Early Career Teachers (ECT)
The Government has introduced a new 2-year package to support newly qualified teachers (NQTs) during the start to their career in September 2021. There were early roll out areas that started in September 2020.
This will mean that from September 2021 a newly qualified teacher is to be known as an Early Career Teacher (ECT) and their statutory induction period will be two years.
Any NQTs with a 1-year induction period not completed by August 2021 (due to a pause in their induction, or because they are on a part-time table, for example) will have until 2023 to complete their induction.
ECTs will have a new curriculum of support available for them to follow, as set out in the Early Career Framework (ECF). The school will complete termly short reports on whether the ECT is on track to meet the teaching standards, with a formal assessment at the end of the first year and a final assessment at the end of the second year.
Whilst it does mean that induction will be extended by an additional year, it also means that ECF teachers will receive additional support and guidance during their induction period. The government has committed to providing ‘The professional development package’ for all schools.
This means that ECF Teachers:
- Will receive funded 5% time off timetable in the second year of teaching, in addition to the existing 10% in the first year
- Will have access to a range of high-quality, free training materials underpinned by the Early Career Framework.
Warwickshire Schools will:
- Receive funded training for NQTs and mentors of NQTs
- Receive funded time for mentors to support NQTs.
ECF has been designed by experts in education to support NQTs and aid their professional development at the beginning of their careers. It outlines what NQTs are entitled to with regards to development and support. It covers areas such as;
- Behaviour management
- Pedagogy
- Curriculum
- Assessment
- Professional behaviours
NQTs will still be assessed against the Teachers’ Standards and the five areas listed above are interwoven within the Teachers’ Standards.
The Early Career Framework is not to be used as an assessment framework for NQTs. The main function of the ECF is to help support and acknowledge areas in which NQTs should be given further support and guidance during their induction, and to help NQT mentors know where to focus their efforts.
The Local Authority and Teaching School Hubs will act as Appropriate Bodies for ECF teachers.
