• Appropriate body (AB) - Appropriate bodies are the organisations that quality-assure statutory teacher induction.  They ensure that ECTs receive their statutory entitlements and that ECTs are fairly and consistently assessed.

         Please visit this link for more guidance:   Appropriate bodies guidance

• Assessment - Formal assessments of each ECT’s performance (against the Teachers’ Standards) take place at the end of the ECT’s first and second years of induction (term 3/term 6, or equivalent for part-time ECTs). 

• Brightspace - Brightspace is the name of Teach First’s online learning platform, which contains all the required self-directed study materials for ECTs.  All ECTs and mentors registered with the Xavier Teaching School Hub receive a Brightspace login direct from Teach First.

• Bulletin - Xavier sends out a comprehensive weekly bulletin, every Thursday, which contains all the information that ECTs, mentors and induction tutors need to keep up-to-date with the programme.

• Cause for concern - A cause for concern may be raised, following a support plan review, when an ECT continues to make slow or no progress towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards.  (See Support plan.)  Full details of the cause for concern process is available in the secure ECTE Member Area on the Xavier Teaching School Hub’s website, link below:

ECT support process

• Core content framework (CCF) - The DfE's core content framework (CCF) set out the minimum entitlement for all trainee teachers.  It was replaced by the ITTECF from September 2025.

• Core Induction Programme (CIP) - See Training options.

• Delivery partner - Delivery partners are organisations working with lead providers to deliver the full ECT induction programme to schools.  The Xavier Teaching School Hub is one of  Teach First's delivery partners.  

• Department for Education (DfE) - The Department for Education is responsible for children’s services and education, including early years, schools, higher and further education policy, apprenticeships and wider skills in England.

• Development cycle - In the second year of induction, the Teach First programme is divided into 3 development cycles (one per term).  These recap and build on the first-year training modules.

• Early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) - Formerly known as the ECF (early career framework), the ECTE is a funded entitlement to a structured two-year package of professional development for ECTs.  The ECTE builds on, and complements, initial teacher training. The programme has been designed to support ECT development in 5 core areas – behaviour management, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and professional behaviours.  The ECTE is underpinned by the ITTECF (Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework), which sets out the minimum training curriculum for ECTs. 

• Early career teacher (ECT) - The term ‘ECT’ refers to new teachers in their first or second year of induction.  This replaced the term ‘newly-qualified teacher’ (NQT).

• ECT Manager - ECT Manager is an online system used by appropriate bodies and schools to manage the registration and assessment of ECTs.

Please visit  this link for more information:   ECT Manager

• ECTE Member Area - The ECTE Member Area is a secure (password-protected) area of the Xavier Teaching School Hub website, to which all programme members receive a login.  It is a vital source of information about the programme.  

• ECT1 - ECT1s are early career teachers in their first year of induction.

• ECT2 - ECT2s are early career teachers in their second year of induction.

• Extension - In certain circumstances, an ECT’s induction period may need to be extended, at the discretion of the appropriate body. 

• Facilitator - In order to ensure that ECTs receive the best possible training experience, the Xavier Teaching School Hub commissions excellent schools to deliver the Teach First training seminars to ECTs. These schools select expert facilitators from amongst their staff to deliver the training sessions.

• Fidelity check - See Training options.  If schools choose either option 2 or option 3 for their ECT’s training, the appropriate body must carry out regular fidelity checks to ensure that the ECT has access to an induction programme based on the ITTECF. 

• Full induction programme (FIP) - See Training options.

• Induction - Since September 2021, induction for teachers joining the profession has been extended to two years and is underpinned by the ITTECF.  Subject to certain exemptions, a qualified teacher cannot be employed as a teacher in a relevant school in England, unless they have satisfactorily completed an induction period. 

• Induction tutor - It is the school-based induction tutor’s responsibility to ensure that ECTs and mentors are registered on the ECTE programme.  In addition, induction tutors provide regular monitoring and support to ECTs and coordinate their assessment.  Induction tutors are expected to hold QTS and have the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to assess each ECT against the Teachers’ Standards.

• Initial teacher training (ITT) - The term ‘initial teacher training’ refers to the training programme (university-led or school-based) which helps trainees to meet the Teachers’ Standards, so that they can be awarded QTS.

• Initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF) - Since September 2025, the CCF and ECF have been combined into a single framework. The ITTECF sets out the entitlement of every trainee and ECT to the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, and to the mentoring and support they should receive from expert colleagues.

• Intensive training and practice (ITaP) - From September 2024, ITaPs will form a compulsory part of initial teacher training.  In addition to their core training, trainees will intensely focus on a single or small number of specific, foundational or pivotal areas of the ITT curriculum.  ITT providers will offer a choice of 3 to 5 ITaPs, which trainees can opt into.  Trainees will have to spend 20 days of their postgraduate training year (or 30 days on undergraduate routes), focusing on their chosen ITaP area(s).

• Interim assessment - When an ECT leaves a post after completing one term or more in an institution, but before the next formal assessment would take place, the induction tutor or headteacher is expected to complete an interim assessment before the ECT leaves their post. 

• Lead provider - The DfE has accredited six lead providers, who are contracted to devise and deliver training programmes based on the ITTECF.  Lead providers work with delivery partners, such as the Xavier Teaching School Hub.  Each delivery partner must choose one of the accredited lead providers to work with.  The Xavier Teaching School Hub has chosen to work with Teach First.  ECTs registered with Xavier will therefore use Teach First’s training materials.

