ETF launches Mentoring Framework and guides

The Education and Training Foundation (@E_T_Foundation) has launched a #Mentoring Framework as part of its support for mentors and coaches of practitioners in the Further Education (FE) and Training sector.

Mentoring and coaching are widely used in FE to bring about improvements in teaching, learning and assessment.

The ETF aims to improve the quality of mentoring and coaching across the sector by offering a range of CPD activities and resources aimed at leaders/managers, mentors and mentees.

The Framework has been developed with practitioners and leaders from the sector. It is accompanied by three guides – one for mentors, one for mentees and one for leaders. They aim to:

• establish a shared understanding of effective mentoring practice
• enhance the quality of mentoring for practitioners
• ensure that mentoring is supportive and nurturing
• help mentees and mentors to develop teaching, learning and assessment strategies which meet learners’ needs.

The Framework sets out a series of practices for leaders/managers, mentors and mentees to bring about a developmental and nurturing mentoring which supports teachers/trainers with their professional development.

The guides provide additional information and resources to help leaders/managers, mentors and mentees bring these mentoring practices to life. They contain tips, reflective activities, and further useful resources.

Dr Catherine Manning, the ETF’s National Head of Practitioner Research and Development, said:

“Mentoring and coaching have the potential to be one of the most effective forms of professional development for teachers and trainers, including early career practitioners. However, in order to be effective, there are a series of practices which need to be enacted. These are outlined in the ETF’s new Framework and accompanying guides and we hope the sector will find them useful.”

The ETF will also be offering a series of free interactive webinars for leaders/managers, mentors, and mentees who would like to learn more about the Mentoring Framework and guides.

During the webinars, attendees will become more familiar with the content of the Framework, have the opportunity to ask questions, discuss mentoring with leaders and practitioners from other FE providers, and start to plan how to introduce or enhance their own mentoring practice or provision.

The new Framework and guides are part of a wider package of free support for mentoring funded by the Department for Education and provided by the Education and Training Foundation.