If you would like to work with Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Framework in your school or trust, please get in touch below.
Visit our Partnership page Book a call with our Partnerships team
Early Career Teacher Schedule
Flexibly delivered through a combination of online webinars, face-to-face events and self-study, the programme slots neatly into the schedule of an early career teacher.
- Annual Induction Conference to engage ECTs with ECF content and initiate motivation and learning networks
- Half-termly 3 hour facilitated face-to-face (or virtual) sessions
- Groups can be based on geography, phase or school delivery partner
- 9 modules based on the Teachers’ Standards
- In-school mentor support and challenge for two years
Early Career Mentor Schedule
Our mentor training programme will ensure mentors are proficient in all aspects of the ECF. Mentors will develop mentoring and coaching techniques to support and challenge their ECTs. These highly-trained mentors will play a key role in the development of ECTs and the transferable skills learned will produce long lasting benefits for the individuals themselves as well as the mentor's school and their colleagues.
The content of the framework and its underpinning evidence has been independently assessed and endorsed by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). The ECF establishes two types of content that ECTs should learn:
Key evidence statements are prefaced by ‘learn that…’ and are drawn from high quality evidence from the UK and overseas. Full references are available in the ECF document. These statements are numbered by the standard within the ECF to which they apply, followed by a trailing number (e.g., statement 1.4 is drawn from Standard 1 and states that teachers will ‘learn that…setting clear expectations can help communicate shared values that improve classroom and school culture.’ These are referred to throughout the programme materials as ‘learn that…’ statements).
Practice statements are prefaced by ‘learn how to…’ and are drawn from both research and guidance from experts in the sector. These statements are numbered by the standard to which they apply, followed by a trailing letter (e.g., statement 1a is also drawn from Standard 1 and states that teachers will ‘learn how to communicate a belief in the academic potential of all pupils, by using intentional and consistent language that promotes challenge and aspiration’). These are referred to throughout the programme materials as ‘learn how to…’ statements.
High Expectations (Standard 1 – Set high expectations) | |
Learn that… | Learn how to… |
1. Teachers have the ability to affect and improve the wellbeing, motivation and behaviour of their pupils. 2. Teachers are key role models, who can influence the attitudes, values and behaviours of their pupils. 3. Teacher expectations can affect pupil outcomes; setting goals that challenge and stretch pupils is essential. 4. Setting clear expectations can help communicate shared values that improve classroom and school culture. 5. A culture of mutual trust and respect supports effective relationships. 6. High-quality teaching has a long-term positive effect on pupils’ life chances, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. |
Communicate a belief in the academic potential of all pupils,
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Notes Learn that… statements are informed by the best available educational research; references and further reading are provided below. Learn how to… statements are drawn from the wider evidence base including both academic research and additional guidance from expert practitioners. |
How Pupils Learn (Standard 2 – Promote good progress) | |
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Learn that… | Learn how to… |
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Avoid overloading working memory, by:
• Planning regular review and practice of key ideas and concepts over time. |
Notes Learn that… statements are informed by the best available educational research; references and further reading are provided below. Learn how to… statements are drawn from the wider evidence base including both academic research and additional guidance from expert practitioners. |
Subject and Curriculum (Standard 3 – Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge) |
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Learn that… | Learn how to… |
1. A school’s curriculum enables it to set out its vision for the knowledge, skills and values that its pupils will learn, encompassing the national curriculum within a coherent wider vision for successful learning. 2. Secure subject knowledge helps teachers to motivate pupils and teach effectively. 3. Ensuring pupils master foundational concepts and knowledge before moving on is likely to build pupils’ confidence and help them succeed. 4. Anticipating common misconceptions within particular subjects is also an important aspect of curricular knowledge; working closely with colleagues to develop an understanding of likely misconceptions is valuable. 5. Explicitly teaching pupils the knowledge and skills they need to succeed within particular subject areas is beneficial. 6. In order for pupils to think critically, they must have a secure understanding of knowledgewithin the subject area they are being asked to think critically about. 7. In all subject areas, pupils learn new ideas by linking those ideas to existing knowledge, organising this knowledge into increasingly complex mental models (or “schemata”); carefully sequencing teaching to facilitate this process is important. 8. Pupils are likely to struggle to transfer what has been learnt in one discipline to a new or unfamiliar context. 9. To access the curriculum, early literacy provides fundamental knowledge; reading comprises two elements: word reading and language comprehension; systematic synthetic phonics is the most effective approach for teaching pupils to decode. 10. Every teacher can improve pupils’ literacy, including by explicitly teaching reading, writing and oral language skills specific to individual disciplines. |
Deliver a carefully sequenced and coherent curriculum, by:
Develop fluency, by: Help pupils apply knowledge and skills to other contexts, by:
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Notes Learn that… statements are informed by the best available educational research; references and further reading are provided below. Learn how to… statements are drawn from the wider evidence base including both academic research and additional guidance from expert practitioners. |
Classroom Practice (Standard 4 – Plan and teach well structured lessons) | |
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Learn that… | Learn how to… |
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Plan effective lessons, by: • Using modelling, explanations and scaffolds, acknowledging that novices need more structure early in a domain.
