Marjon readies school leaders in Cornwall for the Early Career Framework

Released: 13.05.21

Marjon University Cornwall is providing a continuous professional development course to support middle and senior school leaders to prepare for the new Early Career Framework.

The Early Career Framework is a Department of Education initiative, to better develop and retain new teachers during their first few years in the classroom. It comes into force in September 2021.

The framework will rely on experienced teachers to mentor and coach early career teachers. This course develops the skills and understanding that middle and senior school leaders are going to need to lead other teachers to become mentors and coaches in their schools and/or academies.

The course is titled ’Leading, Coaching and Mentoring in Schools’, and it awards a University Professional Diploma, which also provides the participant with 60 points towards a Master’s degree. This year-long course was developed for the Truro Diocese Board of Education.

The course was developed by Professor Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Provost of Marjon University Cornwall, who is one of the UK’s leading experts on teacher retention. Professor Ovenden-Hope established a programme called RETAIN which supported early career teachers to stay in teaching. RETAIN, which was piloted in Cornwall, informed the government’s thinking for the new Early Career Framework. It is also being used by the Victoria Department for Education in Australia to guide their teacher retention strategy.

Professor Ovenden-Hope said: “I am inspired by the teachers and school leaders on this course and the way they have committed to become leaders in coaching and mentoring. They are developing their skills and practice through critical engagement with the research underpinning effective coaching and mentoring.”

Adam Richards, Headteacher at Bishops C of E Learning Academy in Newquay, who is a student on this course said: "I particularly enjoy working with colleagues from across schools in Cornwall and hearing how much impact the Leading Coaching and Mentoring course is having on teacher development".

Sally Powell, Year Lead at St. Catherine’s C of E Primary School in Launceston said: "This course is supporting me to continue my own life-long learning and development whilst also enabling me to develop meaningful support for my colleagues. I am so thankful to be part of something which gives me a platform to question and reflect on teaching and learning, and to become skilled in leading coaching and mentoring."

Sue Christophers, Subject Lead at St Columb Major Academy, reflects: “I have found myself out of my comfort zone and challenged during the course from the first workshop but the flip side is that it has been an incredible learning journey. It is deepening my understanding and practice of mentoring and coaching and has been a personal journey too.”

For more information on this or other custom postgraduate CPD courses please contact Professor Tanya Ovenden-Hope on Cornwall@marjon.ac.uk.