Early Career Framework (ECF)
The Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms created a step change in support for early career teachers, providing a funded entitlement to a structured two-year package of high-quality professional development.
From September 2021 all early career teachers, no matter how they initially trained, are expected to complete it. This two-year programme has replaced the previous one-year induction, giving extended support to teachers at this critical time in their career.
“The ECF is a game changer in terms early career retention and teacher quality. It represents the most significant reform to teaching in a generation. It embeds a funded entitlement to training and guarantees all early career teachers access to a shared understanding of the best available evidence - akin to the highest performing systems internationally”
Professor Samantha Twiselton, OBE
What is the Early Career Framework (ECF)?
The Early Career Framework and induction reforms are part of the government’s teacher recruitment and retention strategy, which aims to improve the training and development opportunities available to teachers.
The early career framework is the evidence base which underpins this new entitlement for early career teachers’ professional development. It sets out what all early career teachers should learn about and learn how to do during the first two years of their careers.
It includes sections on:
- Behaviour management
- Pedagogy
- Curriculum
- Assessment
- Professional behaviours
All headteachers are expected to ensure that early career teachers receive a programme of training that enables them to understand and apply the knowledge and skills set out in each of the ECF evidence (‘learn that’) statements and practice (‘learn how to’) statements.
Here is an extract:
etc...
The offer for early career teachers includes:
- Two years of new, funded, high-quality training
- Freely available high-quality development materials based on the ECF
- Funding for 5% time away from the classroom for teachers in their second year
- A dedicated mentor and support for these mentors including access to funded high-quality training
- Funding to cover mentors’ time in the second year of teaching
Early Career Framework-based training is expected to be embedded as a central aspect of induction; it is not an additional training programme and should not be used as an assessment tool.
Mid-year starters
The Department for Education have instructed all ECF Providers to run a January and April Cohort of the Early Career Framework Programme.
The key principles of any ECF programme (no matter when it starts) are guided by the DfE's Statutory Guidance for Induction for ECTs (linked here):
- The ECF is a two-year entitlement, so every provider must offer it over this time period
- SFET have an option to start the programme at the start of each term, enabling greater flexibility and support to schools and ECTs
- The September, January and April programmes will each be delivered over 2 years
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What are the three ECF options for schools?
There are three approaches schools can choose from to enable the delivery of an ECF based induction:
Full Induction Programme (FIP)
This programme is fully funded by the Department for Education. Schools can choose to work with a national provider accredited by the Department for Education through a Teaching School Hub who will design and deliver a programme of face-to-face and online training to ECTs and their mentors.
In addition to free training, only schools on the FIP will receive additional funding to backfill mentor time spent undertaking training in addition to the funding for time off timetable.
We would recommend you follow a fully funded ECF programme; we are ready to provide this service for you (register here).
Core Induction Programme (CIP)
Schools deliver their own training using DfE accredited materials and resources - Schools use freely available DfE accredited materials, which includes ready to use materials and resources for new teachers and mentors, to deliver their own ECT and mentor support. These materials have been accredited by the Department for Education and quality assured by the Education Endowment Foundation. Please click here to find out more.
Schools following a CIP route will not receive additional government funding to cover mentor training time. They will also not receive free ECT, mentor and Induction Lead training.
Schools opting for the core induction programme will be subject to a 'fidelity check' and quality assurance by an appropriate body to ensure that the ECF requirements have been met in full. More information below.
School Led Induction Programme (SIP)
Schools design and deliver their own two-year induction programme for ECTs based on the ECF. We do not recommend this option during the first year of implementation.
Schools choosing to design and deliver their own programme will be subject to a 'fidelity check' and quality assurance by an Appropriate Body to ensure that the ECF requirements have been met.
Headteachers need to submit a full plan of their sequenced curriculum, signpost the evidence base and explain how their plans meet the statutory requirements in full. More information below.
How does the funding work?
The Full Induction Programme (FIP) is fully funded by the Department for Education.
There are no costs to school for the training provided over two years - an incredible offer.
Funding for schools
All state funded schools offering statutory induction will receive additional funding to deliver the ECF reforms.