• Mentor - All ECTs are assigned a mentor, who holds QTS and provides the first line of support.  ECTs meet weekly with their mentors during their first year of induction, and fortnightly during the second year of induction. Mentors follow a formal training programme, which includes attending regular online training sessions. 

• Module - In their first year of induction, the Teach First programme is divided into 6 modules (one per half-term).  These recap and build on the content of initial teacher training. 

• National professional qualifications (NPQ) - NPQs are (post-induction) funded professional development courses for teachers, and leaders at all levels. 

For more information please visit this link:  National professional qualifications

• Planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) - All teachers who participate in the teaching of pupils are entitled to reasonable periods of planning, preparation and assessment time.  PPA time must be provided in units of not less than half an hour during the school’s timetabled teaching week and must amount to not less than 10% of the teacher’s timetabled teaching time. 

• Progress review - During their induction years, termly reviews of an ECT’s progress against the Teachers’ Standards are carried out.  Progress reviews take place at the end of each term in which there is not a formal assessment (see Assessment).  Progress reviews are carried out by either the headteacher, induction tutor or another senior leader assigned by the school.  Completed progress reviews are uploaded to ECT Manager and are then reviewed by the Xavier appropriate body. 

• Qualified teacher learning and skills (QTLS) - ECTs with qualified teacher learning and skills status (QTLS) are exempt from statutory induction and are therefore not eligible for DfE funding.

• Qualified teacher status (QTS) - QTS is a legal requirement for teachers in maintained (and non-maintained special) schools in England.  In some schools in England, QTS is not a legal requirement.  For example, academy and free schools can employ teachers without QTS, as can schools outside of the English state school sector (eg private or independent schools).  An ECT cannot undertake statutory induction unless they have been awarded QTS.

• Reduced induction - The length of the induction period an ECT is required to serve, whether the teaching post in which they are doing so is part-time or full-time, is the full-time equivalent of two school years.  In exceptional circumstances, the length of an induction period may be reduced by the appropriate body.  The minimum period that can be counted towards completion of the induction period is continuous employment equivalent to one term.

• Reduced timetable - All ECTs must have a reduced timetable during their induction period.  In their first year of induction (terms 1 to 3, or equivalent for part-time ECTs), an ECT must not teach more than 90% of the timetable of the school’s existing teachers on the main pay scale.  In their second year (terms 4 to 6, or equivalent for part-time ECTs), ECTs must not teach more than 95%.  This is in addition to the 10% timetable reduction which all teachers receive for PPA.

• Seminar - Throughout the induction period, ECTs and mentors attend regular face-to-face and/or online training seminars.  Attendance at seminars is a compulsory part of the programme.  ECTs attend 12 seminars in their first year of induction (2 per half-term), and 6 in their second year.

• Statutory entitlements - Throughout their induction period, ECTs have a number of statutory entitlements.  These included being appointed to a suitable post for induction, having a designated mentor and induction tutor, being provided with a reduced timetable etc.  See paragraph 2.18 in Induction for ECTs.

• Support plan - From time to time, teachers may need additional support in order to consistently meet the Teachers’ Standards.  Where concerns about an ECT’s performance are raised by their school, a support plan may be put in place.  This sets out clear targets for the ECT to meet, together with details of the support the school will provide to help the ECT to achieve them.  Support plans are initially put in place for two weeks, at the end of which they are reviewed.  The induction tutor is responsible for notifying Xavier that a support plan is in place, and for uploading the plan (and its subsequent review) to ECT Manager. 

• Teach First - Teach First is Xavier’s chosen ECF lead provider. 

• Teacher reference number (TRN) - A TRN is a 7-digit number that uniquely identifies you in the education sector in England. You only have one TRN, which stays with you throughout your career.

Please access this link to look up your TRN:   Teacher reference number

• Teachers’ Standards - The Teachers’ Standards are used to assess all trainees working towards QTS, and all those completing their ECF statutory induction period.  The standards define the minimum level of practice expected of trainees and ECTs.  Part One of the Teachers’ Standards relates to the quality of teaching.  Part Two of the Teachers’ Standards relates to personal and professional conduct.

For more information please visit this link:   Teachers' Standards

• Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) - The TRA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Education.  The TRA is responsible for the regulation of the teaching profession, including misconduct hearings and the maintenance of a record of teachers, trainee teachers and those who hold a teacher reference number.

• Teaching School Hub - Teaching school hubs are centres of excellence for teacher training and development.  The Xavier Teaching School Hub is one of 87 TSHs nationally, who play a significant role in delivering:

• School-based initial teacher training
• The early career framework
• National professional qualifications
• Appropriate body services.

For more information please visit this link:  Teaching school hubs

• Training options - When schools register ECTs to start induction, they also choose a training option:
• Option 1: use a lead provider (formerly, the full induction programme or FIP)
• Option 2: deliver their own training using DfE-accredited materials (formerly, the core induction programme or CIP)
• Option 3: design and delivery their own training, which has to cover all the statements in the ECF.

The vast majority of schools choose option 1. This is the only option which is fully funded by the DfE, so there is no cost for eligible schools.