Mentors and Induction Tutors

The roles of Mentors and Induction Tutors have very different purposes, and the roles must be completed by different members of staff in school. Where possible, Mentors should not mentor more than one ECT at a time.

Mentors

This role is suitable for an experienced teacher or middle leader.

The mentor role is there to support an ECT through their Induction. ECTs are entitled to weekly mentor discussions in year 1, and bi-weekly in year 2. The sessions should last around 1 hour and the content and guidance for sessions will be listed in the Teach First Mentor Handbook which is shared when a mentor is registered.

New mentor training lasts for one year as part of the Early Career Training Programme (ECTP). The content and time commitment of mentor training can be found here.

Trained mentors do not need to attend further training, they need to be linked to their ECT upon registration and will receive a copy of the Teach First Trained Mentor Handbook.

Induction Tutors

This role is suitable for a senior leader or Headteacher.

The Induction Tutor, also known as the Induction Lead or Coordinator, is responsible for the induction process inline with the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE). This includes registering ECTs for their training and statutory induction. Mentors also have to be registered for training and linked to the ECT, via the DfE Portal.

The role includes monitoring the progress of all ECTs and mentors and supporting them to access their training. A key part of the Induction Tutor's role is assessing the ECT's progress against the Teachers' Standards over the two year induction period. Regular communication between the Induction Tutor and Mentor supports this process.