Our Early Career Framework provides a two-year package for early career teachers and their mentors. Rated ‘outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted, it is supported and fully funded by the Department for Education.

Early career teachers benefit from:

• a structured two-year package of support, training and expert resources
• phase and specialist exemplification across both years
• flexible online and face-to-face training modules
• a mentor, identified by your school, trained by us

Your school benefits from:

• fully funded, Ofsted-rated ‘outstanding’ training for your school
• face-to-face and online training for a middle leader to become a great mentor, designed in partnership with Deans for Impact
• opportunities to meet other mentors and share best practice
• training for a Senior Leader to introduce the package to your school
• an expert teacher trainer to help navigate the programme
• set-up and ongoing operational support from our team

We offer multi-academy trusts additional bespoke support, including dedicated account management and access to a trust dashboard.

Everyone benefits from our:

• Experience - with over 20 years of helping new teachers get better, faster
• Expertise - evidence and research led training rated 'Outstanding’ by Ofsted in all areas
• Flexibility - online learning resources that fit around teachers’ timetables
• Tailored approach - specific training, covering 25 different subjects and phases, designed with subject matter experts
• Connections - get connected to our network of thousands of teachers, leaders and schools

Register your school for the Early Career Framework

Register your school's interest

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Frequently asked questions

Delivered through a mix of face-to-face and online modules, the programme is structured to help Early Career Teachers integrate theory, practice and feedback.

Year one

Rooted in research and our expertise, and backed-up by a range of tailored resources, Year one of the programme consists of six modules:

• How can you create an effective learning environment?
• How do pupils learn?
• What makes classroom practice effective?
• How can you use assessment and feedback to greatest effect?
• How can you support all pupils to succeed?
• How can you design a coherent curriculum?

Each module includes self-directed study materials containing expert guidance, research and examples of best practice.

Programme members will join training seminars to discuss theory and their own experiences with small groups of peers and experts.

They’ll also get access to instructional coaching sessions to support them to put the theory into practice, with the support of their mentor.

Year two

In Year two, teachers will:

• engage in subject/phase-specific learning and development 
• develop their autonomy of learning
• choose from a range of optional leadership sessions including implementing research in the classroom, an introduction to becoming a career leader, an introduction to effective mentoring and preparing for middle leadership
• continue to benefit from instructional coaching sessions with their mentor

For mentors and schools

Mentors will get face-to-face and online training to develop skills in:

• providing effective feedback
• using deliberate practice to accelerate progress
• how to provide further challenge to high performing ECTs

They’ll have access to online videos to complement the six modules being undertaken by their ECTs so they can tailor and align their support accordingly.

Mentors will also have the opportunity to learn from experts. Through seminars, they’ll discover the best ways to reflect on their practice and develop their instructional coaching skills.

Register your school for the Early Career Framework

Register your school's interest

Need more information?

Frequently asked questions

Schools eligible to work with Teach First 

While the Early Career Framework is open to all early career teachers in schools in England, we prioritise working with schools that teach a high number of pupils from low-income backgrounds. 

Our criteria is agreed with the Department for Education (DfE) and used to identify schools that will benefit most from working with us.

We use the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) and Pupil Premium (PP) information for each school to guide us.  

We work with schools that are ranked in the top 70% most deprived areas (based on IDACI) and where the proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium is in the top 50% of all state-funded schools.  

Schools in delivery partner areas 

If your school is affiliated to one of our ECF delivery partners (teaching school hubs and multi-academy trusts working with us to deliver our programme), your school is automatically eligible to take part. Contact the relevant delivery partner for further information.

How do I sign my school up to Teach First’s ECF programme?

New schools

1. Register your school’s interest with us using our online form. Add your school’s details and choose ‘Early Career Framework’ as your programme.
2. Register your ECTs and mentors on the DfE service. Choose Teach First as your lead provider where requested.

Depending on your school’s location and circumstances, we may be able to work with you directly or through one of our delivery partners.

Once you’ve completed the two steps above, we or your delivery partner will be in touch with next steps.

Current ECF partner schools

Register your school’s interest with us by adding your school’s details and choosing ‘Early Career Framework’ as your programme.

We’ll then be in touch directly with your school’s induction tutor, ECTs and mentors to complete the enrolment process.

Register your school for the Early Career Framework

Register your school's interest

Need more information?

Frequently asked questions