Updated statutory guidance was published by the Department for Education on 25th March and is available here.
Updated Appropriate Body guidance was published by the Department for Education on 25th March is available here.
The Department for Education expects the Lead School of The Teaching School Hub to become an appropriate body.
Existing Teaching Schools will lose their Appropriate Body status as the Teaching School programme comes to an end at the end of August 2021 therefore will be unable to carry out the role of Appropriate Body either as an organisation or on behalf of a Teaching School Hub.
Only Teaching School Hubs, the Local Authority and the two national bodies will be able to act as Appropriate Bodies. Teaching Schools Hubs will be providing effective transition between its Appropriate Body and Early Career Framework delivery.
Appropriate Bodies have no power to delegate their regulatory duties and powers. They might choose to work in partnership or network arrangements and have partners who can support or facilitate the role but regulations require the designated Appropriate Body to retain full responsibility for the regulatory duties and powers including overseeing induction and decisions on passing induction.
The DfE is very aware of the current pressures on schools relating to the pandemic, as a result the DfE is currently limiting communication to schools. However, the DfE has plans to communicate Professional Development reforms to schools beginning with a message to schools after the Easter break. It will be important for Teaching School Hubs, in their capacity as an AB as well as a provider of Early Career Framework training, to actively engage with schools so that they understand the Hub is offering AB services and to help them prepare for the new AB requirements around Early Career Framework-based induction.
The Teacher Regulation Agency will communicate with relevant parties including Early Career Teacher transitional arrangements in due course.
It is the responsibility of the designated Appropriate Body to undertake a quality assurance role with regard to the statutory requirements. Where designated Appropriate Bodies choose to work in partnership or network arrangements and have partners who can support or facilitate the role they must retain full responsibility for their regulatory duties and powers.
Appropriate Bodies must make informed decisions in relation to its regulatory duties including taking direct responsibility for decisions on assessment.
Under the new regulations a school cannot be the Appropriate Body for any teacher who is serving any part of their induction period at that school. A school that is designated a Teaching School Hub and part of a Multi-Academy Trust that employs teachers centrally would be restricted from offering Appropriate Body services to teachers serving their induction period in the Teaching School Hub Lead School. There are no other restrictions on offering Appropriate Body services to other schools in the Multi-Academy Trust.
Yes. There are no geographical restrictions but the purpose of Teaching School Hubs is to encourage locality-based working.
The term ‘Early Career Teacher’ or ‘ECT’ will be used to refer to a Newly Qualified Teacher in their first or second year of induction, ‘ECT Appropriate Body Service’ will be used.
Updated statutory guidance has been published. This explains the expectations for induction from September 2021 including the roles of and responsibilities of Headteachers and Appropriate Bodies and which organisations can act as Appropriate Bodies.
The Department for Education will also be holding webinars and information sessions that school leaders can attend, introducing them to the Early Career Teacher reforms. Teaching School Hubs will also engage with schools offering Appropriate Body services to support schools in preparing for the new Appropriate Body arrangements around the Early Career Framework-based induction.