Employing an ECT? Click on the links to register now
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What training options do schools have?
The ITTECF (initial teacher training and early career framework) sets out what trainee and early career teachers are entitled to learn about and learn how to do when they start their careers. For early career teachers it underpins an entitlement for two years of professional development after gaining QTS, designed to help develop their practice, knowledge and working habits. If you are employing an early career teacher, you must provide them with a two-year induction programme, known as the early career teacher programme (ECTP).
We are delighted to share our three high-quality options for delivering the ECTP, ensuring your early career teachers receive the best possible support and development.
Option 1 : National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) Model
Flexible-design, School-focussed. Research-informed.
Customisable Sequencing: Module sequencing is customisable to align with your school’s specific priorities.
Personalised learning: diagnostics and elective self-study tailor the programme to individual ECT needs
Context-Rich Delivery: We offer a blend of seminars, self-study, and mentoring aligned to EYFS, primary, secondary, post-16, SEND, and alternative provision.
For Schools, by Schools: Our approach is research-led and evolving, shaped by continuous evidence and feedback.
National Expert Webinars: unique sessions from international education experts that help to underpin what the ECTs have been learning at a local level
Rooted in the Local Ecosystem: Seminars are facilitated by local expert teachers from our own region, who bring a breadth of knowledge and skills tailored to the specific needs of our local educational landscape.
Streamlined Monitoring: The Prism online portal is easy to use, giving Induction Tutors visibility of engagement to support effective monitoring.
Watch the video explanation here.
Watch: Why schools value our NIoT ECTP
Option 2: Ambition Institute Delivery Model
Thematically-structured. Expert-facilitated. Practice-focused.
Termly Thematic Progression: The curriculum is organised into specific termly themes, culminating in a final focus on ‘Reflecting, revisiting and embedding good teaching practices’ in term six.
Structured Self-Study: Participants engage in consistent fortnightly independent study throughout the two-year programme, utilising inbuilt diagnostics to personalise the learning.
Focused Instructional Coaching: Mentors utilise a dedicated bank of targets and pre-written success criteria to provide high-impact instructional coaching that specifically structures the ECT’s professional development.
Pastoral Coaching Flexibility: To support ECT wellbeing, mentors have the option to hold dedicated pastoral meetings.
Integrated Digital Ecosystem: Through the dual platforms of Steplab and MyECT, participants learn, while induction leads can monitor progress
Expert-Facilitated Local Sessions: Events are facilitated by local educational experts who provide contextualised examples tailored specifically to different subjects, phases, and school settings.
Watch the video explanation here.
Watch: Why schools value our Ambition ECTP
Option 3: Trust-Led Bespoke Delivery Model
Empowering Trusts, Supporting Growth: Tailored ECT Provision with Expert Guidance
For Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) with 20+ ECTs
Contextualise and deliver a bespoke ECT programme tailored to your trust’s needs
Flexibility to align training with your trust’s vision and values
Supported by Three Rivers Teaching School Hub to ensure fidelity to the ITTECF
Greater control over content delivery and scheduling
Which model is right for your school?
Please contact us today to arrange a 1:1 session to explore the best option for your school.
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Funding
The ECT programmes delivered through the Three Rivers TSH continue to be funded by DfE for eligible institutions, including funding for mentor and ECT release time as well as mentor training. This funding is paid directly to schools by DFE*.
ECTs should be eligible for DfE funding if they:
hold qualified teacher status (QTS)
start their ECTE on or after 1 September 2021
work in an eligible school or establishment
ECTs who started their one year induction before 1 September 2021 but did not complete it by 31 August 2023 should take up the 2-year ECTE. They’re eligible for DfE-funded training and mentor support for the remainder of their induction period.
ECTs with qualified teacher learning and skills status (QTLS) are not eligible for DfE funding because they’re exempt from statutory induction.
How funding works
Schools are funded to cover ECTs’ time off timetable and mentor support during the 2-year early career teacher entitlement (ECTE). Funding comes from 2 sources.
