You’ll be known as an early career teacher (ECT) for your first 2 years in teaching. The term early career teacher (ECT) has replaced newly qualified teacher (NQT).
During your 2-year induction, you’ll receive a package of training and support based on the initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF). Your package of training and support is referred to as the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE).
The ECTE is designed to help you build the skills and knowledge you need to feel confident and empowered in your classroom. It won’t impact your pay or progression opportunities. You’ll still be able to progress on the pay scale during your induction period.
If your teacher training course does not lead to English qualified teacher status (QTS) (for example, if your course only leads to a PGCE or other academic award) you will not receive the following support.
Your early career teacher training programme
You’ll receive training based on the initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF) as part of your early career teacher entitlement (ECTE). This training provides a bridge between your teacher training and your teaching career.
Your teacher training helps you qualify as a teacher, and your ECTE helps you further develop your teaching practice and working habits.
Your school will choose how to deliver your training based on the ITTECF. They may:
- use a Department for Education (DfE) funded training provider
- design and deliver their own training
This could be through face-to-face learning or using online materials.
You’ll also observe experienced teachers to help you develop your own good practice.
Your mentor
You’ll be given a mentor during your induction period.
Your mentor will:
- provide one-to-one support and feedback
- arrange mentoring and coaching around specific subject areas
Paid time away from classroom teaching
In your first year of teaching, you’ll have a 10% timetable reduction. In your second year of teaching, you’ll have a 5% timetable reduction. This means a reduced teaching schedule to give you time away from the classroom to focus on your learning and development.
This is in addition to the time allocated for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) that all teachers get.
Meeting the teachers’ standards
You’ll have to show you meet the teachers’ standards at the end of your induction period — your mentor and induction tutor will help you to develop your skills and practice to support you with this.
All teachers must be able to show they meet the teachers’ standards to pass induction and continue to work in many schools in England (for example, schools funded by local councils).
Your induction tutor
You’ll have an induction tutor at your school who’ll assess you against the teachers’ standards. Usually, your induction tutor will be different from your mentor but this may depend on your school’s capacity to fill the 2 roles.
You’ll have regular progress reviews with your induction tutor so that you can discuss your progress and feedback. They’ll take prompt, appropriate action if you’re having difficulties.
How you’ll be assessed
You’ll have 2 formal assessment meetings with your induction tutor — one midway through induction and one at the end.
They may ask you for evidence that you’ve met the teachers’ standards. You won’t need to create anything new for this evidence — you should use existing lesson plans or feedback from observations.