The funding will cover:
- 5% off timetable in the second year of induction for all early career teachers to undertake induction activities including training and mentoring
- funding for mentors to spend with early career teachers in the second year of induction - this is based on 20 hours of mentoring across the academic year
If a school chooses the 'Full Induction Programme' (with SFET providing the ECF training for you) the DfE will also fund:
- all training costs (enabling your ECTs and mentors to attend free training sessions with SFET)
- 36 hours of mentor time off timetable for training over two years, paid directly to your school
This data will be collected through the school workforce census to ensure there is minimal administrative burden for schools. State schools undertaking statutory induction will receive a single payment for their early career teachers and mentors in the summer of the second year of induction. The funding amount is calculated by taking the average salary of mentors and early career teachers, split by region.
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How do I register my teachers (ECTs)?
To register your early career teachers for the Full Induction Programme (FIP) with us, you need to complete our registration form.
The DfE require schools to enter information regarding their early career teachers and choice of route on their online portal ('Manage training for early career teachers').
The DfE have sent the portal email invitations to all maintained schools and academies using the email address(es) registered against the schools in GIAS (Get Information About Schools). This is usually an office@, admin@ or head@ email address. Schools can download their entry on GIAS to check that the email address is correct.
If you cannot find the original email invitation then you can visit the following website to regenerate the email: Manage training for early career teachers (education.gov.uk).
Click here for DfE guidance for schools: how to manage ECF-based training
Click here for a step-by-step guide to DfE portal registration.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if anything is unclear as we can help. Contact Jackie Blackwood on 01252 986890 or email tshub@sfet.org.uk.
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What will it look like in practice (overview at a glance)?
Our Full Induction Programme (FIP) draws upon the best of national (partnering with Teach First) and best of regional. We are working with a network of primary, secondary and SEND delivery school partners across Hampshire and Surrey to ensure that our programme fully understands and responds to local need. A school-led approach is vital here to ensure that the programme development truly considers school need and workload. It has to be fit-for-purpose and our school partners ensure that it is.
We know how important it is to have clarity about what these reforms look like in practice. You can download a copy of our very useful 'ECF overview' (at a glance) document here.
Our team is on hand to answer any questions that you might have. To register your early career teachers for the Full Induction Programme (FIP) you need to complete our registration form.
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Who will be involved (school roles and responsibilities)?
From September 2021, schools are responsible for ensuring that Early Career Teachers (ECTs) receive a programme of training that allows them to understand and apply the knowledge and skills set out in the Early Career Framework (ECF).
In association with the Appropriate Body, schools are also required to assess ECTs against the Teaching Standards and will ultimately make a recommendation as to whether the ECT has completed the induction satisfactorily.
To download a PDF version of this document, click here.
SLT Induction Lead
You will designate a senior member of the school team to oversee the two-year induction period in your school. We will provide training and supporting documentation for all SLT Induction Leads.
Mentor
The mentor is the most important person to a new teacher. At the beginning of the programme we will provide training to all mentors and this will include:
- How novice teachers learn best
- Effective observation and feedback strategies
- Using instructional coaching to accelerate progress
- How to provide further challenge to high-performing early career teachers
The Teach First programme puts mentor workload and wellbeing at the centre - tailored training seminars, regional support from the Hub's delivery school partners and short 10-minute familiarisation videos enable mentors to keep up-to-date with the early career teacher training content and relevant research.
Find out more about the school roles and responsibilities for Induction here
The school roles and responsibilities for the induction period have changed. The school will need to consider both the assessment (appropriate body) and induction training (ECF) roles.
Headteacher
The headteacher is, along with the Appropriate Body, jointly responsible for the monitoring, support and assessment of the ECT during induction.
Early Career Framework-based training is expected to be embedded as a central aspect of induction; it is not an additional training programme. The headteacher is expected to ensure that ECTs receive a programme of training that enables the ECT to understand and apply the knowledge and skills set out in each of the ECF evidence (‘learn that’) statements and practice (‘learn how to’) statements.
The headteacher must ensure the induction tutor and mentor has the ability and sufficient time to carry out their role effectively. They are responsible for ensuring the ECT’s progress is reviewed regularly, including through observations of and feedback on their teaching and that assessments are carried out, reports completed and sent to the Appropriate Body. We are very mindful of workload and this should be done in the most streamlined and least burdensome way.