Model effectively, by:
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Notes Learn that… statements are informed by the best available educational research; references and further reading are provided below. Learn how to… statements are drawn from the wider evidence base including both academic research and additional guidance from expert practitioners. |
Adaptive Teaching (Standard 5 – Adapt teaching) | |
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Learn that… | Learn how to… |
1. Pupils are likely to learn at different rates and to require different levels and types of support from teachers to succeed. 2. Seeking to understand pupils’ differences, including their different levels of prior knowledge and potential barriers to learning, is an essential part of teaching. 3. Adapting teaching in a responsive way, including by providing targeted support to pupils who are struggling, is likely to increase pupil success. 4. Adaptive teaching is less likely to be valuable if it causes the teacher to artificially create distinct tasks for different groups of pupils or to set lower expectations for particular pupils. 5. Flexibly grouping pupils within a class to provide more tailored support can be effective, but care should be taken to monitor its impact on engagement and motivation, particularly for low attaining pupils. 6. There is a common misconception that pupils have distinct and identifiable learning styles. This is not supported by evidence and attempting to tailor lessons to learning styles is unlikely to be beneficial. 7. Pupils with special educational needs or disabilities are likely to require additional or adapted support; working closely with colleagues, families and pupils to understand barriers and identify effective strategies is essential. |
Develop an understanding of different pupil needs, by: Provide opportunity for all pupils to experience success, by: Meet individual needs without creating unnecessary workload, by: • Considering carefully whether intervening within lessons with individuals and small groups would be more efficient and effective than planning different lessons for different groups of pupils.
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Notes Learn that… statements are informed by the best available educational research; references and further reading are provided below. Learn how to… statements are drawn from the wider evidence base including both academic research and additional guidance from expert practitioners. |
Assessment (Standard 6 – Make accurate and productive use of assessment) | |
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Learn that… | Learn how to… |
1. Effective assessment is critical to teaching because it provides teachers with information about pupils’ understanding and needs. 2. Good assessment helps teachers avoid being over-influenced by potentially misleading factors, such as how busy pupils appear. 3. Before using any assessment, teachers should be clear about the decision it will be used to support and be able to justify its use. 4. To be of value, teachers use information from assessments to inform the decisions they make; in turn, pupils must be able to act on feedback for it to have an effect. 5. High-quality feedback can be written or verbal; it is likely to be accurate and clear, encourage further effort, and provide specific guidance on how to improve. 6. Over time, feedback should support pupils to monitor and regulate their own learning. 7. Working with colleagues to identify efficient approaches to assessment is important; assessment can become onerous and have a disproportionate impact on workload. |
Provide high-quality feedback, by: Make marking manageable and effective, by: |
Notes Learn that… statements are informed by the best available educational research; references and further reading are provided below. Learn how to… statements are drawn from the wider evidence base including both academic research and additional guidance from expert practitioners. |
Managing Behaviour (Standard 7 – Manage behaviour effectively) | |
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Learn that… | Learn how to… |
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Develop a positive, predictable and safe environment for pupils, by: Establish effective routines and expectations, by: Build trusting relationships, by: Motivate pupils, by: |
Notes Learn that… statements are informed by the best available educational research; references and further reading are provided below. Learn how to… statements are drawn from the wider evidence base including both academic research and additional guidance from expert practitioners. |
The ECF School Dashboard lists all of the Early Career Teachers and Early Career Mentors at your school and shows their status and upcoming ECF schedule. The dashboard contains all of the information you need to ensure that the staff at your school are making the most of the training.
