New teachers just starting in the profession, called Early Career Teachers (ECT), have a statutory entitlement to a two-year programme of support and development based on the new ITTECF (Initial Teacher Training Early Career Framework). This entitlement, known as the Early Career Teacher Entitlement, aims to give to give teachers a strong foundation from which they can build a successful career path, and includes access to a two-year DfE accredited programme of study (Early Career Teacher Programme).

Here at the Tees Valley Teaching School Hub, we use UCL as our Early Career Teacher Programme Lead Provider.

Benefits of the UCL ECTP (Early Career Teacher Programme)

The UCL ECTP is a fusion of university and school-based expertise working in partnership to create and implement a programme which is:

Regional: As a local delivery partner, Tees Valley Teaching School Hub has listened carefully to feedback from Headteachers, mentors and ECTs and is using this information to meet the varied needs to better fit school contexts with our schools.
Flexible: Tees Valley Teaching School Hub is working in partnership with UCL flexibly and responsively to design and deliver a programme that recognises the strengths and training needs of ECTs and to support mentors.
Knowledge and evidence-based: Informed by a deep understanding of the development needs of ECTs and Mentors in line with the ITTECF.
Drawn from expert theory and current practice: Co-designed by teachers and school leaders, teacher educators and academics with rich experience of translating evidence into practice.
Inquiry-based spiral learning: The understanding of key themes is established in Year 1, which then extended and deepened through three practice-based inquiries in Year 2.
Embedded in practice: The applied learning complements practice rather than being a ‘bolt on’ that would add to workload.
Personalised: Utilises diagnostic tools to enable ECTs to focus on areas they need to develop.
Contextualised: learning which considers subject and phase including materials to support SEND.

Costs and Funding

There are no costs associated with the ECTP, however there are costs for registering with an Appropriate Body.

If you are using another Appropriate Body other then ourselves you will need to contact them to find their costs. If you use us for Appropriate Body services, our costs are available via https://www.teesvalleytsh.co.uk/appropriate-body.

All state-funded schools offering statutory induction will receive additional funding to allow an ECT to participate in the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP). Each ECT will receive 10% off timetable in year 1, and 5% off timetable in Year 2. It is intended that the Mentors time will correspond with the ECT’s time off timetable.

Registering for an Early Career Teacher Programme

To register on an Early Career Teacher Programme you need to do the following (don’t worry, we have provided the links to make it easy):

Register the Early Career Teacher on the DfE Portal via this link.

You must let them know:

Which training route based on the ITTECF Framework you are using (Funded Provider-Led Programme, delivered by an approved Training Provider, or School Led, developed and delivered by your own school).
If you have chosen a Funded Provider-Led Programme, which lead provider you are going with? Tees Valley Teaching School Hub is working with University College London (UCL) for the ECTP (Early Career Training Programme). Other Training Providers are available.
Who your ECT Induction Tutor is in school (this is whoever will be overseeing the ECT’s induction, make judgments against teaching standards and complete the necessary progress reviews and assessment forms and completing the paperwork. All emails to the school about the ECTE (Early Career Teacher Entitlement) from the DfE will come to the address you provide here).
Who the ECT is.
Who the mentor is.
You will need to provide full information, including TRNs. This is to ensure that you receive the right funding. Please take care to input the correct information in order to get the ECT smoothly onto the programme. It is vital you link the Mentor and ECT on the DFE Portal.

2. Register with an Appropriate Body. To register with Tees Valley Teaching School Hub for our Appropriate Body services visit our online portal known as ECT Manager.

If your School has not had an ECT registered with UCL within the last 12 months

3. You will need to register with UCL via this link, (which is managed by our local partner NETSP, based at Newcastle University) ensuring you select Tees Valley Teaching School Hub in the Partners section.

And that’s it! You are now successfully registered on the Early Career Teacher Programme. We will be in contact soon to confirm the information you have provided.

Don’t Forget Your Appropriate Body

An essential part of the Early Career Teacher Entitlement is to be registered with an Appropriate Body. It is the Appropriate Body’s role to monitor and check on the progression of an ECT in their 2-year induction period.

You cannot retrospectively register an ECT with an Appropriate Body. It is therefore imperative that you register with an Appropriate Body at the same time you register the ECT for the 2-year induction.

Tees Valley Teaching School can provide Appropriate Body services as well as the Early Career Teacher Programme with UCL. We have an established presence in the Tees Valley as an Appropriate Body thanks to our individual knowledge and expertise. You can find out more about our Appropriate Body service by visiting https://www.teesvalleytsh.co.uk/appropriate-body

Need Help, Support, or have Questions?

Visit our FAQs for answers to common questions. If you Get in contact with us via ecf@teesvalleytsh.co.uk, and we’ll try our best to answer any questions you may have.

Testimonials

“The training that I have received over the two years of my ECF has been excellent, UCL, Tees Valley TSH and Carmel College have supported and guided me every step of the way and the training I received has reinforced my experiences in ITT helping me to grow in confidence and ability as a teacher.”
ECF Participant, Year 2 (2022 – 2023)