All you need to know about ECTE

What is the Early Career Teacher Entitlement?

Early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) is a 2-year programme that supports early career teachers (ECTs) when they start their teaching career. It’s designed to:

develop their professional skills
provide them with the knowledge and skills to meet the  teachers’ standards

It includes:

a training programme for ECTs
mentor support for ECTs
a training programme for new mentors (if the school uses a DfE funded lead provider)
time off timetable for ECTs and mentors
regular progress reviews and 2 formal assessments for ECTs against the teachers’ standards

The term ‘early career teacher entitlement (ECTE)’ replaces ‘ECF-based training and induction’ from September 2025.

What is the ITTECF?

From September 2025, ECTs and Mentors will access the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), which unifies and replaces the previous Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF).

This consolidated framework outlines the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviours that trainees and ECTs should develop. It also specifies the mentoring and support ECTs are entitled to receive during the initial years of their teaching careers.

Choosing your training options

Roles and Responsibilities

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Role	Responsibilities
ECT	Early Career Teachers are expected to: Provide evidence that they have QTS to their employer and are eligible to start induction Meet with their Induction Tutor at the start of the programme to discuss and agree priorities and how best to use their allocated ECT time Engage professionally and proactively in their entitlement Participate fully in the ECF monitoring and development programme Participate in scheduled classroom observations, progress reviews and formal assessment meetings Keep copies of all assessment forms
Induction Tutor	The Induction Tutor is responsible for: Becoming familiar with all the guidance provided via this webpage, and leading the set-up process Conducting regular progress reviews throughout the induction period. Undertaking two formal assessment meetings Informing the ECT of their progress against the Teachers’ Standards Communicating assessment outcomes during formal assessment meetings and inviting the ECT to provide comments. Ensuring the ECT’s teaching is observed and providing constructive feedback. Taking prompt, appropriate action to support ECTs facing difficulties
Mentor	Mentors are responsible for: Meeting with ECT regularly to provide support and feedback Helping ECT to relate training to specific subject area, phase and context Arranging informal classroom drop-in sessions and providing feedback Being a point of contact if ECTs have difficulties with training Mentors are not responsible for formal assessments. Their focus is on supporting their ECT with their professional development during induction.
Headteacher	Headteachers are responsible for: Ensuring an ECF-based induction is provided for each ECT in line with DfE Statutory Induction Guidance Having an overall responsibility for the supervision and training of ECTs Ensuring appropriate ECF-based Induction is provided for each ECT Allocating a suitably trained Induction Tutor and mentor to each ECT employed in their school Ensuring an effective programme of support is in place for any ECT causing concern and that areas of improvement have been correctly identified against the Teachers’ Standards Giving recommendations to Exceed Appropriate Body on an ECT’s satisfactory completion of induction Participating appropriately in the Appropriate Body’s quality assurance procedures