Early Career Teacher Entitlement (from September 2025)
Early Career Training Programme FAQs
What is the Early Career Training Programme (ECTP)?
The Early Career Framework created a step change in support for Early Career Teachers, providing a funded entitlement to a structured 2-year package of high quality professional development. The reforms are part of the government’s teacher recruitment and retention strategy, which aims to improve the training and development opportunities available to teachers. Further details on Early Career Training Programme are available here. The term ‘early career teacher entitlement (ECTE)’ replaces ‘ECF-based training and induction’ from September 2025. The ECTP is the training element of the entitlement.
Who are the DfE accredited providers for the Early Career Training Programme?
Five providers have been accredited by the Department for Education who will design a programme of face-to-face and online training to early career teachers and their mentors. We have chosen to continue work with Teach First as our Lead Provider. You can read our due diligence and rationale for this here.
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Ambition Institute
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Education Development Trust
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National Institute of Teaching
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Teach First
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UCL Institute of Education
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What role will Ofsted play in relation to Early Career Training Programme?
Providers of the DfE’s Early Career Training Programme will be subject to a quality assurance mechanism through Ofsted inspection to ensure the best support for schools and teachers.
| Ofsted’s interim review of teachers’ professional development in schools was recently released. Whilst it highlights some challenges, it largely shows that the Early Career Framework (ECT) and NPQs (National Professional Qualifications) represent a step forward in terms of the training and support offered to professionals. The full review is available to read here and a summary is available to read here We’re also able to share the success of Teach First’s recent ECF inspection, it has been rated ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. The full report 2025 report is available HERE. During the inspection visit programme members, including Early Career Teachers and Mentors took time out of their busy schedule to provide feedback via the Ofsted survey. Many also spent time meeting with the inspectors for the focused reviews. Over and above the outcome, what we’re most proud of is the impact that the ECF programme is having on supporting Early Career Teachers to thrive in the classroom. Together, we can make a real difference in helping young people achieve their potential. |
Can schools deliver their own training ?
Yes, but it has significant workload implications on schools. Planning such a programme of Early Career support is very time consuming schools should consider the quality of this approach and associated workload for leading this.
Many schools who participated in the early roll out pilot noted the extreme time intensive nature of the school-led approach, challenges include not being able to give Early Career Teachers the same breadth of experience as those working with Teaching School Hubs in the test and learn phase.
Schools who do deliver their own programme will need to inform their Appropriate Body, and follow their QA Process to ensure full coverage of the framework for their ECTs. This is known as ‘fidelity checking’.
How does the funding/finance work with ECTP? What are the costs to schools?
The programme is fully funded for all state-schools by the DfE. Please get in touch with us if you’re at all unsure on your eligibility for funding. We can support those ineligible for funding with accessing a school-funded place.
Whilst the Early Career Training Programme is funded, the DfE does not fund the costs for ECTs to be registered with an Appropriate Body.
Schools also receive funding from the DfE. Rates change from year-to-year; please see the DfE page here for the most up to date funding available.
Do we sign up direct with Teach First or with you at Bright Futures?
You will receive an email from the DfE signposting you to an on-line portal to register your ECTs and Mentors. Those schools who have worked with us in the ECF Stage of the rollout will be invited to reconfirm their partnership with us as part of this process. For those schools who do not have an active partnership to reconfirm; the DfE will provide an indicative screen asking you to contact your chosen provider. If you are unsure if you are in partnership with us, please contact us.
Please note: you will also need to sign up to an Appropriate Body Directly. You can access information on the Bright Futures Appropriate Body service here.
You cannot currently register with an Appropriate Body on the DfE’s service, only indicate the arrangements you have already made.
Are schools not in one of your assigned hub areas able to continue accessing your offer?
We would advise you to work with your local Teaching School Hub. However, if you prefer not to work with your local Hub, or your school is part of a MAT over a number of Hub areas, then it might make more sense to have a consistent approach for your MAT. We would be very open to a conversation about welcoming you into our Hub to access the ECTP offer.
Please note: if you are a single school joining our programme, all of our face to face events will be taking place in our Hub area.
Who will communicate with us, The Hub or Teach First?
The Hub will play a critical role in communication regarding ECTP live seminar delivery, ECTP newsletters and programme updates. You will hear from Teach First regarding online modules and log ins.
The Hub Appropriate Body Team will lead communications regarding Statutory Induction.
What happens to funding if an ECT leaves part way through their induction?
If an ECT leaves part way through their second year of induction, then part funding will be calculated by the DfE. You can read more about funding here.
Year 1 funding is already included in the National Funding Formula so schools will continue to receive this as normal.
Schools should inform Bright Futures of any leavers so that the ECT can be withdrawn from provision. If an ECT leaves their post; the expectation is that Mentors continue on their funded programme through to completion. Mentors are only funded for training once; and many mentors will take on another ECT in future years.
My question relates to Statutory Induction and not the Early Career Training Programme, who can help?
Our Appropriate Body Team have a set of Frequently Asked Questions and Guidance available here.
They can also be contacted via ab-induction@bright-futures.co.uk / 0161 823 7073 (Option 3)
ECT Programme FAQs
Will Early Career Teachers (ECTs) be able to access the Early Career Training Programme whilst on a part-time contract?