The headteacher is responsible for making a recommendation to the Appropriate Body on whether the ECT’s performance against the Teachers’ Standards is satisfactory or requires an extension at the end of their induction. They should act early, alerting the Appropriate Body when necessary, in cases where an ECT may be at risk of not completing induction satisfactorily.
Induction Tutor (school assessment)
The headteacher should identify a person to act as the ECT’s induction tutor, to provide regular monitoring, guidance and support, and coordination of professional development and assessment. The induction tutor is expected to hold QTS and have the necessary skills, knowledge and time to work successfully in this role and be able to assess the ECT’s progress against the Teachers’ Standards.
This is a very important element of the induction process and the induction tutor must be given sufficient time to carry out the role effectively and to meet the needs of the ECT. The induction tutor will need to be able to make rigorous and fair judgements about the ECT’s progress in relation to the Teachers’ Standards. They will need to be able to recognise when early action is needed in the case of an ECT who is experiencing difficulties.
It may, in some circumstances, be appropriate for the headteacher to be the induction tutor. The induction tutor is a separate role to that of mentor.
It may, in some circumstances due to size of school or capacity, be necessary for the induction tutor to also act as the mentor
An ECT’s teaching is expected to be observed at regular intervals throughout their induction period to facilitate a fair and effective assessment of the ECT’s teaching practice, conduct and efficiency against the Teachers’ Standards. Observations of the ECT may be undertaken by the induction tutor or another suitable person from inside or outside the institution.
The induction tutor and the ECT must meet to review any teaching that has been observed, with arrangements for post-observation review meetings made in advance. Feedback from the observation should be provided in a prompt manner; it should be constructive, with a brief written record made on each occasion indicating where any development needs have been identified.
The induction tutor is expected to review the ECT’s progress against the Teachers’ Standards throughout the induction period, with progress reviews taking place in each term where a formal assessment is not scheduled. ECTs should have formal assessments carried out by either the headteacher or the induction tutor with input from other colleagues as appropriate (normally one at the end of term three and one at the end of term six, or pro rata for part-time staff). The induction tutor should inform the ECT following progress review meetings of the determination of their progress against the Teachers’ Standards and share progress review records with the ECT, headteacher and Appropriate Body.
The induction tutor should ensure that all monitoring and record keeping is done in the most streamlined and least burdensome way, and that requests for evidence from ECTs do not require new documentation but draw on existing working documents.
Can the Induction Tutor also be the Mentor?
The mentor and the induction tutor are two discrete roles with differing responsibilities and it is expected that these roles should be held by different individuals.
In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary for the headteacher to designate a single teacher to fulfil both roles, which may be the headteacher themselves. Where this is the case the headteacher should ensure that the induction tutor understands that they are fulfilling two discrete roles and that adequate safeguards are put in place to ensure that the mentoring support offered to the ECT is not conflated with assessment of the ECT against the Teachers’ Standards.
Mentors should not carry out formal assessments unless they are also acting as the induction tutor
SLT Induction Lead
The SLT Induction Lead is essential to the success of the Early Career Framework (could be a role also undertaken by the Headteacher or a colleague with senior responsibilities). Having a supportive senior colleague in school is often the key to success for great teachers.
The SLT Induction lead has responsibility for ensuring the mentor and early career teacher have appropriate timetables to ensure that they can make the most of the programme. The ECT’s weekly self-directed study should be scheduled before the mentor interactions if possible, as these interactions follow on from this work. The ECT will need to attend two training sessions per half-term and you will need to consider this when creating the ECT’s timetable.
ECTs should continue to be registered with an Appropriate Body and will continue to adhere to the specific requirements of the appropriate body programme, including assessment requirements.
Whilst the mentor will monitor the progress of the ECT and their self-directed study in their weekly interactions, the SLT Induction lead role has overall responsibility for the success of the early career teacher’s CPD, including ensuring that the mentors and early career teachers engage with the ECF. It is recommended that the SLT Induction Lead carries out quality assurance activities across the year. These could include observation of the weekly interactions between the mentor and early career teacher and joint lesson observations of the early career teacher.
