Services for Education are proud to announce that they are now able to deliver the Early Career Framework in partnership with Best Practice Network, one of the UK’s leading providers of training.

ECTs from both the primary and secondary sector and their Mentors can now access the ECF programme and Mentor programme with Services For Education. 

Our ECF programme provides the flexibility of face-to-face and online delivery ensuring that your early career teacher and mentor can balance the demands of the programme alongside their school commitments.

Click here to register your ECTs and Mentors with the Dfe

Supporting Early Career Teachers

The Early Career Development Programme has been developed by experienced school leaders and academics to ensure a high quality, supportive induction.

The creators of the programme have carefully considered the demands already placed on early career teachers and developed a programme that will not add to their workload.

Early career teachers are entitled to a funded 10% time away from classroom in their first year and 5% time away from classroom in their second year – the Early Career Development Programme has been designed to be completed entirely within this time off timetable.

Supporting Mentors

The mentor role is key to successful teacher induction and as such mentors will receive access to high quality support, training and ECF materials.

Funding will be provided to cover time-off timetable for Mentors who are being trained. This will total 36 hours over two years (10% time-off timetable in year 1 and 5% time-off timetable in year 2). It is up to the school to appoint a suitable mentor who should have the necessary skills and experience to successfully induct the early career teacher.

The ECF School Dashboard

The ECF School Dashboard is a user-friendly way for Headteachers and Induction Tutors to view all their ECT and ECM registration details, their status on the programme and, importantly, their programme schedules.

Keeping track of this information is fundamental in ensuring that your staff are making the most of their training. The ECF Dashboard enables schools to track who has registered for ECF and view their progress within the programme.

Developing the next generation of teachers - brochure

Decide which of the ECF delivery methods your school will use:

There are three different delivery methods for your school to choose from.

Use method 1 to choose Services For Education as your provider. 

Method 1: Full Induction Programme – Led by funded provider. Schools can choose to work with providers accredited by the Department for Education who will design and deliver a programme of face-to-face and online training to ECTs and their mentors. This programme is funded by the Department for Education.

Services For Education are now working in partnership with Best Practice Network to deliver the full Early Career Development Programme. 

Register ECTs and Mentors with Best Practice Network’s Full Induction Programme, delivered by Services For Education 

  • School Induction Tutors must register their ECTs and Mentors on the DfE Online Service (Best Practice Network then collect additional details directly from the ECTs and ECMs to enable allocation to their local training group)

Not yet registered with Best Practice Network?

  • If your school is registering a new ECT or is changing Lead Provider, the school will also need to register with Best Practice Network and choose Services For Education as your delivery provider here
  • If you are already registered with Best Practice Network but would like to switch delivery provider to Services For Education, please email partnerships@bestpracticenet.co.uk

Method 2: Core Induction Programme – Schools deliver their own training using DfE accredited materials and resources.

Schools use freely available DfE accredited materials, which includes ready to use materials and resources for new teachers and mentors, to deliver their own ECT and mentor support. These materials have been accredited by the Department for Education and quality assured by the Education Endowment Foundation.

Method 3: School-based Induction Programme – Schools design and deliver their own two-year induction programme for ECTs based on the ECF.

Statutory guidance requires the Appropriate Body to quality assure schools choosing the ‘Core Induction Programme’ and the ‘School based Programme’ to a higher degree.

The DfE step-by-step guidance can be accessed here.

Services For Education are working in partnership with Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Development Programme for the Birmingham area. By choosing us you will benefit from:

  • An Online School Dashboard – manage your ECTs and mentors
  • Dedicated participant support team
  • Spiral curriculum building on prior expertise and knowledge
  • Sequenced Curriculum following on from ITT
  • Guidance and support for Induction Tutors

In partnership with the Best Practice Network, we will be guided by the following principles:

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WORK TOGETHER

Across the network, personal relationships and collaboration are at the heart of what we do. We show care and support for our candidates, partners and colleagues, and we go the extra mile to get things done.

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INSPIRE LEARNING

We aim to change lives for the better by inspiring and developing colleagues working in education. As a team and a network, we inspire each other to grow personally and professionally.

Star icon with a cut out of a person icon with their hands up, in pink - services for education

ACT WITH INTEGRITY

We can be trusted and we do what we say we will. We are open and straightforward, tackling challenges head on rather than avoiding them. We treat each other with respect and dignity.

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STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE

We have high expectations of ourselves and others. We invest and innovate to deliver the best learning, systems and outcomes. We keep things simple, use evidence and embrace change to achieve our best.

Meet the team

Lucie WelchLucie Welch – Adviser, Services For Education

Lucie Welch has worked in the field of Primary Education for the last 15 years, holding the positions of Assistant Head of School, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Attendance Lead and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Through working across several local authorities and within multi-academy trusts, Lucie has garnered a passion for safeguarding and supporting children and young people to enable them to thrive.

At Services For Education, Lucie is an integral part of the Safeguarding team, sharing her expertise with schools, colleges, trusts, and other educational settings across the city of Birmingham and beyond. Dedicated to improving safeguarding practices in an actionable and impactful way, Lucie works closely with settings to provide bespoke training, supports with reflection on their own practices during Safeguarding audits and always strives to contribute to a better learning environment for all children. Through delivery of statutory training for DSLs and Safer Recruitment, Lucie works with colleagues in all age ranges and is a source of expertise within these areas.

Lucie also wears other important hats within the School Support Team. Not only is she dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of students through her role in safeguarding, but she also plays a key part in the PSHE/RSE and Health for Life teams. Additionally, Lucie partners with the Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Framework, supporting new teachers in their professional development.

Simone WhitehouseDr Simone Whitehouse-James - Adviser, Services For Education

Simone's journey in the field of education is nothing short of remarkable. Armed with a deep passion for Religious Education, she has not only excelled in her own academic pursuits but has also dedicated herself to the betterment of the education system.

From her early days as a Head of Department leading RE in schools in Birmingham to her current role as an Education Advisor at Services For Education, Simone has constantly pushed the boundaries of her knowledge and expertise. Simone has also worked as a visiting lecturer on the Birmingham University RE PGDip course. Her commitment to the field is evident in her decision to pursue a PhD, delving into the unique approach to teaching RE in Birmingham.

But Simone's impact goes beyond just Religious Education. Her extensive knowledge of ITT and the Early Career Framework has allowed her to support teachers, school leaders, and governors in their professional development journey. As an Induction Manager and facilitator for the Best Practice Network, she plays a crucial role in shaping the next generation of educators and school leaders.

Simone's dedication to her craft is unwavering, whether she's engaging with faith groups, acting as the drafting secretary for the Agreed Syllabus Conference, advising on curriculum development, or delivering nationally recognised CPD as part of the NPQ suite of qualifications. Her passion for education is truly inspiring, as she continues to push boundaries, challenge norms, and lead by example in the world of education.

the ect podcast

This podcast is primarily for those teachers serving their Early Career Framework (ECF) induction; their first two years of teaching. It provides a wide range of advice, good practice and tips. Although some of the podcasts refer to ‘NQTs’ rather than ‘ECTs’, the content is still relevant for Early Career Teachers even though the terminology has changed. Happy listening! 

For more podcasts, webinars and online courses covering a range of different topics please visit our Digital Resources page, here.

Page Last Modified:  11/10/2024 13:34