Early Career Framework
UCL IOE leads a partnership of 21 Delivery Partners across England providing robust professional learning for early career teachers and mentors based on the Early Career Framework.
- UCL IOE Early Career Teacher Full Induction Programme
- Why choose the UCL Early Career Teacher Development Programme?
- ECF Curriculum Map
- ECF delivery partners by Local Authority Districts (LAD)
- Applying for the programme
UCL IOE Early Career Teacher Full Induction Programme
UCL IOE was proud to have been designated as a DfE approved provider of the Early Career Framework (ECF), building on our delivery model for the Early Roll Out pilot areas. The programme for Early Career Teachers and their Mentors commenced in September 2021.
Feedback from thousands of participants clearly demonstrates that our content and approach to ECF is strongly approved of by ECTs, mentors and Induction Tutors.
The Full Induction Programme is built on our success in delivering the Early Roll-Out programme and is based on the core induction programme which is accessible from the DfE.
Why choose the UCL Early Career Teacher Development Programme?
Our programme is a fusion of university and school-based expertise working in partnership to create and implement a programme which is:
- Knowledge and evidence-based: Informed by a deep understanding of the development needs of ECTs and Mentors.
- 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.
- Regional: Our Delivery Partners give a local flavour to each region, using delivery that meets the needs of schools in their region.
- Flexible: Delivery Partners can follow our proposed sequence or create their own to meet the needs of ECTs and Mentors.
Our ECF provision is judged as Outstanding by Ofsted. The inspection team stated, “At UCL IOE, leaders have designed an astute programme that enables ECTs to engage deeply with the knowledge and skills that sit behind the ECF. The programme has been co-designed through meaningful collaboration with delivery partners, who adjust the programme to fit the context in which ECTs work and the subjects and phases they teach.” Read the Ofsted report.
You may also find the additional DfE guidance helpful:
- Guidance for early career teachers (ECTs) - it answers some common questions about your 2-year induction programme, which is based on the early career framework (ECF): Induction for early career teachers (England)
- Guidance for school leaders and induction tutors - it answers some common questions about how to set up and run your school’s early career teacher (ECT) induction training programme, based on the early career framework (ECF): Guidance for schools: how to manage ECF-based training
- Guidance for people who mentor early career teachers (ECTs) during their 2-year induction - it answers some common questions about how the ECF-based training programme works, how to support ECTs, and how to get help:
Guidance for mentors: how to support ECF-based training
ECF Curriculum Map
The UCL ECF Curriculum Map outlines our two year journey for ECTs.
Explore below both the content of the modules and the key elements included to help our ECTs enjoy a long and happy career.
Year 1
In Year 1, our ECTs build and apply their knowledge with our first five modules. Each module consists of self-study, mentor meetings, training sessions and online learning community sessions. Because we recognise that our ECTs bring a wealth of knowledge from ITE, we have provided an audit at the start of every module to help them personalise their route.
Module 1: Enable pupil learning
Establish an effective learning environment and manage behaviour. Understand pupils as learners.
Module 2: Engage pupil learning
Appreciate the importance of prior knowledge, memory, and literacy. Expand your curriculum knowledge and subject expertise.
Module 3: Develop quality pedagogy
Plan more effective lessons. Learn how to address the needs of all pupils.
Module 4: Make productive use of assessment
Investigate the application of assessment. Learn how to give high quality feedback.
Module 5: Fulfil professional responsibilities
Explore and apply skills in working with others.
Year 2
In Year 2 our ECTs deepen their knowledge through a spiral curriculum. They revisit previous content, this time personalising and extending their learning by co-creating their own questions to investigate. We call this a practitioner inquiry approach.
Module 6: Enable pupil learning
Working with your mentor, co-create a question to investigate such as: what are the most effective non-verbal signals to help me manage behaviour? We call this an exploratory inquiry.
