With the movement away from offering support as an Appropriate Body for the purposes of Induction for ECTs, we are excited to announce that The Education People now offer the full DfE ‘Golden thread’ menu of professional qualifications across Kent, from support staff, to new teachers, through to executive heads.  For more details on this, select here.

Induction for ECTs

Government changes to who can act as an Appropriate Body for the purposes of ECT induction, mean that The Education People (ECT Induction Team) will no longer be able to support ECTs. The majority of our ECTs will have completed induction by this point but for the few who won't have completed, they will need to have their induction period transferred to a Teaching School Hub Appropriate Body.  The Education People will be on hand to fully support this process.

*Please note, this does not affect the delivery of the Early Career Framework which we continue to delivery in partnership with Best Practice Network.

For new ECTs:

For new ECTs registering for induction, we will be working with the two Teaching School Hubs in Kent to support them in their delivery of ECT induction services and so schools will need to contact one of the hubs below to register any new ECTs from September.  Please find below contact details for both TSH:

Kent Teaching School Hub - [email protected]

Thames Gateway Teaching School Hub - [email protected]

The Education People is an 'Appropriate Body' for schools from all over the world, who choose us to oversee their ECT teacher induction period. The appointment of an Appropriate Body is a statutory requirement for all ECT induction periods.

Our ECT Induction & Support team provides specialist support, guidance and advice on ECT induction for over 1,000 ECTs each year - in schools, HE colleges and academies across England and in British Overseas Schools. The team delivers a comprehensive service including:

• an online system for schools to submit termly ECT assessments
• online resources for ECTs and their tutors
• confidential support and advice via email and phone for ECTs and their tutors - to ensure schools are able to sufficiently support and monitor their ECTs, or to discuss any concerns about the induction period
• termly newsletters for ECTs and their tutors, with timely information about the induction process
• quality assurance visits to ensure that best practice is consistent across all our schools – these visits also allow schools to ask any questions they may have about their schools ECT induction process
• training for ECTs in the form of a webinar covering how to be successful in their induction
• social media updates about all elements of teaching
• initial progress reviews, which may result in a visit to the school if an ECT is making limited progress and needs additional support*
• face to face training for induction tutors/mentors who support ECTs in schools*
• a training programme for primary ECTs covering all aspects of teaching*
• bespoke packages providing training and support for ECTs and their mentors in school.*

We offer a friendly and personalised service to our customers, and will ensure that our schools are able to fulfil the statutory responsibilities for the successful completion of ECT induction periods.  If you would like to discuss our service and the support that we can offer you, please get in touch and we would be happy to talk to you.

An ECT is a 'Early Career Teacher' who has just obtained QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). This phase involves undertaking an induction programme that enables them to be legally employed as a teacher in a maintained school.

Induction is the bridge between initial teacher training and a career in teaching, and is designed to offer teachers support and guidance in their professional development. During the induction period, ECTs build on their initial teacher training to show that they’re able to meet expected Teachers' Standards over a long period of time. ECTs can do their induction in any maintained school, as well as independent schools including free schools, academies, nursery schools and certain independent schools overseas. ECTs can’t do their induction in a school that has an Ofsted special measure judgement.

Only teachers who have completed their induction programme can go on to teach in maintained schools in England. However, ECTs who intend to work solely in independent schools, including academies and free schools, don’t have to go through induction.

Throughout the induction period, teachers will have a slightly reduced timetable and will work towards demonstrating that they have met all the relevant professional standards to become an effective teacher. This involves being assessed every term by a school-based induction mentor or tutor, appraising their progress towards meeting the Teachers' Standards (these detail the required skills in areas such as subject knowledge, planning, assessment and managing the learning environment, as well as personal and professional conduct).

Once the final assessment is submitted by the school, the school is required to make a recommendation to the Appropriate Body (us) stating whether their ECT has made satisfactory progress towards meeting the standards. The Appropriate Body will then assess whether they have met the requirements to pass their induction period.

Induction takes two academic years for ECTs working full time.  From September 2021, ECTs carrying out their induction on a part-time basis are also able to complete after 2 years, if they are meeting the standards.  The Appropriate Body would make the final decision on this based on evidence from the school and the online assessments.