Professional development for early career teachers

Delivered through the Early Career Framework. Investing in early career teachers has never been more important. Following Initial Teacher Training, our Early Career Professional Development Programme offers the essential specialist support needed to improve practice, build confidence and resilience, leading to better job satisfaction and retention.

ECTs learn valuable skills they can use in the classroom straight away and get the structured support needed to help them be the best teachers they can be during this period of change and disruption to normal school life.

We are currently delivering the early roll-out of the Early Career Framework, funded by the Department for Education. We will be offering a funded programme as part of the national roll-out, starting September 2021.

If you'd like to register your school for the September 2021 start, complete the form here.

Programme content

This Programme is designed around what works. We use evidence-based professional development models that are the most effective in improving teacher practice and student outcomes.

Watch our 15-minute overview presented by Dr. Jim Rogers who will guide you through all the details you need to know about our Programme and how to register your school.

Overview of ECPDP

A high-quality, blended learning experience

Developed with schools, our Early Career Framework materials provide a high-quality, evidence-informed blended learning experience for teachers and their mentors. Each topic includes rich and relevant examples from expert practitioners, accessible insights from research, and frequent opportunities to put knowledge into practice.

The online platform enables this journey throughout the Programme, giving participants access to self-study materials, videos, webinars, podcasts and blogs, and an easy way to select and book onto their training sessions.

Space for early career teachers to learn, practice & reflect

Early career teachers need time and space to reflect on and challenge their own practice. This Programme is centred around developing the mentor relationship, and includes a carefully constructed programme of webinars, face-to-face training, and self-study activities which support this.

Each of these activities will provide opportunities to learn the theory, put the theory into practice, and reflect on personal and professional development with the support of their mentor.

Excellent mentoring is key to the success of an early career teacher

The relationship between an ECT and their mentor is critical to driving improvements in classroom practice. It rests on creating the right conditions to establish a constructive professional relationship, with optimal levels of support and challenge.

We will work with in-school mentors to learn new mentoring and coaching techniques, enabling them to strengthen essential skills that they can use throughout their careers.

Specialist training and support will ensure each mentor is confident in their knowledge of the Early Career Framework and develops their mentoring skills so that the ECTs they work with get the very best from the Programme.

Mentors put forward by schools will benefit from a comprehensive programme of development that includes regional training sessions led by expert facilitators, and local peer-coaching sessions with a 'buddy' mentor.

Partnering with schools and expert organisations

We are genuinely committed to working with schools to ensure all our programmes are compatible with school life – providing outstanding professional learning with the reality of a teaching timetable and school commitments in mind.

Our Early Career Professional Development Programme is designed with schools and our expert partner, Sheffield Hallam University.

Sheffield Hallam University is one of England’s largest providers of initial teacher education and is recognised for their excellence and innovation in teaching and learning. They invest in expertise and resources in a wide range of education studies.

Their work is embedded in practice and delivered by working in partnership to respond to the needs of educational employers. Everything they do is informed by broad, cutting-edge research by leading academics and expert practitioners, across many related disciplines.

Ready to register for September 2021?

Please register using the link below. You will be required to select a Delivery Partner. Please be aware that we can only accept registrations from schools in areas or with relationships covered by one of our Delivery Partners.

At a glance...

Exceptional professional development designed to meet the needs of early career teachers, learning skills they can use straight away.
An evidence-led programme of training, designed around what really works, and how pupils learn, for effective improvement in teacher practice and student outcomes.
Engaging and accessible online learning, alongside face-to-face and virtual training delivered by school-based experts.
A focused development programme for mentors, with regional training run by expert facilitators, and peer coaching sessions with a ‘buddy’ mentor.
Delivered locally in partnership with one of our Delivery Partner schools, who will manage all aspects of the training, freeing up in-school staff to focus on other priorities.
Developed in partnership with schools and Sheffield Hallam University, one of England’s largest providers of initial teacher education.

Got a question?

If you would like to talk to a member of the Early Career PDP team, get in touch with us.

Delivery Partners and areas

We are working with local Delivery Partners to deliver this Programme; schools that share our values and have a track record of delivering high-quality professional development.

These school Delivery Partners will host training events with experienced local facilitators, ensure materials are adapted to fit the needs of teachers and pupils in their area, and be the main point of contact for schools and teachers registered on the programme.

National roll-out starts in September 2021, and we will be running the Programme with our Delivery Partners, a list of which can be found below. Please be aware that we can only accept registrations from schools in areas or with relationships covered by our Delivery Partners.

Alban Teaching School Hub

One of two Teaching School Hubs supporting the ECF in Hertfordshire. Their region covers Dacorum, Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers, Watford, Welwyn and Hatfield.

Alpha Teaching School Hub (CCHSG)

The Alpha Hub Teaching School is the newly designated Teaching School Hub for Colchester, Tendring, Ipswich, and Babergh areas.

Alpha Hub Teaching School aims to connect excellence that currently exists within our hub area schools and Multi-academy Trusts to provide the ‘Golden Threads’ of CPD through collaboration at each stage of a teacher’s career including:

Initial Teacher Training
Early Career Teachers
Appropriate Body Commissioning
Developing Middle and Senior Leaders using National Professional Qualifications.
Additional Continued Professional Development needs that the Strategic Board and Headteachers of the Alpha Teaching School Hub identify, to meet the needs of schools in our Hub area.