Module 7: Engage pupil learning
Working with your mentor, co-create a question to investigate such as: to what extent do regular quizzes help my students remember key vocabulary? We call this an exploratory inquiry.
Module 8: Evaluative inquiry focusing on ECF standards 4, 5 and 6
Select a specific area of practice to investigate in more detail. Wow your colleagues with your evaluation.
Module 9: School visits
Expand your horizons by visiting two different settings to compare with your current context.
Six high quality outcomes
There are six things we want our ECTs to take away from our programme - outlined below. We believe these six outcomes will optimise the potential of our ECTs enjoying a long and happy career in teaching. They will develop them throughout our programme and take them with them on their journey.
Voice
Confidence in professional voice and persona.
Knowledge
A strong knowledge of the evidence underpinning the ECF (Early Career Framework).
Application
The capacity to apply research judiciously to different contexts.
Value
An appreciation of the value of engaging in professional development.
Revelatory moments
New ways of thinking and a sense of professional curiosity.
Enjoyment
A sense of fulfilment from developing as a professional.
How our programme is delivered
Our Delivery Partners
We have 21 delivery partners across the country who deliver our ECF programme.
Schools on the full induction programme will be attached to one of them in their local area.
Delivery partners organise half-termly face to face training sessions and online community sessions. Along with facilitators and induction tutors, delivery partners will monitor and support engagement on the programme.
Training Sessions
ECTs are grouped in a 'cluster' by their delivery partner and attend live training sessions alongside other participants in their local area. Their delivery partner appoints facilitators to lead these sessions. They will get to know their participants well.
Online learning community
ECTs will have the opportunity to share and exchange ideas at regular online learning community sessions.
Self-study
ECTs will also develop their knowledge through self-study. They will read about the research conducted by UCL IOE and other organisations that sits behind the framework and consider how to apply this to their practice.
Mentor sessions
ECTs will attend regular meetings with their mentor. During these meetings, they will work with their mentor to contextualise and apply their learning. UCL IOE’s approach uses an ONSIDE model which means their mentor is well supported in being on their side.
Community
As well as their mentor, ECTs have a network of people to support them: their mentor, induction tutor, department, facilitator, delivery partner, online learning community and school community.
ECT stories
Module 1: Yasmine's story
Yasmine completed ITE in July and is excited to start the programme, starting with Module 1. Yasmine is an EYFS teacher and is feeling reassured that she will be joining a cluster for training sessions that focuses on Early Years and is also facilitated by an EYFS specialist. Her Delivery Partner has provided the details of the first sessions, she has met her mentor and, together, they have looked through the Module 1 audit. Yasmine has enrolled onto UCLeXtend and watched the programme navigation recording so she feels ready to begin.
Module 3: Anya's story
Anya has already had a few years’ experience working in schools, firstly as an HLTA and then as an unqualified secondary Science teacher. She is starting her Induction in January and will be joining a specialist Science cluster for her live training sessions and online learning communities. Anya is also working part-time and so has gone through the module 3 audit very carefully with her mentor to make sure that she focuses on the most relevant parts of the module. She already knows that it will be hard to attend all live sessions due to her part-time status but has committed to watching the session recordings on UCLeXtend. Anya realises that revisiting the Teachers Standards will be of benefit to her.
Module 7: Exploratory inquiry, Hamish's story
Hamish is a Secondary Art Teacher who has just completed his Module 6 audit with his mentor. His knowledge and application of the framework has grown significantly, but he agreed with his mentor that he should continue to work on establishing effective routines in his classroom, particularly at the start of lessons.
He wrote down some initial questions he had about this, and then watched the video in Week 2 of UCLeXtend to help him develop an exploratory inquiry question. He decided on: what routines work best with my Year 9 students at the start of lessons?
He then worked through the exploratory research question checklist with his mentor. They agreed he would narrow his inquiry down to focusing on just 6 of his pupils and that he would begin by investigating how these pupils responded to routines used by other teachers in the school.
