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Early Career Framework

Introduction to the Early Career Framework

The Early Career Framework (ECF) is transforming the support and development offer for teachers at the start of their career. From September 2021, all Early Career Teachers (newly and recently qualified teachers) will be entitled to the following support based on the Early Career Framework:

  • 2 years of new, funded, high-quality training available either as a DfE funded provider
  • Funding for 5% time away from the classroom for teachers in their second year
  • A dedicated mentor, with 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
  • Further funding for schools opting for the DfE Funded Provider approach for mentors to access training from the lead provider.

What are the options for delivering the new statutory induction programme?

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub will deliver the DfE Funded Provider led ECF as a partner with EDT to all schools, regardless of phase or type.

Our 2-year programme will be delivered by a team of expert facilitators from our Hub area to ensure that we respond to our local contexts.

Funding:

The Early Career Framework programme is free for schools. Details of the funding schools will receive in Year 2 are summarised here. 

Schools will receive:
  • Per Early Career Teacher: £1,200
  • Per mentor: £900
  • Schools accessing the DfE Funded Provider will receive an additional £1576.10 (covers year 1 and 2) for mentors to access training from the lead provider
DfE Guidance: 
  • Eligible institutions will receive 2 payments to enable mentors to have time-off timetable to complete the 36 hours ECF-based mentor training. This will be paid over 2 payments in arrears for the majority of mentors who are supporting early career teachers (ECTs) with standard 2-year ECF-based induction.
  • The first payment will be in the summer of year 1. This payment will be based on evidence lead providers share with DfE that the mentor has commenced training. It will fund 18 hours of mentor time off timetable for training.
  • The second payment for the remaining 18 hours of mentor time off-timetable (36 hours in total) for mentor training will be made in the summer of year 2. This payment will be based on evidence that lead providers share with DfE that there has been sustained engagement with the mentor training.
  • For mentors who are supporting ECTs following a non-standard ECF-based induction, payments will be made over 2 years as above. The payments will be a combination of arrears and advance payment to have time off timetable.
  • DfE makes backfill payments directly to institutions or to local authorities to pay maintained schools.

Key features of our programme

Early Career Teachers:

  • Face-to-face and webinar sessions, exploring effective classroom practice
  • Regional and local training sessions 
  • Regular mentoring sessions with a focus on learning, practising, and reflecting
  • Opportunities for reflection and discussion as well as carefully timed self-study ​

 

Mentors:

Excellent mentoring will be key to the success of the ECF initiative. This programme is centred around developing the mentor relationship and includes a focused learning pathway for mentors.

  • We will work with in-school mentors to learn new mentoring and coaching techniques, enabling them to strengthen essential skills that they can use throughout their careers. 
  • Specialist training and support will ensure each mentor is confident in their knowledge of the Early Career Framework and develops their mentoring skills so that the Early Career Teachers they work with get the very best from the programme. 

DELIVERY SCHEDULE 2023/2024

Information relating to the delivery dates of training for ALL ECTs and Mentors for 2023/2024 academic year can be found in the document 'ECF Delivery 2023-2024' uploaded below.

Please NOTE ** these are 'delivery windows' only. Specific dates within each window will be confirmed by the end of the summer term.

Please contact us if you have any questions.