A View on Effective Mentoring

“At Widey Court Primary School, supporting Early Career Teachers (ECTs) is more than a statutory requirement - it is a deeply embedded part of our school’s culture.”

With the most positive “shout-outs” for more than one Mentor, Widey Court Primary School’s Deputy Headteacher and Induction Tutor, Jo Llewellyn shares their journey and top tips to effective mentoring.
 
I have been an Early Career Teacher (ECT) Induction Tutor at Widey Court since starting here as Deputy Headteacher in September 2022. My mentoring journey has been both rewarding and developmental for me. Whilst I have had many years’ experience of mentoring students and Newly Qualified Teachers, to lead the process myself, has necessitated knowing and understanding the expectations of my role and content and progression through the Early Career Teacher Programme.  
 
When I started in my role, ECTs at Widey Court were about to start their second year and were fully embedded into the programme, which was helpful as their journey was already underway. 
 
Now that I am in my fourth year, I reflect on how important it is to value the amount of time and effort Mentors and ECTs have to invest in the success of the programme and how building trusting relationships is vital between the three parts of the process: Tutor, Mentor and ECT. Tailoring our approach to individual needs and having open, honest and reflective conversations are essential to our mentoring journey. Careful thought is given to our ECTs, ensuring that they feel supported - not only in developing their classroom practice, but also in becoming part of the wider life of the school. This holistic approach helps ECTs to build confidence quickly and to develop a strong sense of belonging. 

I believe that being an Induction Tutor is as a collaborative process where both Mentor and mentee learn and grow together. We are very fortunate to have the most experienced, nurturing, supportive mentors at Widey Court and are equally proud of the ECTs that we have recruited over the last four years. All of whom are engaged, eager to reflect, improve and enhance their teaching toolkit as they begin their teaching careers.
 
What truly works at Widey Court is the culture of openness and collaboration. Staff at all levels are committed to sharing practice and to supporting one another, creating a team ethos that ECTs quickly become part of. Successes are celebrated, challenges are shared, and everyone works together with a common goal: providing the best possible education for pupils.
 
A key strength of the provision lies in the work of the Mentors, who play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting new teachers. Mentors meet regularly with ECTs, offering advice, constructive feedback, and encouragement. An effective Mentor combines strong interpersonal skills with clear pedagogical expertise. 

I like to think the key ingredients of an effective Mentor include:
 

• Trust and empathy – creating a safe, non-judgemental environment.
• Active listening and respect – understanding the mentee’s perspective before offering guidance.
• Clarity and structure – providing focused and actionable feedback.
• Adaptability – tailoring support to the ECT’s stage and needs.
• Challenge and support – balancing encouragement plus that professional stretch.
• Consistency and rigour – being reliable and maintaining regular communication.
• Time - prioritising time and structure for meaningful Mentor-Mentee / Induction Tutor-Mentee interactions.

Same Phase Mentors
We have four trained Mentors at Widey Court: one in each phase (EYFS, Key Stage 1, Lower Key Stage 2 and Upper Key Stage 2). This enables us to ensure that the Mentor assigned to the ECT, whatever their teaching year group, has experience of teaching in that phase, knows the planning, team, data and teaching/learning expectations to support the ECT.
 
Mentoring has significant benefits for both me and my mentoring colleagues.
For me, it has deepened my understanding of teaching and learning, as articulating best practice requires clarity and reflection and has strengthened my leadership skills, particularly in communication and professional development.
 
For my colleagues, mentoring fosters a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility and encourages open dialogue about teaching practice and creates opportunities for staff to learn from one another. Ultimately, it contributes to a more supportive and reflective school environment.

If I had to note a learning curve, it would be finding the balance between supporting ECTs and allowing them the space to develop their own teaching identity. They are qualified teachers, after all, which we fully appreciate and respect.
 
When I was new to the role, I sometimes felt the need to provide too many solutions that I would reflect on and advise. However now, our discussions/meetings are very much ECT-guided and reflective of their practice, with next steps guided by them. I ask questions but self-evaluation is the biggest driver for improving. Engaging with Induction Tutor training and reflecting on my own practice, has also helped me to refine this balance.
 
Feedback from ECTs reflects our endeavours. ECTs often highlight the value of feeling supported and listened to and appreciate having a consistent point of contact who provides both warm, positive reassurance and constructive challenge. Many have commented on the usefulness of regular, structured meetings and clear, actionable feedback that helps them to improve their practice. Others have noted that the mentoring process has helped to build their confidence and encouraged them to reflect more deeply on their teaching.
 
Strong relationships and maintaining a personalised approach are very important to us.

Looking ahead, I am hopeful that mentoring ECTs at Widey Court continues to be the success that it has come to be. Ultimately, my aim is for mentoring to remain a strength of our school in supporting, not only ECTs but contributing to a culture of continuous improvement for all staff.
 
I also hope that ECTs at Widey Court will develop into confident, reflective, and skilled practitioners who are well-equipped for the demands of the profession. Thanks to the dedication of their Mentors, they are given the strongest possible start to their teaching careers.
 
We thank Jo for her insight and upbeat report on effective mentoring at Widey Court Primary School.
 
By Jo Llewellyn, Deputy Headteacher and Induction Tutor, Widey Court Primary School