the session. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on current practice when holding conversations with others.

This clinic investigates how teachers can meaningfully support all pupils to develop high levels of literacy by exploring the components of literacy to understand the underlying features of effective literacy teaching. Teachers will be encouraged to reflect on current practice around teaching literacy.

The final clinic focuses on how teachers can make effective, long-lasting change to their practice by considering the importance of effective, long-lasting implementation and what it might look like

ECTS will understand the process of using underlying features (components that can be applied across all subjects, phases or settings, and are a guide for what good practice is likely to look like) to analyse effective implementation, and gain a deeper understanding of how the underlying features might apply across different phases through multiple scenarios. We will use the underlying features to reflect on their current practice around effective implementation.

This conference sets mentors up with the fundamentals that will underpin your success and the success of your teachers on this programme including what the ECF is and how Ambition Institute’s programme is structured.  The session covers the underlying evidence base for the programme, including the science of learning and why instructional coaching is a ‘best bet’ for teacher improvement.  The session will explain the instructional coaching model and provide a step by step ‘walk through’ of each stage of the instructional coaching cycle. Each stage will provide an overview of what the stage involves, when and how it should be done, as well as underlying features, a model and an opportunity to practise.

Arrival time: From 9:00 am

Session Time: 9.30 am - 3.30 pm

Participants will look at the process of contextualisation within the instructional coaching model. We will focus on how mentors can support ECTs within their own context when setting a step and planning a model. It is important that models are both rooted in the success criteria and consider the factors impacting the way a step will be enacted in an ECT’s specific context.

Mentor conference 2 supports mentors to develop your instructional coaching skills further to adapt the coaching model to meet the increasing expertise of an ECT. The session covers the importance of the second year of the Early Career Teacher Programme as well as the similarities and differences between the first and second years. Participants will explore the role of the mentor within the programme in year 2 and how to adapt instructional coaching as early career teachers develop expertise.

This conference is online.

If your ECT starts year 2 in September 2025 or January 2026, you may prefer to attend mentor conference 2 earlier as below:

Monday 16th June 2025

Tuesday 17th June 2025

Thursday 19th June 2025

Thursday 27th November 2025

In the final mentor clinic, participants will deepen their understanding of providing challenge for their ECTs as they continue to develop expertise.