Early Career Framework
The Hub Offer
Bright Futures Educational Trust is delighted to report that The Department for Education has appointed it as a Teaching School Hub to support schools in two hub areas: Trafford & Salford and Manchester & Stockport.
Since the September 2021 national rollout, Bright Futures Teaching School Hubs offer schools their golden package of support: delivering the fully funded Early Career Framework (ECF) to Early Career Teachers (ECTs) and providing the Appropriate Body (AB) service.
Bright Futures Teaching School Hubs work in collaboration with Teach First (TF), where the delivery of the ECF has been rated Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted (report).
Ofsted commented on both ECT and mentor experiences: “ECTs receive expertly designed training that is calibrated exceptionally well to meet their needs… what mentors learn on their training programme is well attuned to what ECTs cover. The training enables mentors to reflect on the ECF and their own professional experiences to craft discussions with ECTs”.
The ECF is fully funded so there are no costs for schools. The DfE provides funding for:
- Time out of the classroom for ECTs to receive support and training throughout their first two years (10% time-off timetable in Year 1 and 5% time-off timetable in Year 2)
- Mentor time to undertake training and to support ECTs in their second year
The Early Career Framework (ECF) is a fully-funded, two-year package of structured training and guidance for Early Career Teachers (ECTs). The ECF is at the heart of the DfE’s teacher recruitment and retention strategy to transform the support teachers receive at the beginning of their careers. It is informed by the best available research and ensures there is dedicated time to focus on ECTs development.
As of September 2021 all ECTs, no matter how they are initially trained, are expected to complete the ECF. It has replaced a one-year induction period. Training starts at the beginning of a teacher’s first year in teaching and ECTs access this training until they have successfully completed two years.
During Year 1, ECTs will cover six modules in a blended approach of online and self-directed study materials, and in-person learning. These modules have been written by experts in their fields and are underpinned by cutting-edge research.
The transition between each mode of learning ensures effective pedagogy builds over the course of the programme. The programme is accompanied by an ECT programme guide which summarises the expectations of ECTs and mentors in addition to enclosing a recommended log to populate each week pre and post mentor interaction.
In the first year, ECTs will:
- Attend a face-to-face induction conference. Both ECTs and mentors will receive training on all aspects of the programme and how it will support and develop expertise in Year 1
- Undertake self-study on the online learning platform, Brightspace. Each module requires a few hours of self-directed study, broken down into weekly bitesize sessions so ECTs can work at their own pace
- Attend two 90-minute seminars per half term, these are expertly facilitated by local experts, drawn from a pool of experienced practitioners.
- Engage with weekly mentor meetings to agree development needs, receive rich feedback and have opportunities to practise with mentor, using the Instructional Coaching model
- Have the opportunity to engage with ‘stretch material’ designed to further understanding of a certain area or topic linked to each module focus
Additional CPD: Excellent Teaching in Special Schools is an optional module designed to provide further support for ECTs working in special schools or those in mainstream working with pupils with more complex needs.
Year 2 ECTs
During Year 2, ECTs will cover six development cycles. These modules have been written by experts in their fields and are underpinned by cutting-edge research. As with year 1, a detailed programme guide is available to supplement course materials.
In the second year ECTs will:
- Attend a face-to-face full day induction conference. ECTs will receive training on all aspects of the programme and how it will support and develop expertise in Year 2
- Follow the development cycle each half term:
- Continue to have access to all the online materials from Year 1, including stretch content to deepen knowledge
Additional CPD: In the final term, ECTs have the option of engaging with leadership development sessions on Brightspace:
- Implementing research into your classroom
- An introduction to becoming a career leader in your school
- An introduction to effective mentoring
- Preparing for middle leadership
The Induction Tutor, also known as ECF lead, co-ordinates the induction programme for all ECTs. Induction Tutors will receive regular bulletins and module summaries. They carry out assessment and frequent progress reviews. Teach First provides a detailed Induction Tutor Programme Guide for both years to walk through the role of both ECTs and Mentors in each module. It is the responsibility of the induction tutor in school to monitor engagement and support both ECTs and Mentors to utilise the support provided in the best possible way.
