Teach Primary Issue 19.6

www.teachwire.net | 15 Mike Leaman If we truly care about teachers, we need to prepare them with essential information on all their development options... The early career framework needs an update VO I C E S H aving worked as a career coach with hundreds of teachers and leaders across the country, it’s my opinion that Initial Teacher Training programmes and the Early Career Framework are missing a crucial component… Meaningful career planning. It’s simple, but long overdue. Before you roll your eyes and mutter something about ‘yet another thing’ to cram into an already overloaded, content-heavy framework, hear me out. This isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’. It’s an essential but missing piece in the way we prepare and support early career teachers. If we truly care about recruitment and retention, then we need this conversation. Many of us make the jump straight from university into the classroom, swapping one side of the teacher’s desk for the other without ever stopping to consider what kind of career we’re stepping into, or where it might lead. We need to equip new teachers not just to survive the job, but to actively shape a career that aligns with their values, goals, and aspirations; whether that’s staying in the classroom, moving into leadership, pivoting into SEND or pastoral roles, or transitioning into other sectors when the time feels right. We want to empower them to stay well, and to leave well (if that’s their choice). At present, they’re expected to hit the ground running. Learn behaviour management. Become an expert in pedagogy. Understand safeguarding, SEND, and 17 different acronyms before Christmas. So, it’s not surprising that 10 per cent of newly qualified teachers leave the profession after their first year. A third are gone by year five. And by the 10-year mark, 43 per cent have walked away (DfE, 2024). This trend will continue unless we start supporting teachers not just to survive, but to build sustainable, fulfilling careers. Teaching is one of the most purpose-driven professions out there. But purpose without direction burns out fast. Too often, early career teachers find themselves stuck on an escalator of ‘next steps’ that they didn’t consciously choose, moving from ECT to middle leadership to SLT, simply because they were good in the classroom and it seemed like the natural progression. So, what if we embedded structured career planning into ITT and ECT programmes, not as an afterthought, but as a key part of building long-term sustainable professional support? Here’s what I would include: • Values and identity: Time and space to reflect on your own motivations, values, strengths, and non-negotiables as you enter the profession. Who are you, beyond your subject or phase? What matters to you, and how do you want your work to reflect that? What led you to teaching? • Career pathways: A clear, non-judgmental overview of the diverse routes available within and beyond education. That means TLRs, leadership, SEND, pastoral, curriculum development, consultancy, edtech, education policy, L&D, youth work, and even roles in charities, museums, or coaching. • Transferable skills: Practical guidance on how to articulate and evidence the skills – not just the Teaching Standards – you’re developing. Because whether you’re planning to stay in education or not, being able to name and showcase your value is a powerful act of self-awareness. • Wellbeing and boundaries: Strategies for building sustainable habits, managing workload, setting boundaries, understanding contracts, and maintaining mental health, not just for training, but for the long haul. You can’t have a career if you burn out in year two. • Professional growth: How to set meaningful goals, engage in CPD that matters to you, and build a network that opens doors. Where to find community, resources and advice beyond your school. Ultimately, this is about giving teachers permission to dream, explore, and take control of their futures. A career planning module won’t fix everything. But it would be a bold step in treating teachers not just as deliverers of curriculum, but as professionals with long-term futures worth investing in. TP Mike Leaman a former deputy headteacher and the founder of Classroom Exit Coach®. linkedin.com/in/mike-leaman/ classroomexitcoach.co.uk