Early Career Teacher Framework
The Early Career Framework (ECF)
When trainees complete their training they will become ‘Early Career Teachers’ – ECTs, (the term ‘Newly Qualified Teacher’ – NQT – will disappear).
The Government led ECF reforms will create 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.
The Early Career Framework is the evidence base which underpins this new entitlement for early career teachers’ professional development. It sets out what all early career teachers should learn about and learn how to do during the first 2 years of their careers.
It includes sections on:
- behaviour management
- pedagogy
- curriculum
- assessment
- professional behaviours
ECTs will be entitled to:
- 2 years of new, funded, high-quality training
- Freely available high-quality development materials based on the ECF
- An additional 10% time away from the classroom (compared to an experienced classroom teacher with no additional responsibilities) in Year 1
- An additional 5% time away from the classroom (compared to an experienced classroom teacher with no additional responsibilities) in Year 2
- A dedicated mentor and support for these mentors including access to funded high-quality training
- Funding to cover mentors’ time with the mentee in the second year of teaching
The end of an early career teacher’s induction period will continue to be marked by a decision as to whether the teacher’s performance against the Teachers’ Standards is satisfactory.
Take a look at the Early Career Teacher Framework 2021 and The Early Career Framework Handbook.
