ECT Induction support (formerly NQT)

What to consider before appointing an Early Career Teacher (ECT)

There are lots of benefits from employing ECTs:

• They bring new ideas
• They bring enthusiasm and energy
• They bring new, up to date skills and specialism's
• They can give existing staff opportunities to develop coaching and mentoring skills

However Inducting ECTs is not only a statutory requirement but also a huge commitment.

• Has your school got capacity to support an ECT?
• Is there a suitable tutor or mentor in school who has the capacity to fulfil the role and knows the statutory requirements for induction?
• Do you have teachers working in the same age group and or subject(s) whose practice is good or outstanding?
• Does the post fulfil the statutory requirements for induction?
• Have you got good school to school links to enable your ECT to observe practice in other settings?

Schools judged as 'requiring improvement' should consider carefully their capacity to support an ECT.

Is the post appropriate for an ECT?

The headteacher must ensure that the duties of the ECT, and the conditions under which the ECT works, are such as to enable there to be a fair and effective assessment of the ECT's performance and efficiency against the Teachers' Standards.

A suitable post for induction:

• Must have prior agreement with an Appropriate Body (AB) to quality assure (QA) the induction process.
• Must provide the ECT with the necessary employment tasks, experience and support to enable him or her to meet the Teachers' Standards by the end of the induction period
• Must provide the ECT with a reduced timetable to enable them to undertake activities in their induction programme in line with the requirements of the Early Career Framework (ECF)
• Must not make unreasonable demands upon the ECT
• Should not normally demand teaching outside the age range and/or subject(s) for which the ECT has been employed to teach
• Must not present the ECT, on a day-to-day basis, with discipline problems that are unreasonably demanding for the setting
• Must involve the ECT regularly teaching the same class(es)
• Must involve similar planning, teaching and assessment processes to those in which other teachers working in similar substantive posts in the institution are engaged
• Must not involve additional non-teaching responsibilities without the provision of appropriate preparation and support

Pre-induction checklist

WHAT to check and WHY check it: 

• The headteacher has provided a suitable post for induction
  • To ensure that the ECT has appropriate opportunity to complete induction
• The headteacher has verified that the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) has been made
  • To ensure that the ECT meets the requirements to commence induction
• The ECT is provided with a named contact (or contacts) within the appropriate body with whom to raise concerns
  • To ensure that the ECT has appropriate contacts if they need to raise concerns about their induction
• The Mentor has the ability and sufficient time to carry out their role
  • To ensure that the Mentor has sufficient time to facilitate the support they provide ECTs with during induction
• The Induction Tutor has the ability and sufficient time to carry out their role
  • To ensure that the Induction Tutor has sufficient time to facilitate the support they provide ECTs with during induction
• The school is providing a reduced timetable in addition to planning, preparation and assessment time (PPA)
  • To ensure that the  ECT has sufficient time to engage with the ECF-based induction programme; this is also a statutory requirement
• The headteacher has confirmed the type of ECF-based induction they are providing     
  • To ensure that the appropriate body can apply the required level of checks to ensure the ECT has access to a high-quality knowledge-based induction

Teachers trained and or under induction between 2019 and 2021

Schools should be aware that most of the teachers trained or undergone induction between 2019 and 2021 will have experienced some form of interruption. In most cases trainee placements were reduced, some significantly and at the point where trainees would have been increasing their teaching experience. Those teachers undergoing induction would have experienced lockdown and remote teaching impacting on the number of days in class.

When employing a teacher direct from training, it is important that references are sought from the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers along with details of the trainee's strengths, areas for development and experience during placements. Reports from ITT providers should identify areas for development which can form the basis for initial target setting.

Where ECTs have completed part of their induction in another setting

Ensure the following processes are in place:

• Check the date QTS was awarded and whether induction has begun elsewhere through the Teaching Regulation Agency's (TRA) Teacher Services database (opens new window)
• Ensure you get to see previous assessments and use them to form continued development plans
• Discuss their experience and expectations for continued induction
• Speak to the appropriate body on protocols for continued induction
• Place your ECT in a year group/subject where they have had previous experience
• Implement the school's own induction policy