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ECTE – 2025

Early Career Teacher Entitlement 2025

Early Career Teacher Entitlement - What's changing?

On 22 April 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) updated their guidance to reflect changes to training and induction for Early Career Teachers (ECTs) starting September 2025.

 Summary of the key changes:

  • From September 2025, all new ECT training programmes should be based on the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) which will replace the Early Career Framework (ECF)
  • The term ‘Early Career Teacher Entitlement’ (ECTE) replaces ‘ECF-based Training and Induction’.
  • In response to feedback, there are changes to the DfE funded provider-led training programmes:
      • Training for new mentors has been reduced from 2 years to 1 year to reduce workload.
      • Programmes include mentor session materials, enabling mentors to spend their valuable time supporting their ECT, rather than planning and creating resources.
      • Programmes include diagnostic tools to allow ECTs to focus on areas they most need to develop.
      • Programmes include more contextualisation to subject and phase with enhanced subject-specific materials and resources. This will include materials and resources to support teaching pupils with SEND.
      • Programmes are pitched in recognition that most ECTs will begin their training with a greater understanding of the framework from their ITT.
  • For schools delivering their own training, there are new freely available DfE-accredited school-led materials that cover the ITTECF in full. Schools can use these in full or in part to design and deliver their own training

FAQs

These changes won’t impact the majority of ECTs who are currently completing an ECF-based training programme. ECTs or mentors who start training before 1 September 2025 should:

  • continue to use the same course and materials until August 2027
  • move to training based on the ITTECF from September 2027 if they have not completed by August 2027

Mentors who completed a mentor training programme prior to September 2024, as part of a provider-led ECF-based programme, will not be eligible for the new mentor training programmes from September 2025.

However, all mentors, including those previously trained, will have access to the mentor training materials which are included as part of the provider-led programme. These can be used to refresh mentor knowledge and understanding as needed.

Mentor session materials will support the regular mentoring sessions and engagement between the ECT and their mentor on the content of the ITTECF. These will be available to all mentors.

Some providers may provide additional support for previously trained mentors such as mentor support clinics or drop-in sessions. To find out what ongoing support is available for trained mentors as part of the provider-led programmes, please enquire with individual Lead Providers.  Please contact us on tsh@princehenrys.worcs.sch.uk to find out what further support we provide.

There are no planned changes to the current funding arrangements, except in relation to the streamlining of mentor training. As the mentor training for new mentors is being shortened from two years to one year, the amount of funding eligible schools receive to backfill mentoring time will be reduced accordingly. However, the cost of time required for training will continue to be covered in full.

The following lead providers offer funded provider-led training for ECTs from September 2025:

Prince Henry’s Teaching School Hub will continue to work with Ambition Institute as the chosen lead ECTE provider for all ECTs and ECMs starting from September 2025.

For delivery from September 2025, school-led materials based on the ITTECF will be provided by National Institute of Teaching and UCL Institute of Education via their own platforms:

For further information, please see the updated guidance published by DfE:

Early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) support – GOV.UK  

Information on the 2-year programme that supports early career teachers (ECTs) when they start their teaching career. This includes the changes to the programme for 2025.