Early Career Programme
The Early Career Programme is an ECF-based training programme structured to develop ECTs' professional practice through online learning, virtual and face-to-face training sessions and the support of a fully trained mentor throughout their first two years of teaching.
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.
What is the Early Career Framework (ECF)?
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 ECTs' statutory entitlement to receive two years of high-quality training and in-school mentor support.
This entitlement includes:
- Two years of 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.
Changes from September 2025
From September 2025, the ECF will be replaced by the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF).
Read about the changes here: The new ITTECF - what has changed?
Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE) - changes from September 2025
From September 2025, the Government is introducing the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE). This remains a 2-year programme that supports Early Career Teachers when they start their teaching career.
The updated programme ensures that there is an increased focus on areas such as SEND, oracy, adaptive teaching and literacy, with more exemplification included for different phases, settings and subjects. In addition, mentors will have access to diagnostic tools to tailor content for their ECTs.
Alongside the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), which replaces the Early Career Framework (ECF) from September 2025, this will ensure that the offer to new teachers remains supportive and of a high standard to ensure they are able to meet the Teachers’ Standards.
Any documentation relating to ECT induction for September 2025 onwards will use the new terminology.
The DfE update on the changes can be found here: ECTE Changes 2025
Early Career Programme funding
The Saffron 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:
Registering for the Saffron Early Career Programme
To register ECTs and Mentors for the Saffron Early Career Programme, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Register ECTs and Mentors on DfE Manage Training for Early Career TeachersThe first step in registering 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 Early Career Programme:
This document (from Teach First) gives a step-by-step guide. Please pay particular attention to pages 7-9. You must also complete the Saffron Early Career Programme registration form - see Step 2. |
Step 2: Complete the Saffron Early Career Programme registration formTo register for the Saffron Early Career Programme, please complete the form below: You do not need to register with Teach First Directly. |
Step 3: Register your ECTs with an Appropriate BodyAll ECTs must be registered with an Appropriate Body before they can start induction. As part of the DfE Online Service Manage Training for Early Career Teachers registration process, you will be asked to say which Appropriate Body you are using for statutory induction. Please note: indicating which Appropriate Body you are using on the DfE Online Service does not constitute registration with an Appropriate Body. You need to register with an Appropriate Body separately. To register your ECTs with the Saffron Appropriate Body service, click here. |
Contact us
If you have any questions about the Saffron Early Career Programme, contact our EC Programme 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…
Saffron Early Career Programme - Summer Term conferences
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It has been a fantastic start to the summer term for our Early Career Programme, with a range of ECT and mentor conferences taking place in April and May across the Hub region.
There were high levels of engagement throughout as we built on the prior knowledge of our delegates, with the ECT conferences focusing on ad…