ECTs receive support from a dedicated mentor through regular one-to-one mentoring sessions. The mentor is preferably a subject or phase specialist in school. They are responsible for monitoring progress, and meeting with ECTs regularly to support development. This mentor should be separate from that of the Induction Tutor and focus on supporting the Early Career Teacher through the two-year programme.
Year 1 Mentors
Training has been designed in partnership with ‘Deans for Impact’, an organisation which empowers leaders in education to transform the way they prepare future teachers through integrating the principles of cognitive science into their practice.
All mentors are provided with a handbook which details thorough guidance on how to support ECTs in completing the ECF. Irrespective of the stage of the ECF they are supporting, when mentors begin their training, they start at the beginning of year one and complete two years of training. Mentors receive a DfE accreditation once the two years of training are completed.
In year one, mentors will:
- Attend a face-to-face full day induction conference. Mentors will receive training on all aspects of the programme and how it will support and develop expertise
- Undertake weekly interactions with a year one ECT and fortnightly interactions with a year two ECT as per the content of the handbook. A mutually convenient time between the ECT and mentor should be selected where mentors can support the contextualisation of online learning and seminar content. This will be in the form of meeting time and lesson drop-ins. This should be calendared to give both ECTs and mentors sufficient time to be prepared and get the most out of their session. Each session will follow the instructional coaching model which both ECTs and mentors receive training on in their Induction conferences. This form of high-impact feedback not only identifies strengths and areas of development, but also provides a space to undertake deliberate practice linked to areas of development and immediately modify practice. The stages of the feedback model are:
- Access Brightspace to:
- Complete mentor assessments
- Retrieve overview videos
- View optional self-directed study resources
- Attend a one-hour seminar per half term
Year 2 Mentors
Year 2 mentors attend a face-to-face induction and two online seminars throughout the course of the year. A further three pre-recorded seminars are available to all Year 2 mentors to enhance their expertise:
| Compulsory Seminars | Optional Training |
| Induction | Engaging your ECT with research |
| The adaptive teacher | A professionally acceptable workload |
| Developing an inclusive educator | Developing beyond the ECF |
All mentors are provided with a handbook which details thorough guidance on how to support ECTs in completing the ECF.
In year two, mentors will:
- Complete their induction by attending a three-hour face-to-face conference and a further 90-minutes of self-directed study. Mentors will receive training on all aspects of the programme and how it will support and develop expertise in Year 2
- Complete two 30-minute assessments over the course of the year
- Attend two online seminars, as outlined above
- Undertake weekly interactions with a year one ECT and fortnightly interactions with a year two ECT as per the content of the handbook
Optional CPD: Mentors can engage with three further modules, as outlined above, to enhance their expertise in supporting ECTs.
Fully Trained Mentors
Mentors who have completed the two-year programme have access to two handbooks: ECF Trained Mentor Year 1 and ECF Trained Mentor Year 2 to provide a refresher on the expectations of a mentor and the structure of ECT interactions.
| ECF Lead / Induction Tutor should: | Mentor should: | Early Career Teacher should: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| be a senior leader in school with responsibility for overseeing the effective implementation of the ECF programme make sure the programme complements statutory induction make sure timetables allow for engagement maintain ECT engagement select an appropriate mentor follow the process for changing mentors’ quality assure the programme | be an experienced teacher who is “paired” with the early career teacher to support them directly through the programme complete the induction monitor ECT engagement arrange interactions select the highest leverage area of development engage with demonstrations with year two ECTs complete self-directed study attend seminars inform delivery partner is they can’t attend the seminar | engage with self-directed study attend seminars attend demonstrations in year two |
Early Career Framework-based training is expected to be embedded as a central aspect of induction – it is not an additional training programme. An Appropriate Body has the main quality assurance role within the induction process. The Appropriate Body is responsible for checking that Headteachers/Principals have put an induction programme in place for Early Career Teachers, ensuring that this programme of support is clearly based on the Early Career Framework. The Early Career Framework does not replace Statutory Induction, but instead should complement it. The Teach First Early Career Framework programme provides the required induction training.