The Mentor (Early Career Framework training, coaching and support)
The mentor has a key role in supporting the ECT during induction and is separate to the role of the induction tutor. They will work collaboratively with the ECT and other colleagues involved in the ECT’s induction within the same school to help ensure the ECT receives a high quality ECF-based induction programme.
Mentors are expected to engage with a series of group webinars and content familiarisation sessions which will be delivered virtually. Mentors are responsible for the delivery of a series of instructional coaching sessions with their Early Career Teachers. Full training will be provided by the Teaching School Hub.
The headteacher should identify a person to act as the ECT’s mentor, to provide regular mentoring. The mentor is expected to hold QTS and have the necessary skills and knowledge to work successfully in this role.
Mentoring is a very important element of the induction process and the mentor is expected to be given adequate time to carry out the role effectively and to meet the needs of the ECT. This includes meeting regularly with the ECT for structured mentor sessions to provide effective targeted feedback and attending mentor training where appropriate. Instructional coaching is a central and critical aspect of the mentoring role – one that can make a big difference to an ECT’s practice.
The Early Career Teacher (ECT)
The ECT is expected to participate fully in their ECF-based induction programme. This will include, meeting with their induction tutor to discuss and agree priorities for their induction and how best to use their reduced timetable allowance to aid their professional development.
The ECT will keep track of and participate effectively in the scheduled classroom observations, progress reviews and formal assessment meetings and provide evidence of their progress against the Teachers’ Standards.
ECF Fidelity Checks (core or school-led ECF only)
From September 2021, Appropriate Bodies will be expected to check that all ECTs have access to an induction programme based on the Early Career Framework (ECF).
For schools opting for our fully funded induction programme there are no checks required.
For schools opting to run the ECF themselves through a core or school-led induction programme a check is required. This check is referred to here as ‘ECF fidelity’ checking.
The level of ECF fidelity checking expected of Appropriate Bodies will vary depending on the type of ECF-based induction being delivered. Schools must ensure that their induction complies with the expectation to offer full coverage of the ECF.
You can find a summary of SFET's Appropriate Body service within this section (fidelity check prices and details regarding what schools must do). If you are registering with a different Appropriate Body you will need to ask them about pricing, process and timelines.
Full Induction Programme
No check required
Core Induction Programme
Fidelity check required
£350 one-off charge per school
School Led Induction Programme
Fidelity check required
£1,050 one-off charge per school
What is involved?
Headteacher to complete a ‘CIP Fidelity Check Form’ outlining how the school will deliver the ECT and mentor training sessions (termly breakdown of training sessions/sequence with reference to the lead provider’s core induction materials) and outlining how the self-directed study will be delivered and monitored.
Pre-Induction check 1 – check the school has designed an induction for the ECT with fidelity to the ECF
Review point 2- check school implementation of plans prior to the end of year one
Review point 3 - check school actual delivery of planned induction prior to final assessment
£350 per school – one off charge to include an initial curriculum check and two 0.5 day ‘on programme’ checks
What is involved?
Headteacher to complete a ‘SIP Fidelity Check Form’. Must provide a clear breakdown of how the ECT(s) will receive training and mentoring to support every ECF ‘Learn that’ and ‘learn how to’ statement in sufficient depth and breadth, and with robust evidence-based rationales for how the framework has been translated into an ECF-based training programme. Set out two-year curriculum/sequence and schedule.
Pre-Induction check 1 – check the school has designed an induction for the ECT with fidelity to the ECF (greater scrutiny)
Review point 2 - check school implementation of plans prior to the end of year one
Review point 3 - check school actual delivery of planned induction prior to final assessment
£1,050 per school – one off charge to include two days curriculum/sequence/evidence check and two 0.5 day ‘on programme’ checks
Please click here or scroll down to the bottom of this page to download this one-page summary for schools:
Where schools opt for the Full Induction Programme, which includes materials and funded training, the Appropriate Body does not need to carry out ECF fidelity checks. This is because the providers of Full Induction Programmes will already be subject to separate quality assurance through Ofsted and contract management to ensure their training provides fidelity to the ECF.