This normally means:
year 1 funding to cover the cost of 10% off timetable should come from core funding or equivalent (for example, DSG, general annual grant, 16 to 19 funding, or place funding)
year 2 funding comes from additional support from the DfE (we call this ‘grant funding’) – for academies and others, we pay this to your school directly or, if you’re a maintained school, your local authority will pass the funding to you
If your school is eligible and uses a lead provider, the DfE also fund ECT and mentor training given by the lead provider. The DfE pays this to the lead provider directly.
Year 1 funding
Schools should use their core funding from the DSG or equivalent to fund the ECT’s first year of their entitlement.
Core funding is not ‘earmarked’ for ECTE, but headteachers should use it to cover the cost of the ECT’s 10% time off timetable.
Year 2 funding
Year 2 funding is covered by grant funding. Schools will get a one-off payment at the end of the ECT’s second academic year.
Year 2 grant funding covers the cost of each ECT’s:
5% time off timetable
20 hours of mentor support
The funding is calculated using the average hourly rate for mentors and ECTs, split by region.
Read more about funding for time off timetable for ECTs and mentors.
Funding to schools:
Per Early Career Teacher: £1,100 to fund 5% off timetable in the second year of induction for all early career teachers in eligible schools (paid in arrears at the end of the second year of induction)
Per mentor: £700 to fund time for mentors to support ECTs in the second year of induction in eligible schools (20 hours) (paid in arrears at the end of the second year of induction)
Mentor training funding for September 2025 onwards
Grant funding for mentor training is available to schools and establishments that use DfE funded training providers to deliver training as part of the ECTE.
Mentors will be given up to 20 hours to carry out mentor training for one year. Schools will be funded to support the mentor to undertake the training.
This funding will be paid in arrears at the end of each academic year. Payments will be based on evidence that the mentor took part in the training, as confirmed by the lead provider.
Mentors can only do this training once. They can continue their training even if their ECT transfers school or withdraws partway through their ECTE.
Mentors must complete a minimum of 75% of the available mentor training content to receive the grant payment. There are more details here.
Find out more about funding and eligibility for our ECT training programmes here.
*Subject to DfE updates
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How to register
Step 1 - register with Appropriate Body
ECTs must firstly be registered for statutory induction. Please do this via ECT manager - https://threerivers.ectmanager.com/Login.aspx
As soon as you have registered your ECT, we will be able to confirm and register them with the Teacher Regulation Agency.
Once registered, the system will notify you when assessments need to be completed and there is a personalised dashboard each time you login to flag any outstanding documentation. If you have any problems with the service, please do not hesitate to contact the hub at teachingschool.hub@the3rivers.net
To complete the registration process, you will need to ensure you have the following information:
Name, address and contact details for the ECT
QTS certification, including TRN number
Current school employment
ECT induction tutor details (typically the headteacher or a member of leadership)
ECT Mentor contact details
Contract type (full time / part time)
Early Career Framework programme (e.g. Ambition, EDT, UCL etc..)
Any previous appropriate body registrations for the ECT
Step 2 - register with DfE
You will then need to register your ECTs on the DfE portal. All ECTs and Mentors need to be registered on the DfE’s Register Early Career Teachers Service https://www.register-early-career-teachers.education.gov.uk/
Induction tutors can create a DfE sign in account here. If you need any support, please contact the DfE at continuing-professional-development@digital.education.gov.uk
You will need the following information to register your ECTs and mentors on the DfE service:
Full name
TRN
Date of birth
Email address
Start date at your school
You need to match your ECTs to their mentors.
We have created a bank of help guides to ensure this registration goes smoothly. They can be found here.
Step 3 -contact us to confirm your choice of lead provider (NiOT or Ambition)
To do this, email ect@the3rivers.net.
If your school is transferring ECTs who started their ECT training already with another provider in 2023, 2024 or 2025 please see this guidance. If your trust is moving a number of schools over, please contact us.
The alignment of the AB service and ECTP delivery is an advantage that the Three Rivers Teaching School Hub can offer. You can find out more about our Appropriate Body here.
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Roles and responsibilities
These DfE guides explain the roles and responsibilities for the following people involved in the early career teacher entitlement:
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Further guidance
Details are published online by DfE, including statutory guidance and the financial arrangements for schools.
Please contact us via ect@the3rivers.net or 01670 501 537 if we can support you in any way or to arrange a meeting about our ECT offer. We are always happy to help.