Appropriate Bodies (AB) will continue to play an important role in Statutory Induction of teachers. As they have always done, Appropriate Bodies will be expected to check that all teachers are receiving their statutory entitlements (such as reduced timetable) and they will continue to have a role in assessment for all teachers.
- Every ECT (Early Career Teacher) must be registered with an ‘Appropriate Body’ (AB)
- The AB induction period lasts two years as of September 2021
- Every ECT should have an Induction Tutor, this is usually a senior member of the staff team
- There are two formal assessment points, the first of which will be at the end of the first year of induction and the final assessment takes place at the end of the second year
- Throughout the two-year induction period ‘Progress Reviews’ will take place once per term; this is to make sure the ECT is meeting the Teachers’ Standards. Induction Tutors will update the AB through the use of our Mosaic IT platform
- The AB is responsible for deciding whether the ECT has met the Teachers’ Standards (England), based on the head teacher’s recommendation at the end of second formal assessment point
- The AB informs the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) of any ECTs who start an induction period or who have taken up a post in which to continue their induction
- The AB has the main quality assurance role within the induction process
- The AB must be satisfied that the school circumstances will not unfairly compromise the ECTs ability to complete induction successfully
- The AB may perform a QA visit for induction if it is deemed necessary
- The AB will liaise closely with the school to make an informed decision around a reduced or extended induction period
The Appropriate Body role has recently expanded to reflect the expectation that every new teacher has access to an Early Career Framework-based Induction. Appropriate Bodies will be expected to check that teachers are receiving a programme of support and training based on the Early Career Framework (ECF), alongside the other checks that they already do. The Department for Education (DfE) is referring to this as ‘Early Career Framework-fidelity checking’ – i.e. checking that an induction programme is faithful to the Early Career Framework. The Appropriate Body role and the level of fidelity checking will vary depending on the induction route a school has chosen:
| 1. | For schools who have enrolled on the provider-led Early Career Framework programme, the Appropriate Body does not need to carry out fidelity checks at all, because the providers of the programme will be subject to a separate Quality Assurance process. This is referred to as using a DfE-funded training provider. |
| 2. | Where schools choose to deliver high-quality DfE materials, the Appropriate Body will be expected to check that the support and training being provided is faithful to the Early Career Framework. This is referred to as using DfE-accredited materials to deliver your own programme. Please note that as the Appropriate Body, there is an additional charge for this service. |
| 3. | Where schools choose to design their own induction programme using the Early Career Framework, the Appropriate Body will be expected to check that the support and training being provided is faithful to the Early Career Framework. (A more in-depth level of checking will be expected where schools are designing their own programme.) This is referred to as designing and delivering your own ECF-based programme. Please note that as the Appropriate Body, there is an additional charge for this service. |
| Appropriate Body options: | Cost Per ECT per year 1 | Cost Per ECT for year 2/full two-year induction | Level of service and support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option 1 Bright Futures Teaching School Hub: Golden Package of support Appropriate Body and Early Career Framework | Year 1 £177.50 per year | Year 2 £177.50 per year Total two-year cost £355 | AB to register ECTs on the TRA system. Ensure ECTs fairly and regularly assessed through collection of Progress Reviews and formal assessment points at the end of year 1 and 2 of induction. No fidelity checks of ECF programme required Induction session for the Induction Tutor and the ECT Additional support for ECTs not meeting Teacher/Induction Standards |
| Option 2 Appropriate Body only* *School working with one of the DfE approved accredited providers. | Year 1 £177.50 per year | Year 2 £177.50 per year Total two-year cost £355 | AB to register ECTs on the TRA system. Ensure ECTs fairly and regularly assessed through collection of Progress Reviews and formal assessment points at the end of year 1 and 2 of induction. No fidelity checks of ECF programme required as school is using a DfE accredited provider Additional support for ECTs not meeting Teacher/Induction Standards |
