Early Career Programme
The Early Career Professional Development Programme (Early Career Programme) is structured to further develop ECTs' professional practice through online learning, virtual training and the support of a fully trained mentor throughout their first two years. Mentors also have a two-year programme to develop their practice.
Saffron Teaching School Hub works in partnership with Teach First to deliver the Early Career Programme.
How do I register my ECTs and mentors for the Saffron Early Career Programme?
The first step to register for the Saffron Early Career Programme is done via the DfE Online Service Manage Training for Early Career Teachers.
If schools have previously had ECTs, the nominated Induction Tutor will have an existing link to the DfE Online Service.
All emails from the DfE about the Online Service go to the school's nominated Induction Tutor. Please check that your nominated Induction Tutor is always up-to-date on the DfE Online Service.
As part of the DfE Online Service registration process, you will be asked to choose a Lead Provider and a Delivery Partner for your Early Career Programme. To register for the Saffron TS Hub programme:
- Lead Provider - choose Teach First
- Delivery Partner - choose Saffron Teaching School Hub
This document from Teach First gives a step-by-step guide. Please pay particular attention to pages 7 to 9.
Do I need to register separately with Teach First?
You do not need to register with Teach First directly.
However, you must register your interest with Saffron Teaching School Hub.
To register your interest for the Saffron Early Career Programme with Teach First, please complete the form below:
Important - registration with an Appropriate Body
As part of the DfE Registration process, you will be asked to say which Appropriate Body you are using for statutory induction. Please note: this does not constitute registration with an Appropriate Body - you need to register with an Appropriate Body separately.
To register with the Saffron Appropriate Body service, click here.
ECT and Mentor Training events 2024-25
For those registered on the Saffron Early Career Programme, the planned dates for all training events can be viewed on our Wall Calendar.
Online booking forms for training events will be emailed to all registered EC Programme participants.
What is the Early Career Framework?
The Early Career Framework (ECF) sets out what ECTs are entitled to learn about and what they should learn how to do when they start their careers, focusing on the key areas of: behaviour management; pedagogy; classroom practice; subject knowledge; assessment and questioning; and professional development. It underpins a new statutory entitlement to receive two years of high quality training and in-school mentor support.
This entitlement includes:
- Two years of new, funded, high quality training available either as a Full Induction Programme (FIP), Core Induction Programme (CIP) or School-based Induction Programme.
- 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 high quality training.
- Funding to cover mentors' time with the mentee in the second year of teaching.
- The ECF is not an assessment tool, as ECTs continue to be assessed separately against the Teachers' Standards overseen by Appropriate Bodies.
Further information about statutory induction can be found here: DfE Induction for early career teachers: statutory guidance
Early Career Programme funding
The Saffron/Teach First Early Career Programme is funded by the DfE for state-funded schools. This is known as the Funded Induction Programme (FIP).
Schools will be funded for:
- Time off timetable for ECTs and mentors in their second year
- Training delivered directly to ECTs and mentors
- Additional funding to backfill mentor time (up to 36 hours)
For full details of Early Career Programme funding, see the DfE links below:
Contact us
If you have any questions about the Saffron/Teach First Early Career Programme, contact our ECF Lead Paula Downes at pauladownes@saffron.academy or 01799 513030 ext. 1248.
Early Career Programme news
Saffron Early Career Programme – Spring Term update
March brings to a close the Spring Conference offer for ECTs and their mentors on the Saffron Early Career Programme. This term has had a focus on Modules 3 & 4, which has developed our delegates' knowledge of examples, questioning and assessment. While our ECT2s continue to develop this through a subject or phase specific le…