Early Career Framework

Introduction

The first few years of the teaching profession are essential for developing the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to be the very best teachers and future leaders. We support Early Career Teachers through our partnership with University College London to deliver the Early Career Framework, a funded entitlement to a structured two-year package of high-quality professional development at the start of the teaching career.

The ECF is part of the statutory entitlement for Early Career Teachers (ECTs). Full details of the induction can be found in the Statutory Induction Guidance.

Our Programme

The Early Career Framework (ECF) is the evidence base which underpins the training curriculum and entitlement for Early Career Teachers’ (ECTs). It sets out what all ECTs should learn about; and learn how to do, during the first two years of their careers. There are five core areas:

• Behaviour Management
• Pedagogy
• Curriculum
• Assessment
• Professional Behaviours

In this way, the ECF builds on the core content framework (CCF) of initial teacher training. Over the two years of the Early Career Framework, all new teachers will receive:

• Two years of newly developed, funded, high-quality training available as a Full Induction Programme (FIP), Core Induction Programme (CIP) or school-based programme.
• Funding for 5% time away from the classroom for teachers in their second year from 2023.
• A dedicated mentor, and support for mentors including access to funded high-quality training and funding to cover mentors’ time with the mentee in the second year of teaching.

We provide:

The Full Induction Programme (FIP)

This is a fully funded, provider-led and quality assured programme. East Manchester Teaching School Hub is providing this in partnership with University College London for teachers across all phases and sectors. We recruit experienced and expert facilitators to support ECTs and mentors throughout the programme. We facilitate, phase specific local clusters, and, have a special school and post-16 cluster groups. Our approach to phase-specific clustering of participants helps to support meaningful networking and peer support.

The UCL programme consists of nine modules over two years. The eight standards of the ECF are combined into five modules in Year One that fully address the content of all standards. There are four modules in Year Two that deepen ECTs’ knowledge and practice in relation to aspects of the ECF that are most pertinent to each ECT.

ECT learning in each half term is fostered through an integrated programme of ECT self-study, ECT mentor meetings, online and face-to-face training events. The programme also provides professional development for mentors.

All aspects of the programme are hosted on the UCL eXtend online platform. ECTs, mentors and induction tutors have individual log-ins to the site. Resources available on UCL eXtend include:

• Session materials for each weekly ECT self-directed study session.
• Session materials for each weekly ECT mentor meeting.
• Module audits.
• A glossary of research and practice terms used on the programme.
• A personal downloadable learning log—which allows ECTs to record notes and insights as they progress through the programme.
• A self-tracking function, which ECTs can use to keep a record of their progress through sessions.

Register your ECT here.

Full details about the Early Career Framework, including the approaches to delivery of an ECF induction, and the funding arrangements for schools are published on the DfE website.