Where schools deliver induction through a Core Induction Programme (CIP) or choose to design their own school-based induction programme (SIP) using the Early Career Framework, additional quality assurance will be necessary in order to safeguard ECTs’ entitlement to an ECF-based induction. Schools delivering their own induction programmes will require an Appropriate Body to check these have been designed and delivered with fidelity to the ECF. This means that training and support provided to the ECT has covered the ECF evidence statements in sufficient breadth and depth.
Ensuring that colleagues in specialist settings are supported
Meet Kenny Wheeler, our SEND Innovation Lead
Our Teaching School Hub team is delighted to welcome Kenny Wheeler to our consultancy team. Kenny will support our ECF facilitators in the national roll-out of the Early Career Framework.
Teach First's ECF materials have been co-created and piloted in a range of schools and educational institutions, including specialist settings. Kenny will ensure that our delivery of these materials supports Early Career Teachers within these schools/institutions.
Kenny Wheeler is a qualified teacher and leader with more than 20 years experience in the education sector. His teaching career has included working in further education and secondary education settings. Kenny became a SENCO in 2002 and worked with his local authority to develop SEN practices for the benefit of other settings as well as his own. He later worked in a National Teaching School which saw him deployed to other settings as part of focused school to school support. During this time, he also had responsibility for introducing and delivering the Middle Leadership Development Programme and went on to become a subject expert for the NPQML and NPQSL. This experience and knowledge then led to Kenny working in Surrey for Babcock 4S as a School Effectiveness Consultant for Inclusion and Leadership. He gained experience in supporting schools to further develop practices in order to improve outcomes for vulnerable learners. On leaving Babcock, Kenny worked for a literacy charity as a senior consultant supporting schools in disadvantaged areas and overseeing the work of other consultants in delivering support and training to schools.
Kenny is a speaker and writer. He has contributed to several conferences and has had several articles published in leading publications (SEN Leader, School Business Manager, Education Executive, TES). In addition to this, he has delivered the NASENCO Award in partnership with Kingston University.
Kenny is passionate about coaching in order to support sustainable leadership development in schools.
The 'golden thread' of teacher development
The Golden Thread of Teacher Development
Teachers are the foundation of the education system. The Government’s ‘golden thread of teacher development’ allows Teaching School Hubs to deliver a world-class system for teachers and school leaders at every stage of their career by transforming their training and support. Choosing SFET Teaching School Hub as your appropriate body provides your staff with career long, high quality professional development as they progress as experienced teachers through to middle/senior leaders, heads and executive leaders.
Building a world-class system of Teacher Development
Teachers are the foundation of the education system - there are no great schools without great teachers. Through delivery of the commitments set out in the recruitment and retention strategy the DfE are transforming the support and training teachers and school leaders receive at every stage of their career.
Each stage (initial teacher training, early career support, specialisation and leadership) is underpinned by frameworks that build on and complement one another. The frameworks have been independently reviewed by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to ensure they draw upon the best available evidence.
Together these reforms will help teachers and leaders in eery phase, subject and context. They will establish strong professional cultures in schools across the county, elevating the quality of teaching and ultimately improving pupil outcomes.
To register your early career teachers for the Full Induction Programme (FIP) with us, you need to complete our registration form.
Teach First - our national partner
We are delighted to be working with Teach First as our national partner. Teach First's Executive Director of Programme Development sat on the original DfE expert panel to conceive, devise and develop the Early Career Framework itself. This deep understanding of the reforms and evidence behind the content is highly evident in all Teach First materials and support for schools.
You can see the principles behind the programme below. Our team were particularly impressed by the approach taken to manage school workload for mentors, leaders and early career teachers, the opportunity for regional flexibility, the impressive online learning platform (Brightspace), short familiarisation videos for mentors, school-led approach, outstanding and regularly updated evidence based training materials developed with leading experts:
You can see an example of what this platform (Brightspace) looks like here:
To register your early career teachers for the Full Induction Programme (FIP) with us, you need to complete our registration form.
'I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality and depth of the online content... It really is the most cutting-edge, evidenced-based strategies and techniques there are.'
(2020 'Test and Learn' mentor)
'The content is concise and easy to work through for both mentors and new teachers... It is not seen as a burden, but a helpful additional resource to help them.'
(2020 'Test and Learn' Headteacher)