Early Career Teachers

Early Career TeacheR Entitlement

Early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) is a 2-year programme that supports early career teachers (ECTs) when they start their teaching career. It’s designed to: 

• develop their professional skills 
• provide them with the knowledge and skills to meet the  teachers’ standards

It includes: 

• a training programme for ECTs 
• mentor support for ECTs 
• a training programme for new mentors (if the school uses a Department for Education (DfE) funded lead provider) 
• time off timetable for ECTs and mentors 
• regular progress reviews and 2 formal assessments for ECTs against the teachers’ standards 
  
  

Working with lead provider Teach First, Generate Teaching Hub offers a 2-year fully funded training programme to eligible schools in our Hub area of Halton, Warrington and Wigan.

The ECTE is at the heart of the Department for Education’s teacher recruitment and retention strategy to transform the support teachers get at the beginning of their careers.

The term ‘early career teacher entitlement (ECTE)’ replaces ‘ECF-based training and induction’ from September 2025.

What is the ITTECF?

From September 2025 onwards, ECTs and Mentors will access the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), which unifies and replaces the previous Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF). 

This consolidated framework outlines the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviours that trainees and ECTs should develop. It also specifies the mentoring and support ECTs are entitled to receive during the initial years of their teaching careers.