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The Early Career Framework forms an important part of the government’s teacher recruitment and retention strategy, and its completion became a statutory requirement in September 2021. The programme comprises a fully-funded, two-year package of structured support for all early career teachers (formerly newly qualified teachers or NQTs). It was developed in consultation with world-leading teacher education specialists at universities across England, including Russell Group.

• This programme is created to equip teachers – both ECTs and Mentors - to be highly skilled, confident and competent practitioners who will positively impact on the lives of pupils through their practice in their teaching space.
• The programme is planned to provide development opportunities for teachers so that they can walk back into their classroom better practitioners, with practical skills, experiences and insight to enhance teaching and learning and the impact on children and young people.
• The programme provides a seamless transition for ECTs and development from our QTS ITT programmes.
• This programme will provide context specific case studies which take into account the settings of the ECTs and their Mentors.

• We have designed a comprehensive programme of face-to-face and online training, delivered via the University of Bedfordshire, so there are no extra demands on your school in terms of time or resources
• As a lead provider, BPN is inspected by Ofsted so you can be sure its programme and training are of consistent high quality
• The University of Bedfordshire has a well-established, highly successful teacher training programme and an experienced, research-active Education academic team, both of which will feed in to our ECF support and provision
• We have long-standing connections with our many partner schools and colleges across the region, so we can add local context to the ECF programme, reflecting your school’s unique local environment and cohort needs
• Being a local University also makes it convenient for ECTs and mentors to attend face-to-face sessions
• Peer-to-peer support is central to the programme and there are opportunities across the induction period for ECTs to network and learn from other teachers
• Our programme is carefully planned with teacher workload in mind and flexibility built in:
  
  
  • ECTs and mentors will be able to access recordings of training events on a dedicated learning platform so they can watch sessions on demand and revisit material at their convenience
  • There are facilitated programmes for part-time ECTs and those who start in-year
  • The schedule for mentors has been kept as non-onerous as possible while also offering mentors support and funded training
    
    
• Our learning platform also offers easy access to all self-study materials and interactive learning activities as well as event recordings, calendar and bookings - helping your ECTs and mentors keep organised and on track for the duration of the programme

BPN's brand in the education market is based on their capability to deliver national programmes on behalf of the DfE. Their partnerships with the CTSH and network of high calibre schools and higher education institutes (HEIs), including the University of Bedfordshire, provides academic credibility in the eyes of our audiences, especially, ECTs and their Mentors.

Our Early Career Development Programme team consists of experienced school leaders, academics, instructional designers and a highly professional and motivated candidate support team.

BPN are the leading provider of National Professional Qualifications and offer school leader and early years apprenticeships, Early Years Initial Teacher Training, NASENCo, HLTA, and School Business Manager programmes. We are excited to be able to add their Early Career Teacher Induction training to our programme delivery offer.

• They exceed a 93% pass rate across all their programmes
• 97% of candidates would recommend BPN to a colleague

There are three Early Career Framework options to choose from.

1. A provider-led full induction programme like the one we offer
2. Your school delivers the training using DfE-accredited materials and resources
3. Your school designs and delivers your own ECF-based induction

Provider-led ECF is designed to be the simplest option for your school because CTSH/BPN and the University of Bedfordshire take on the workload for you, to the highest standard. There’s also less paperwork involved as your school doesn’t have to demonstrate it has an appropriate ECF-based induction in place. Your school may benefit from additional funding.

The ECF has been designed to support ECT development in five core areas:

1. Behaviour management
2. Pedagogy
3. Curriculum
4. Assessment
5. Professional behaviours

The framework is presented in eight sections, dovetailing with the eight Teachers’ Standards: behaviour management is encompassed by High Expectations and Managing Behaviour (S1 and S7); pedagogy by How Pupils Learn, Classroom Practice and Adaptive Teaching (S2, S4, S5); and curriculum, assessment and professional behaviours by S3, S6 and S8 respectively.

Within each section, there are key evidence statements (starting with Learn that….) and practice statements (starting with Learn how to…).

The content of the framework and its underpinning evidence has been independently assessed and endorsed by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). The ECF establishes two types of content that ECTs should learn:

Key evidence statements are prefaced by ‘learn that…’ and are drawn from high quality evidence from the UK and overseas. Full references are available in the ECF document. These statements are numbered by the standard within the ECF to which they apply, followed by a trailing number (e.g., statement 1.4 is drawn from Standard 1 and states that teachers will ‘learn that…setting clear expectations can help communicate shared values that improve classroom and school culture.’ These are referred to throughout the programme materials as ‘learn that…’ statements).

Practice statements are prefaced by ‘learn how to…’ and are drawn from both research and guidance from experts in the sector. These statements are numbered by the standard to which they apply, followed by a trailing letter (e.g., statement 1a is also drawn from Standard 1 and states that teachers will ‘learn how to communicate a belief in the academic potential of all pupils, by using intentional and consistent language that promotes challenge and aspiration’). These are referred to throughout the programme materials as ‘learn how to…’ statements.

Our programme includes:

• Induction conference session
• Self-directed learning
• Online learning
• Where face to face training occurs this happens at the University of Bedfordshire, Bedford Campus
• Peer networking

ECTs will not be asked to undertake additional reading or research. We are mindful of the workload teachers face and don’t seek to add to that unnecessarily. There are no assessments for this course.

Yes, for state schools only. The funding entitlement includes:

• Two years of high-quality ECT training
• Freely available resources and development materials
• Funding for 5% time away from the classroom for ECTs in their second year; ECTs continue to have a 10% timetable reduction in their first year of induction
• Mentor support including access to training
• Time off timetable for mentors in the second year of their mentee’s induction

The induction programme is delivered through a blended approach; face to face seminars; in-school support and development from trained mentors and online self-study.

ECTs

Year 1: 19.5 hours of timetabled learning; 39 hours of mentor support; 60 minutes of self-guided study a week

Year 2: 12.5 hours of timetabled learning; 19 hours of mentor support; 5 hours of self-guided study across the year; 4 hours placement in alternative school/setting

Mentors

Year 1: 10.5 hours of timetabled learning; 39 hours of mentoring in school; 5 hours of self-guided study across the year

Year 2: 4.5 hours of timetabled learning; 19 hours of mentor support; 2 hours of self-guided study across the year

As part of the ECF induction programme, your school should identify two separate staff members to act as the ECT’s induction tutor and their mentor.

The induction tutor is responsible for assessing the ECT’s progress against the Teacher’s Standards through regular progress reviews and formal assessments. They should also guide the ECT’s professional development.

The mentor is expected to meet regularly with the ECT for structured sessions, providing targeted feedback; work with the ECT and other colleagues to make sure the ECT receives a high-quality, ECF-based induction programme; provide effective support, including subject-specific coaching and swift action if the ECT is experiencing difficulties.