Each month we showcase one of our delivery partners who help us develop, deliver and facilitate our programmes nationwide. This month, we caught up with the team at Futures Education Institute who work with us to deliver the National Professional Qualifications and the Early Career Framework. Futures Teaching Alliance is a collaborative partnership of schools across Coventry, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and the West Midlands, who are committed to recruiting and training enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about becoming outstanding teachers.

Who are Futures Education Institute & Futures Teaching Alliance?

Futures Education Institute (FEI) works with teachers, leaders, and education professionals locally, regionally, and nationally in the provision of the ‘Golden-Thread’ of high-quality, evidence-based CPD and learning, from Initial Teacher Training to Executive Headship. FEI is a Regional Delivery Partner of Best Practice Network for the Early Career Framework Programme and work with Early Career Teachers (ECTs) and Early Career Mentors to deliver high quality training on a localised level within our partner schools. We also work in partnership with Best Practice Network as a Regional Delivery Partner for all Specialist and Leadership National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) and Leadership Apprenticeships.

Futures Teaching Alliance (FTA) recruits Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Special-school trainees to provide School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT).  Our mission is to ensure that all of our trainees are supported and committed to creating exceptional and inspirational learning experiences, building ‘bright futures together’ for the young people in our schools. FTA is also a Regional Delivery Partner for Best Practice Network’s ITT Teacher Apprenticeship. The Teacher Apprenticeship enables trainee teachers to immerse themselves in the day-to-day realities of the classroom, gaining valuable hands-on experience under the mentorship of expert teachers. This approach not only bridges the experience gap but also ensures that apprentice teachers are equipped and prepared to step into full teaching roles with confidence and competence.

Why did you choose to work with Best Practice Network? 

FEI and FTA have been Regional Delivery Partners with Best Practice Network since 2017. We chose to work with BPN because our values and moral purpose are aligned; namely, that every child, regardless of their background, should benefit from an excellent education. Our organisations’ core missions are to transform the lives of the children, young people, and communities that we serve. FEI and FTA are committed to building brighter futures and striving for excellence, and therefore, we are proud to work with an organisation rated as an Outstanding Provider by OFSTED for both the Early Career Framework and National Professional Qualifications. The Director of FEI and FTA is a member of the BPN Advisory Board and supports the governance of the organisation, demonstrating our absolute commitment to collaborative partnership working with Regional Delivery Partners.

How do you work with your school network to have input into programme development?

Futures Teaching Alliance and Futures Education Institute work in partnership with over 30 schools across Coventry, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Birmingham, and Northamptonshire in the delivery and development of programmes. We have ECF and NPQ Facilitators leading high-quality CPDL from over 25 partner schools, representing a broad spectrum and diverse range of contexts and communities.

What is important to schools in your area?

Our feedback as a Regional Delivery Partner of BPN is exceptional. Colleagues greatly value the relational and collegiate approach to professional development from existing expert practitioners and school leaders. Schools appreciate the collaborative nature of CPDL and the support provided by FTA and FEI, as well as the contextualisation of evidence-based research, from theory into practice, resulting in qualitative and quantitative impact on school improvement and outcomes for children and young people.

What has been your greatest success as an teaching alliance?

The greatest success in the development of FTA and FEI is the impact on school improvement and the support and development of a new generation of confident and well-equipped teachers, professionals, and school leaders. We have trained over 750 Early Career Teachers and Mentors and over 1,000 colleagues on NPQ programmes, with a 98% success rate across all programmes.

Why should schools choose Futures for their staff professional development?

Schools should choose Futures Education Institute for their staff professional development because of the exceptional delivery from expert practitioners and system leaders. Testimonials and feedback from colleagues state:

"FEI facilitators are exceptionally knowledgeable and have delivered outstanding face-to-face events, which have been the highlight of my NPQ course."

"Face to Face sessions with FEI have been the best part of the course. It has been invaluable to have the discussions and knowledge imparted and prompted by facilitators with extensive experience."

"Brilliant opportunity to reflect with professionals and exceptionally experienced and honest practitioners.

"Futures Education Institute has always been lovely and welcoming. Supportive conversations, engaging contextualisation and practical implementation strategies for our school setting."

"A thoroughly enjoyable training course. I have taken so much from this course and have already begun making changes to my practice. Trainers were passionate and this reflected in the way they delivered the training."

"Great again! Facilitators are extremely knowledgeable and provide the environment to have quality discussions and to learn."

"Awesome CPD. Informed and motivated to attend another NPQ."

"By far the best CPD I have had in my career to date."

What do you think about the ECF proposed changes?

One of the most powerful aspects of being such a significant partner of Best Practice Network is the ability it gives us to pass on constructive feedback about the ECF, which we receive from both ECTs and ECMs. Best Practice Network has been proactive in working with us to change what is within their control, whilst also using their national position to raise the feedback with the DfE. It has been very rewarding to see how our feedback has supported the evolution of the ECF. Two great examples of this are in some of the changes happening within the ECF. Firstly, the mentor training load has changed to one year rather than two years. This allows those staff who otherwise would not have had the capacity to mentor to share their skills and experience with the ECTs, while still engaging in a full year of training. Secondly, the merging of the CCF and ECF into a single framework to create the new framework, the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), now allows us to seamlessly move through the three-year journey with much-reduced duplication of training.

What advice would you give to Early Career Teachers? 

The ITT year is about experimenting and building your confidence to be autonomous in your classroom with strategies and skills you have developed over the year. However, that should not stop in your ECT period. With the reduced load and consistent structured support from your mentor, we would advise ECTs to continue committing to trial, reflect on, and implement new strategies.

What makes an excellent Mentor and what impact can this tole have on a new teacher? 

An excellent mentor is one who works with you to build a trusting and safe relationship—one who can support and encourage you to grow in your pedagogical approach, challenge you to improve and think outside the box, and also nurture you to assure positive mental health and well-being.

Looking for more information?

You can find out more information about what we offer at Futures Education Institute here.

If you would like any more information on our ECF, NPQ or ITT programmes, get in contact with us:

Email: enquiries@bestpracticenet.co.uk

 Tel: +44 (0) 117 920 9200 (8.30am-5.30pm, Mon-Fri)