The Arthur Terry Teaching School Hub - North Birmingham

The Arthur Terry Teaching School Hub, North Birmingham serves schools in the following Birmingham constituency areas Ladywood, Hodge Hill, Erdington, Perry Barr and Sutton Coldfield.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Teaching School Hub

Delivering the programme to all schools in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough covering primary, secondary, special and AP. Also working with partners and the LA to deliver teacher development from EYFS to KS5.

Camden Learning

In the London Borough of Camden, welcoming schools from any other local boroughs.

Five Counties Teaching School Hub Alliance

Delivering the programme in South Gloucestershire, Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and Somerset.

Flying High Teaching School Hub

Designated Teaching School Hub for Nottingham City, Broxtowe, Rushcliffe, Mansfield and Ashfield. We serve 282 schools throughout this locality, across all phases.

Forest Learning Alliance

Delivering the programme in the Berkshire area.

HISP Teaching School Hub

Delivering the programme in Portsmouth and Southampton, and welcoming schools across Hampshire.

John Taylor Teaching School Hub

Delivering the programme in North Warwickshire and East & Southern Staffordshire, including the districts of Lichfield, Tamworth, East Staffordshire, Cannock, North Warwickshire and Nuneaton & Bedworth.

L.E.A.D. Teaching School Hub - Lincolnshire

Delivering the programme in Lincolnshire.

Potentia Teaching School Hub (incl. Learners First)

Potentia TSH will be responsible for supporting all schools within the region of EMH3, which includes Amber Valley, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak and North East Derbyshire.

REAch2

REAch2 is a national Multi-academy Trust. The REAch2 school network includes London, Sussex, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Rugby, and Shropshire.

Redborne

Delivering the programme to all schools in Central Bedfordshire. Providing a high quality programme with depth and breadth of knowledge of our local context.

Redhill Teaching Hub

Delivering the programme in Nottingham City and across Nottinghamshire.

Saffron Teaching School Hub

Saffron Teaching School Hub covers the Essex Local Authority Districts of Braintree, Chelmsford, Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford.

South Yorkshire Teaching School Hub

Delivering the programme in South Yorkshire.

Spencer Teaching School Hub - Chetwynd Primary Academy

Delivering the programme in Derby, South Derbyshire and Erewash, as well as delivering to schools withing their MAT and TSA network.

Swindon and Wiltshire Teaching School Hub

Working across primary schools in Swindon and Wiltshire enabling all ECTs and their mentors to access this high quality, DfE approved professional development programme, underpinned by the ECF and rooted in research and classroom practice. Having been part of the early roll-out expansion offer in 2020-2021, the team is experienced in the best ways to support and develop ECTs and their mentors, and helping all schools in the area to confidently meet the demands of the ECF.

Thames Gateway Teaching School Hub

Delivering the programme to all schools in the Medway, Gravesham and Dartford areas, and any schools in the wider Kent area who wish to work with Education Development Trust for their Full Induction Programme. Also providing the FIP for all schools in Leigh Academies Trust - some of whom are in North London and the wider Kent area.

The Northern Lights Hub - South Tyne & Wear

Delivering the programme in Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead Local Authority Districts.

Tudor Grange Academy Solihull - WM4

Delivering the programme in Solihull, Redditch, Bromsgrove and Stratford-On-Avon.

Funding for the Early Career Framework

The Department for Education is funding all training, at no cost to schools.

All state funded schools offering statutory induction will receive additional funding to deliver the Early Career Framework reforms.

The funding will cover:

5% off timetable in the second year of induction for all early career teachers to undertake induction activities including training and mentoring.
Funding for mentors to spend with early career teachers in the second year of induction - this is based on 20 hours of mentoring across the academic year.

Further information on funding can be found on GOV.UK.

Latest news

BLOG: My predictions: best bets for Teaching School Hub leaders

Read the latest blog from Matt Davis, Regional Director, UK.

NEWS: Ed Dev selected as a lead provider for the national rollout of the Early Career Framework.

Read the announcement here.

NEWS: Following the announcement of a new national lockdown and what this meant for schools this half term, we took a hard look at what we had planned for our ECTs and mentors and thought - is there something we could do better?

Read about the launch of Spring term INTERACTIVE here.

WEBINAR: Essential support for new teachers through the Early Career Framework

Find out everything you need to know to get started this term, including details of the vital support and development our programme of training for ECTS and mentors provides. You can sign-up in 10-minutes, then let our central and Delivery Hub teams take care of the rest. (Please be aware that programme registration for the early rollout has now closed.)

Watch the webinar recording here.

BLOG: Top tips on how to ensure your NQT’s thrive through the Early Career Framework

Read some top tips from Sam Twiselton and Star Academies.

UPDATE: DfE announce expansion of the early rollout.

WEBINAR: Supporting NQTs and mentors to thrive through the Early Career Framework

Expert panel discussion with Professor Samantha Twiselton, OBE, Director of Sheffield Institute of Education and Linda Thompson, Executive Director, Star Institute.

Tuesday 19th May, 2020 - watch the webinar recording.

UPDATE: How we are working differently to ensure continuity.

Read our Covid-19 update.

About Education Development Trust

Education Development Trust is an international not-for-profit organisation that transforms lives around the world by improving education.

As part of our charitable mission, we invest annually in a major programme of education research which informs the projects we deliver, as well as influencing policymaking and supporting practitioners.

When you work with us, you’ll be joining thousands of teachers and other education professionals around the world who benefit from our support.