ECF Reforms and Funding

The Early Career Framework (ECF) has been introduced by the government to enhance the support for early career teachers, providing a funded entitlement to a structured 2-year package of high-quality professional development. The reforms are part of the government’s teacher recruitment and retention strategy, which aims to improve the training and development opportunities available to teachers.

Please click on the links below for detailed information from the Department for Education about the ECF reforms:

ECF Pathways and Funding

Full Induction Programme (DfE-Funded Training Provider)

Work with a Teaching School Hub to meet the new statutory induction requirements.

Register with Teaching School Hub to receive DfE approved, funded training – delivered directly to early career teachers and mentors by the hub and partners.
Funding of £2100 per ECT and mentor, plus an additional £1576.10 to backfill mentor time spent undertaking training in addition to the funding for time off timetable.
A sequenced two-year programme with the EDT based on the Early Career Framework.
Access to EDT resources, including: Self-directed study materials for early career teachers, and materials to support mentor sessions – designed to reduce mentor workload.

Funding for the Full Induction Programme

Provider-led programmes, available to state-funded schools only, are funded by DfE so there are no costs for schools.

Funding will cover:

Time off timetable for early career teachers and mentors in the second year of induction (paid directly to schools).
Training delivered directly to early career teachers by an external provider (providers will be paid directly so schools will not face any payment burdens).
Training delivered directly to mentors by an external provider (providers will be paid directly so schools will not face any payment burdens).
Additional funding to backfill mentor time spent undertaking training (paid directly to schools).

Next steps for the Full Induction Programme can be found here.

Core Induction Programme (DfE-Accredited Materials to deliver your own training)

Use the resources available and deliver in school.

Time off timetable funded for early career teachers and mentors in the second year of induction – £2100.
Ability to select own Lead Provider and access their self-study and mentor support materials.
Materials from chosen Lead Provider to adapt to deliver further training for early career teachers (we can provide a list of lead providers).
No additional funding available for mentor back fill.

Next steps for the Core Induction Programme:

review the published materials and choose a core induction programme that suits the needs of your school.
schools which choose to deliver their own induction programmes, using DfE-accredited materials, will need to provide information to their appropriate body to demonstrate that their programme is ECF-based and meets statutory requirements: schools should contact their appropriate body for further details of what evidence will be required in the summer term.
if your school has decided to use a core induction programme, you will need to use DfE’s online service to set up and access your induction programme training.

School Led (Designing and Delivering your own ECF Training)

Devise the materials and activities in school.

Time off timetable funded for early career teachers and mentors in the second year of induction – £2100.

Content requirements defined in the Early Career Framework.
No additional funding available for mentor back fill.

Next Steps for the School-Led pathway:

schools design a 2-year programme of support and training that covers every ‘learn that’ and ‘learn how to’ statement in the ECF.

schools which choose to deliver their own induction programmes, using the ECF, will need to provide information to their appropriate body to demonstrate their programme is ECF-based and meets statutory requirements: schools should contact their appropriate body for further details of what evidence will be required in the summer term.
schools which choose this route will not need to use DfE’s online service to manage their induction.

Funding Breakdown

All schools regardless of pathway will receive:

Rounded cost per Early Career Teacher £1,200
Rounded cost per mentor £900
Total £2,100

This funding covers 5% off timetable in the second year of induction for all early career teachers to undertake induction activities including training and mentoring, and mentor time for early career teachers in the second year of induction.

Schools accessing the full induction through a Teaching School Hub receive an additional:

36h cost (2 years of training) £1576.10

For mentor backfill for time off timetable for training.

Info taken from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-career-framework-reforms-overview/early-career-framework-reforms-overview