You can find out more here.
Schools are given access to their own ECF School Dashboard shortly after registering with us.
ECF
- ECF Welcome pack
- ECT/Mentor handbook
- Choice of online induction conferences at the start of the cohort,
Best Practice Network solely operates as a training provider and does not function as an Appropriate Body (AB). Therefore, we recommend that you reach out to your Local Authority or local Teaching School Hub regarding this matter, as they may have been the AB you worked with previously for any NQTs.
For more information on the role of the Appropriate Body, please visit this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-career-framework-reforms-overview/early-career-framework-reforms-overview#the-role-of-the-appropriate-body.
You may also find it useful to check the following resources:
List of all ABs: Link
The Appropriate Bodies Guidance: Link
The Early Career Framework is part of Continuing Professional Development, (CPD). Therefore, it is not assessed; the induction process is separate and the responsibility of the school and the appropriate body.
It cannot be used as part of the formal assessments within the statutory induction. Within the ECF programme, modules are generally linked to the teaching standards. ECTs will be assessed against the teaching standards within statutory induction, which is separate from the ECF programme and is down to your Appropriate Body to decide.
You will need to be in touch with your Appropriate Body on the assessment requirements of Early Career Teachers.
The standard length of ECT induction training is typically two years. However, if an ECT spends less or more than two years in training, a Non-Standard induction policy must be followed. Based on the statutory guidance, Best Practice Network will support part-time ECTs to serve the full-time equivalent of two full school years. This is to provide sufficient teaching practice time to apply training and demonstrate the standards. The part-time routes offered will give the opportunity to engage with the programme at an appropriate and proportionate rate, particularly for those on 0.6 FTE or less. While some ECTs in a part-time position may want to cover the programme at a faster rate to ‘keep up’ with their full- time peers, this will not be appropriate in most cases and would likely have a negative impact on workload.
The aim of the policy is to set out some principles to clarify our approach to non-standard ECTs and it outlines our intention to deliver ECT training that is fair, accessible and does not include any unnecessary barriers.
The Non-Standard induction policy applies to:
• ECTs undergoing an extended or reduced term of induction
• Part-time ECTs
• ECTs transferring schools during their ECF training
• ECTs starting at different points throughout the academic year.
Any non-standard induction, whether reduced or extended, must be approved by both the school and the Appropriate Body.
For further information, please read our BPN_ECF Non-Standard Policy 2022 (2)
We use two online platforms to complete your ECF training which are:
- Canvas - This is your learning hub to complete modules and activities, check engagement and access surveys and event recordings.
- Participant Dashboard - Full events schedule for the year, face to face Event information – venue and parking details, zoom links, your Canvas activity – dates and modules you have graded on and direct access to Canvas. (To access the Participant dashboard, this can be found on our website under ECF - current candidates).
If you are changing schools or training provider, this will need to be notified on the Manage training for early career teachers service. The ECF programme is funded by the Department for Education, and Best Practice makes periodic declarations for this. Completion of the programme will be recorded on the DfE, so you will not lose any of your progress by transferring schools. You should not have to re submit any work and should be able to continue with the programme where you last engaged.
Best Practice Network offers a blended learning approach, with self-study, online and face-to-face training all forming part of the programme.
We believe there are many benefits to attending in-person events, physical involvement and interaction are still proven to be the most effective ways to learn. There is something to be said for learning in person, and it results in a high level of concentration. The ability to ask questions or clarify information on the spot also keeps participants engaged in the training and can avoid confusion and misunderstandings. Facilitators are also there to contextualise the learning.
Supply teachers can enrol onto the ECF Programme if they are working for a school for a minimum of 3 months (or 1 long academic term). ECTs or Mentors can transfer training providers, and they will not need to repeat any modules.
We do not advise that candidates take on multiple roles due to extensive work load and commitment. We understand that schools may not have the staffing to fill the roles individually, and this may be the best interest for the school.
Eligible Schools and Establishments
Schools and establishments eligible for DfE funding include:
- state-funded schools, colleges, sixth forms.
