Appropriate Body
Appropriate Bodies independently quality assure statutory induction, ensuring that schools provide adequate support for their ECTs; that their assessment is fair and consistent across all institutions; and that they are receiving a programme of support and training based on the early career framework (ECF).
If an ECT is not registered with an Appropriate Body, they are unable to begin their induction period. Retrospective registrations are not possible. All ECTs need an ‘upfront’ contract of at least one term in order to be eligible for induction. In accordance with the statutory guidance the post must be suitable for an ECT. Please contact us for more advice if there is a concern about the suitability of a particular post.
How to register with us - Saffron Appropriate Body
To register your school for the Saffron Appropriate Body service, please complete this form.
Once we have received and checked your completed form, we will ask you to complete a service level agreement and will then invite you to register on our online portal, ECT Manager. This is a paperless system for recording data securely, submitting assessments, accessing resources, raising alerts and managing ECTs during induction. Please do not register on ECT Manager until we invite you to.
When you register on ECT Manager, please ensure that you have:
- Your ECT’s teacher reference number
- Their full name and date of birth
- Full name of their induction tutor
- Full name of their mentor
Induction can only commence once we have checked that the information you provide matches data already registered with the Teacher Regulation Agency: in the busy summer months please be aware that checks may only be possible within the normal working day period.
Please note that for September 2023 starters, when you register your ECT(s) on ECT Manager you must enter the induction start date as September 2023. We appreciate that many ECTs begin their contracts in the summer term in order to complete their school-based induction; however entering an induction start date in the summer will trigger progress reviews and assessments at odd times.
Schools can register their ECTs with the Saffron AB service before registering for our Early Career Framework programme.
Saffron Appropriate Body - our service
Saffron Appropriate Body is the designated Appropriate Body within Braintree, Chelmsford, Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford.
Before registering their ECTs with Saffron Appropriate Body, headteachers should read this document:
ECT Induction Process - A Guide for Headteachers.
Saffron Appropriate Body Service fees
From September 2023, the fee for our AB service is £245 per ECT per year.
This is payable as two instalments over the 2-year ECT period (£245 in the ECT's Term 1 and £245 in the ECT's Term 4).
For ECTs transferring to Saffron AB from other ABs in September 2023, the fees will be:
- ECTs transferring to Saffron AB in Term 4 (i.e. for Year 2): £245
- ECTs transferring to Saffron AB in Term 2: £170 for the remainder of Y1 and then £245
- ECTs transferring to Saffron AB in Term 3: £85 for the remainder of Y1 and then £245
- ECTs transferring to Saffron AB in Term 5: £170
- ECTs transferring to Saffron AB in Term 6: £85
What we provide
- Registration of the Early Career Teacher and returns to the Teaching Regulation Agency
- Fidelity checking of Early Career Programme route (there will be an additional fee for schools choosing the Core or School-Based Induction Programme)
- Induction Tutor training and Network meetings
- Quality-assuring the process of your in-school support
- Access to support materials directly from our website
- Providing termly progress check documents which are returned electronically
- Monitoring termly progress check reports to identify Early Career Teachers requiring additional support
- Monitoring visit and the equivalent of 2 days' SLE support for Early Career Teachers requiring additional support
- Providing formal end of Year 1 and Year 2 assessment documents which are returned electronically
- Monitoring of all end of Year 1 and Year 2 reports for Early Career Teachers
- Making the final decision as to whether or not an Early Career Teacher's performance, against the relevant standards, is satisfactory, drawing on the recommendation of the headteacher
AB Induction and the Early Career Framework
From 2021, Appropriate Bodies are required to ensure that Early Career Teachers receive their statutory ECF entitlement as well as making the final decision as to whether that teacher has met the Teachers' Standards.
Schools who choose the DfE funded Full Induction Programme (FIP) route, such as the Saffron Early Career Professional Development Programme, do not have to have their ECF programme checked by their AB.
Where schools choose to follow the Core Induction Programme (CIP), or School-based Induction Programme, the Appropriate Bodies' role now includes 'fidelity checking' those ECF programmes. There is an additional charge for this service.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the Saffron AB service, contact our AB administrator Caroline Duncombe.