Yes, ECTs will be able to access the programme on either a full-time or part-time basis. Please note that accessing the programme on a full time basis will not change the dates for an ECTs Statutory Induction which will be agreed with the Appropriate Body.
We would start any requests for a bespoke programme with a conversation. Please contact us for an appointment.
What happens if an ECT changes schools part way through their induction?
ECTs are able to move school at any time during or after their induction. It is expected that if the ECT has started on a provider-led induction then every effort will be made for them to remain on the same induction programme where appropriate. We are able to accept ECTs who are part way through their programme and unable to stay with their previous provider.
Schools are able to transfer an ECT to their school using the DfE’s Digital Service. The new school for the ECT should do this.
The New School should also ensure that the ECT is registered with an Appropriate Body.
I have an ECT who started their Induction prior to the reforms, but didn’t complete as an NQT. What happens to them now?
The transition period for those who commenced Statutory Induction as an NQT ended on 31st August 2023.
Those who did not complete their Statutory Induction prior to 31st August 2023 will need to be registered as an ECT from the point of their new eligible post. They will need to complete 6 terms of Statutory Induction in total (including the terms already completed prior to 31st August 2023).
The Appropriate Body will determine the time remaining for an ECT upon their registration.
They will be placed in an ECF/ECTP cohort with other ECTs who have a similar length of time remaining of the Statutory Induction as this will tie in with the timetable reduction that this ECT will have as they move through the remainder of their time as an ECT.
There are a number of different scenarios for these ECTs, please do get in touch with us, with the details of an individual ECT and we will be happy to speak with you on a 1:1 basis to ensure that we act in the best interests of the ECT.
Mentor Training Programme FAQs
How are schools funded for the in-school mentor role?
All state funded schools offering statutory induction will receive additional funding to fund the Early Career Teacher Entitlement. Further information is available here.
What happens if an ECT joins part way through the year and a mentor has not been trained? Is there flexibility to train mentors at various starting points in the year?
We offer September, January and April intakes into the Early Career Training Programme for Mentors. Mentors will commence at the beginning of the training programme regardless of where their ECT is in their programme. Mentors are only trained once for their part in the ECTE.
Can the ECF mentor be changed at any time?
It is recognised that schools may need to be flexible in who should mentor each ECT. It will be the responsibility of the headteacher/principal to identify a person to act as the ECT’s mentor, to provide regular mentoring.
A consistant mentor, who has been able to access the full programme of training in line with their ECT will offer the best experience for an ECT/Mentor pair; we encourage schools to think carefully about the mentor choice prior to making it. Any Mentor changes mid programme will need to be notified to the DfE service. This notification will put the new mentor through the eligibility checks with the DfE and if applicable send the Teaching School Hub a new Mentor record for training. This action will not withdraw a previous mentor. Mentors are only funded for training once. Once started, we expect most Mentors will continue to complete their training, even if they are no longer currently linked to an ECT.
Should you need to withdraw or defer a mentor, please get in touch with the Teaching School Hub.
The person I’m considering for being the ECTP mentor has previously completed the ECF Mentor training, do they need to do this again as part of the ECTP?
No, once mentors have fully completed the ECF training, they won’t be invited to undergo further ECTP training.
However, the Teaching School Hub does offer optional briefing sessions for mentors who have previously completed ECF Training to provide updates. These sessions are optional, and no further funding is released by the DFE for a mentors attendance.
Department for Education Digital Service FAQs
What is the DfE digital service?
The portal is intended to be an online catalogue of the funded support available for teachers’ professional development – Early Career Teacher Programme and National Professional Qualifications are the first wave of this service. Induction Tutors need to register their ECTs and Mentors to access a funded programme.
How do I access the DfE digital service?
The registered Induction Tutor at your school will be able to access the DfE service. Schools were asked to nominate this person in the Spring of 2021, and have received reminders to keep this updated. The person currently registered can transfer the log in to someone else before leaving their role if needed. Schools only have one person who can log in.
If your school has not previously made a nomination, the default log in will be the email address that your school uses for DfE GIAS Communications.
If your school has lost access due to staffing changes/staff absence of the registered member of staff; schools can contact the DfE for support with transferring the account.
When is the service launching for Autumn 2025 ECTs?
The DfE portal is now live for September 2025 ECTs and Mentors.
What should schools be doing on the service in relation to the Early Career Training Programme?
The DfE Manage Early Career Teacher Service is the place where schools will register their Induction Tutors, Early Career Teachers and Mentors.
The DfE will check and confirm eligibility when ECTs and Mentors are inputted. If you are submitting ECTs in July 2025; please note that they may spend some time in the ‘Checking Eligibility’ Phase if the ECT has not yet started their Statutory Induction with an Appropriate Body or if yet to have QTS conferred by the Teacher Regulation Agency.
Mentors may be in the ‘Checking Eligibility’ Phase if their linked ECT is still awaiting confirmation of eligibility. We recommend that you check for any error messages that arise with either an ECT or Mentor until they move all the way through to having their status confirmed as ‘Training’
You must separately register your ECT with an Appropriate Body for Statutory Induction; this is not completed within the DfE Service. For schools who work with Bright Futures as their Appropriate Body, this is via Mosaic.
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