Early Career Teachers

The early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) is a 2-year programme of training and support for early career teachers (ECTs) starting their teacher career. It is designed to develop their professional skills and provide them with the knowledge and skills to meet the teachers’ standards.

The term ‘early career teacher entitlement’ replaces ‘ECF-based training and induction’ from September 2025.

The early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) includes:

• a training programme for ECTs based on the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF)

• mentor support for ECTs

• a training programme for new mentors (if the school uses a DfE funded lead provider)

• time off timetable for ECTs and mentors

• regular progress reviews and 2 formal assessments for ECTs against the Teachers’ Standards (Statutory Induction)

Further information relating to the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) is available from the DfE collection.

ECTs need to have progress reviews and formal assessments against the teachers’ standards during their early career teacher entitlement (ECTE). Assessments of ECTs are only made against the teachers’ standards. ECTs must not be assessed against the knowledge, skills and working habits described in the ITTECF.

Appropriate Bodies are responsible for assuring the quality of the statutory induction of ECTs. Schools must appoint and register their ECTs, mentors and induction tutor with an Appropriate Body (AB). Register with Unity Teaching School Hub AB.

ECTs can use documentation from their training programme to help prove they’ve met the Teachers’ Standards. They cannot fail any part of the training programme.

From September 2025, the Early Career Framework (ECF) is superseded by the updated Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) and schools are expected to deliver a programme of training and support based on the ITTECF.

Training programmes will help ECTs to:

• set high expectations

• promote good progress

• show good subject and curriculum knowledge

• plan and teach well-structured lessons

• adapt their teaching to support the needs of all pupils

• make accurate and productive use of assessment

• manage behaviour

• fulfil wider professional responsibilities

Schools can utilise training programmes:

• delivered by an approved training provider (‘provider-led’) like ourselves

• developed and delivered by your own school (‘school-led’) requiring fidelity checking by an Appropriate Body

ECTs can use documentation from their training programme to help prove they’ve met the Teachers’ Standards. They cannot fail any part of the training programme.

The training programme is separate from statutory induction. Appropriate Bodies are responsible for assuring the quality of the statutory induction of ECTs. Schools must appoint an Appropriate Body (AB) - see box above.