| Option 3 Appropriate Body and School is delivering own programme using DfE accredited materials (This will also need to include Option 2 above) | Year 1 £477.50 per year To include: AB £177.50 Half day check at SLE rate: £200 Initial evaluation of the programme: £100 (Year one of the programme only) | Year two £377.50 To include: AB £177.50 Half day check at SLE rate: £200 Total two year-cost £855 | Fidelity check before the start of the induction period by the AB. To ensure the materials and sessions are in line with the statutory guidance for induction and meet the ECF induction programme standards. AB to register ECTs on the TRA system. Ensure ECTs fairly and regularly assessed through collection of Progress Reviews reports and formal assessment points at the end of both years of induction and interim points. Schools to provide detailed breakdown of the programme for years 1 and 2 showing how the ECF statements are sequenced for the induction period. Additional observation(s)/quality assurance of ECF core induction programme throughout the two years. Additional support for ECTs not meeting Teacher/Induction Standards |
| Option 4 Appropriate Body and School are designing and delivering its own ECF-based programme (This will also need to include Option 2 above) | Year 1 £1077.50 per year To include: AB £177.50 Two-day check at SLE rate: £800 during the year Initial evaluation of the School Designed programme: £100 (year one of the programme only) | Year 2 £977.50 To include: AB £177.50 Two-day check at SLE rate: £800 during the year Total two-year cost £2055 | AB to register ECTs on the TRA system. Fidelity check before the start of the induction period by the AB. Checks to ensure: ECTs receive a programme of support and training based on the ECF induction programme, the induction’s design covers the evidence-based statements in the ECF ECTs have received planned elements of the induction. Checks to ensure the materials and sessions are in line with the statutory guidance for induction and meet the ECF standards. Ensure ECTs fairly and regularly assessed through collection of Review Points and formal assessment points at the end of year 1 and 2 of induction and at interim points. Additional observation(s)/quality assurance of ECF school-designed programme throughout the two years. Schools to provide detailed breakdown of the programme for years 1 and 2 showing how the ECF statements are sequenced for the induction period ABs will be expected to check in a greater level of detail where schools have opted to design their own school-based programme due to the greater risk that a school-based induction could diverge from the ECF when DfE accredited materials are not used as the basis for an induction programme. ‘DfE April 2021’ |
The ECF Lead/induction tutor is expected to conduct a progress review with an ECT in each term where a formal assessment is not scheduled. These progress reviews will be recorded on our Mosaic IT platform. The progress reviews will be collated in term 1, term 2, term 4 and term 5. The ECF Lead/Induction Tutor should meet with the ECT after the progress reviews and they should offer a written record of each progress review should be provided to the ECT after the meeting stating whether the ECT is on track to complete induction.
The progress reviews are not formal assessments, the ECT should not need to create evidence for the review. ECTs will naturally acquire evidence of their development from a range of sources. Our suggested approach to evidence gathering is designed to reduce workload and to be meaningful to the ECT.
You can find more information on Induction, training and support for early career teachers on the DfE website here.
Formal assessments will take place at the end of the ECTs (full-time equivalent) at the end of Term 3 and Term 6. There is no need for ECTs to create anything new for this – they should draw upon the naturally occurring evidence that will be developed through the role of being a teacher and through induction.
Judgements made during the induction period should relate directly to the Teachers’ Standards and should not be made against the ECF. The ECT should always be kept up to date on progress.
The final assessment meeting will take place at the end of the induction period. This will form the basis of the headteacher’s/principal’s recommendation to the Appropriate Body as to whether your performance against the Teachers’ Standards is satisfactory, unsatisfactory or whether an extension should be considered.
Once assessment reports have been completed, the assessment should then be signed by the ECF Lead/Induction Tutor, Headteacher/Principal and the ECT, this will be actioned through the use of Mosaic. Mosaic should be completed within ten working days of the final assessment meeting.
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