- maintained and non-maintained special schools
- independent schools that receive Section 41 funding
Independent Schools
We do offer places for the ECF programme at a fee. Standard fees include attendance at the live online events, workshops, online modules and learning recourses. You will also need to register with an appropriate body to sign the induction of the ECT off, and they may raise a separate cost.
Payment plans can be set up for a period of up to 10 months. These fees are subject to VAT. If you have a UK bank account you can choose the Direct Debit option from the payment method email you will receive, or we can set up plans for monthly BACS or credit / debit card payments.
Please contact us to find out further information on costing.
Who is eligible to be an ECT?
ECTs should be eligible for DfE funding if they both:
- hold qualified teacher status (QTS)
- start their induction on or after 1 September 2021
ECTs with qualified teacher learning and skills status (QTLS) are not eligible for DfE funding, because they are exempt from statutory induction.
How the DfE checks the eligibility for ECTs and Mentors
When school induction tutors register ECTs and mentors with DfE, we check the teacher’s details in the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) records.
We check that the ECT:
- holds qualified teacher status (QTS)
- has not completed statutory induction before
- has not started an induction before 1 September 2021
We check that the mentor:
- does not have any prohibitions, sanctions or restrictions on their record
- has not received funded training for ECF-based mentoring before
Commonly Used Abbreviations
Commonly used abbreviations | |
CIP | Core Induction Programme |
ECF | Early Career Framework |
ECT | Early Career Teacher |
ECM | Early Career Mentor |
FIP | Full Induction Programme |
ITE | Initial Teacher Education |
ITT | Initial Teacher Training |
NQT | Newly Qualified Teacher |
DfE Frequently Asked Questions
The DfE has published some useful FAQs for school leaders, Early Career Teachers and Early Career Mentors. Please access them using the links below:
ECF Induction and Training - Additional Information for Early Career Teachers
ECF Induction and Training - Additional Information for Early Career Mentors
ECF Induction and Training - Additional Information for School Leaders
The Early Career Framework programme is freely available for all state-maintained schools and academies in England.
All state-funded schools offering statutory induction will receive additional funding to deliver the ECF reforms.
The funding will cover:
- 5% off timetable in the second year of induction for all early career teachers to undertake induction activities including training and mentoring
- mentors for early career teachers in the second year of induction - this is based on 20 hours of mentoring across the academic year
Funding (year 2) | England (excluding the London Area) | Inner London Area | Outer London Area | Fringe Area |
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Rounded cost per Early Career Teacher | £1,200 | £1,500 | £1,400 | £1,300 |
Rounded cost per mentor | £900 | £1,100 | £1,000 | £900 |
Total | £2,100 | £2,600 | £2,400 | £2,200 |
Funding is calculated by taking the average salary of mentors and early career teachers, split by region, and uses the hourly rate to calculate a total funding figure.
This data will be collected through the school workforce census to ensure there is minimal administrative burden for schools. State schools undertaking statutory induction will receive a single payment for their early career teachers and mentors in the summer of the second year of induction.
Schools using a DfE-funded, provider-led programme will also receive additional funding for mentor backfill, as follows:
Mentor’s unit cost (years 1 and 2 time off timetable for training) | England (excluding the London area) | Inner London area | Outer London area | Fringe area |
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36h cost (2 years of training) | £1576.10 | £1929.24 | £1737.14 | £1623.24 |
Registering ECTs and Mentors
The registration process is simple. The DfE step-by-step guidance can be accessed here.
- School Induction Tutors must register their ECTs and Mentors on the DfE Online Service (BPN then collect additional details directly from the ECTs and ECMs to enable allocation to their local training group)
Not yet registered with us?
- If your school has not yet had an ECT, or is changing Lead Provider to Best Practice Network, you will be prompted with instructions for next steps within the DfE Online Service
- If your school has not yet had an ECT or is changing Lead Provider, the school will also need to register with Best Practice Network here
Things to note
- Schools already working with Best Practice Network do not need to re-register with BPN
- Schools do not need to re-register ECTs and ECMs moving into the second year of their ECF programme
Contact us
Please find Statutory Guidance for appropriate bodies, headteachers, school staff and governing bodies here
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