Statutory Requirements

Early Career Teacher (ECT) induction is a statutory process enshrined in the education act with several key requirements which must be adhered to throughout the process. Successful completion of induction remains a statutory requirement for a teacher with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to continue teaching without restriction i.e. to teach in a maintained school or nursery, a non-maintained nursery or special school or pupil referral unit and local authority maintained children’s centers subject to certain exceptions as set out in government statutory guidance.

Statutory induction is a 2-year process for full time ECTs (FTE if part-time) which remains a one-time only process that cannot be retaken. It is therefore vitally important that induction is planned, structured and carefully executed to help ensure the best possible outcomes for ECTs at the beginning of their career.

2-year statutory induction arrangements…

During the 1st year of induction, each ECT must receive a reduced timetable (10% ECT time), in addition to statutory 10% planning, preparation and assessment time (PPA), both must be protected (no exceptions). In year 2, ECT time will be reduced to 5% in addition to 10% PPA which again must be protected.

Each ECT must also re­ceive targeted support throughout induction including access to the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE) Training which prior to September 2025 was referred to as the Early Career Framework (ECF) programme.

DfE statutory guidance states it is expected all ECTs receive:

• An induction that is underpinned by the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE) training including a personalised and structured programme of support and professional development activities that takes into account their previous training and experience
• A designated induction tutor (who must be experienced and expected to hold QTS);
• A designated mentor (who must be experienced and expected to hold QTS)
• Regular formal observations with prompt feedback (suggested 1 each half term but this will vary from school to school)
• Regular meetings (this may include a half-term review to discuss progress/objectives/targets)
• A formal assessment at the end of each induction year which for full time ECTs would mean a first assessment at the end of year 1, then a final assessment at the end of year 2 (FTE for part­ time)
• Each term where a formal assessment is not due, a progress review must be completed and discussed with each ECT – if leaving partway through induction a formal interim assessment is also required
• The opportunity to discuss. read, sign and add any reflection comments to formal assessments and progress reviews that report on their progress towards meeting/embedding the government teacher standards (not the ECTE/ECF training programme)
• A named contact outside school with whom they can discuss concerns that go beyond the school, or are not addressed internally (e.g the appropriate body for induction)

Please note – The minimum period that can be counted towards completion of the induction period (for both full-time and part-time ECTs) is continuous employment equivalent to one term. This also applies to both permanent and long-term supply teaching posts

Regulations make it clear that an ECT’s duties, supervision, and the conditions under which they work must enable there to be a fair and effective assessment of their conduct and efficiency as a teacher. An important element of this is ensuring that their post is suitable for induction. A suit­able post is one which provides ECTs with the tasks, experience and support to enable them to meet all of the teacher standards and which does not make unreasonable demands. e.g. teaching outside an age range or subject they are not trained in or that they have not been employed to teach or present the ECT with day-to-day issues that are unreasonably demanding for the setting.

Additionally, support staff (e.g. TA’s/HLTA’s, technicians, cover supervisors etc) cannot undergo statutory induction – no exceptions! Only teaching contracts/posts that meet the minimum statutory requirements are eligible for induction to take place. Statutory induction is a one-time only process that cannot be retaken, and it is therefore essential that these statutory requirements are fully adhered to. For further details, please see section 2.18 and 2.19 on page 16  and 17 of Statutory Guidance.

Key steps for induction…

The illustration below is a brief overview of the key stages of induction. These steps are covered in further detail in the following sections and in the supporting links on each page. If early engagement with your ECT will be possible before they start in post, there are some additional activities you may find useful in order to get a head start when planning for induction

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Teacher status, employment checks and statutory induction registration…

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) remains a legal requirement for induction. If a teacher does not have QTS they are not an ECT and therefore cannot undergo ECT induction. Statutory induction cannot start before the award of QTS – no exceptions I

Schools must check teacher status via the government check a teachers record service. This service will also display records of those teachers who have sanctions or restrictions.

It remains a statutory requirement that ECTs must be registered with an Appropriate Body for induction. This is vital to avoid cohorts of ECTs never being recorded as having started or completing statutory induction. If an ECT is not registered for induction with an Appropriate Body, they are not undergoing induction and induction cannot be backdated. 

Those teachers who hold Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) or Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) are not considered to be ECTs and therefore are not eligible or can complete a statutory in­duction period, no exceptions.

NB: Supply teachers who hold QTS can undergo induction so long as their contract length is for a minimum of one full term (FTE for part-time ECTs). Induction must be planned and structured in advance, take place in a stable environment and an ECT must be in post long enough to allow for fair and affective assessment which cannot happen in a short-term supply role i.e. day-to-day supply or placements of less than one term or equivalent.

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