NIoT Research: Mentoring and coaching trainee and early career teachers

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Published on 24/11/22

Why is the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) doing this project?

The NIoT exists to support teachers and schools. They do this by conducting rigorous research to inform their training programmes and then share this with the sector so that everyone can benefit.

Their first research project is on teacher mentoring, because it is a fundamental element of trainee and early career teacher (ECT) training and, when done well, can be a powerful means of developing and retaining effective teachers.

High-quality mentoring is a core element of the Early Career Framework (ECF) and ITT Core Content Framework. Yet schools are reporting serious capacity and funding issues. Many – particularly small schools – struggle to identify appropriate mentors, and to provide them with sufficient time and support (as we will see in this report). Within this context, there is a need for more guidance about where training providers and schools should focus their efforts.

Aims for this project are:

  1. To identify what is promising and where there are gaps in the evidence, in order to inform the commissioning of new research.
  2. To develop a set of recommendations on effective practice for schools and providers involved in delivering the ECF and ITT Core Content Framework.

​​Key findings from the conceptual review include:

  • An overarching, working definition of mentoring and coaching
  • An overview of three generalised mentoring and coaching types
  • A hypothesised theory of change for how mentoring and coaching is delivered

 

Key findings from the current practice survey include:

  • An overview of the mentoring practices currently happening and how 
  • A summary of the perceived benefits and challenges of mentoring, both for mentees and mentors
  • Suggestions from surveys as to who should be a mentor, including level of experience and line management responsibilities, as well as differences between primary and secondary phases
     

Read the full Survey here

Read the Conceptual Review here

Research by the National Institute of Teaching. 

Credit:

  • Emerita Professor Bronwen Maxwell, Independent Consultant
  • Professor Andrew J Hobson, University of Brighton
  • Dr Catherine Manning, Education & Training Foundation 
  • Professor Becky Allen, Teacher Tapp
  • Iain Ford, Teacher Tapp
  • Karen Wespieser MBE, Teacher Tapp