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Early career teacher (ECT) induction: summary

Read about your school's requirements and responsibilities for the statutory 2-year induction period for early career teachers (ECTs).

Updated
on 28 May 2025See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 38997
Contents
  1. The early career induction (ECI) period 
  2. Your school can choose from 2 types of induction programme
  3. Your school's induction programme will be based on the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF)
  4. ECTs will have 2 formal assessments

The early career induction (ECI) period 

The ECI period is a 2-year induction programme, set out in statutory guidance and underpinned by the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) (see the section below).

In maintained schools

  • The ECI period is a statutory requirement
  • All teachers must have completed (or be working towards) an ECI period
  • Where teachers have significant experience before entering the maintained sector for the first time, an appropriate body (such as a teaching school hub or an organisation approved by the secretary of state) may choose to reduce the induction period to a minimum of 1 term (see section 3.2 for more information on this)

In academies, free schools, independent schools or further education

  • An ECI period is not statutory
  • These settings may still choose to offer ECTs an induction period

During induction ECTs have reduced timetables

10% in the