The Head of Year 9 is very interested in his inquiry and wants him to share his learning with the rest of the year team at the end of it.
Module 8: Evaluative inquiry, Priti's story
Priti is a Primary school teacher. She enjoyed working on her exploratory inquiries in Module 6 and 7 and is now embarking on her evaluative inquiry in Module 8. Watching the videos on UCLeXtend has really helped her to refine her question and she has decided on: to what extent is reciprocal reading, implemented three times a week for 3 months an effective strategy for improving reading ages in Year 6 high prior attaining boys?
Her mentor is also keen to investigate the impact of this strategy, and agreed to work alongside Priti, trialling this approach in her classroom. Improving the progress of high prior attainers is a whole school development priority, so they are excited to share their findings with their colleagues at a whole school CPD session at the end of the year.
Module 9: Steven's story
Steven has reached the end of Module 9 and has successfully completed the UCL ECF programme. He is a primary teacher, learning much from having the opportunity to visit two schools in this module, hosted by other members of his primary cluster group.
Steven will be taking on responsibility for Religious Education from September and is already looking to the future, hoping to mentor ECTs himself one day and to consider doing one of the National Professional Qualifications. Steven reflected on his learning throughout the programme in a notebook (learning log) and will keep this to reference this year, and beyond.
The Golden Thread
Practitioner inquiry
The education profession is constantly evolving. There is a world of pupils who will benefit from research yet to be completed by teachers like you. Take the practitioner inquiry approach with you beyond the ECT (Early Career Teacher) programme and help us to discover new ways of improving pupil outcomes.
National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)
Work with us again. This time developing your leadership skills on our NPQs.
Study with us
On top of our NPQs, you can also study our graduate taught, graduate research, and leadership and development programmes.
ECF Delivery Partners by LAD
We are currently working with 21 Delivery Partners:
Applying for the programme
To access the UCL programme schools need to ensure that three steps are taken:
1 - Register your ECT (plus Induction Tutor and Mentor if this has not been done previously) on the DfE portal: see registering on the DfE Online Teacher CPD Service platform
2 - Contact the UCL Delivery Partner for your region:
- If you represent an individual school and would like to access the UCL Full Induction Programme programme but are not located within one of the LADs listed we may be able to allocate you to a neighbouring Delivery Partner. Please contact your nearest adjacent UCL Delivery Partner to discuss the options.
- If you represent a large Multi-academy Trust (MAT) or a Teaching School Hub and would like to become a UCL Delivery Partner please contact our partnership relations Programme Leader for ECF.
3 - Register the ECT with your Appropriate Body.
General enquiries
Testimonials from Teaching School Hubs (TSH)
ECT, Wandle TSH
“I have found the programme to be effective in scaffolding my learning through the early stages of my ECT year. I have greatly benefitted from the support from my mentor.”
Mentor, Selby and Wakefield TSH
“Mentor meeting resources useful to print off and prepare for meetings. Found reference materials and suggested strategies/principles have improved my own expertise in order to support the ECT. Opportunities to reflect on my own qualities/ skills have enhanced my role as a mentor. ONSIDE is such a valuable tool-challenging previous ways of mentoring!”
ECT, South Central TSH
“I think the programme is well structured in following the Teaching Standards and critically looks at each standard in depth so that I can reflect on what I've taught and what I can do to develop further. It has allowed me to address my strengths and put into practice the weekly discussions of the topics to use next. I have been able to focus on a specific area of my teaching each week that relates to the teaching standards and therefore reflect with my mentor on good practice and areas for development.”
Mentor, Harris City Academy Crystal Palace TSH:
“ONSIDE coaching works well. Most content is easy to use and well researched. The programme is great once you get your head around it as a mentor and begin looking ahead!”
See also
Programme structure and module overview
Research into the work engagement, wellbeing and retention of teachers and school leaders in England
About Early Roll-Out (2020-2022)
About the Early Roll-Out consortium