This page is about schools in England. It does not cover Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
The induction guidance and training framework
The DfE statutory guidance, Induction for early career teachers (England) is the June 2026 edition, updated on 9 June 2026. Those managing statutory induction must have regard to it (Summary, page 5). The legal framework is the Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (England) Regulations 2012, as amended.
From 1 September 2025, the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), January 2024 edition, replaces the earlier frameworks for initial teacher training and early career development. The term early career teacher entitlement (ECTE) describes the training and support within induction; it adds no further induction requirements (induction guidance, ‘April 2025 updates’, pages 6–7; ITTECF, page 4).
Assess the ECT against the Teachers’ Standards, not the ITTECF. The framework informs training. Assessment considers what can reasonably be expected by the end of induction in the ECT’s working context and whether they meet the standards consistently over a sustained period (paragraph 1.9). The Teachers’ Standards publication carries its latest terminology update from December 2021 (cover; Summary, page 3).
Who needs induction, and where can it be served?
An ECT must hold qualified teacher status (QTS) before employment can count towards statutory induction. The headteacher must carry out pre-employment checks, and the appropriate body must verify eligibility on registration (paragraphs 2.9–2.10).
Subject to the exemptions in Schedule 1 of the regulations, qualified teachers in relevant schools must satisfactorily complete induction. Relevant schools include maintained schools, maintained nursery schools, non-maintained special schools, local-authority-maintained children’s centres and pupil referral units. There is no general time limit for starting or completing induction, and delay does not remove QTS (paragraphs 1.10–1.12 and 2.1; regulation 5).
Induction can also be served in academies, free schools, independent schools and nurseries, city technology colleges and eligible further education settings. These settings are not required to offer statutory induction, but must follow its requirements if they do (paragraphs 1.11 and 2.1, including footnote 4; regulation 6).
The setting and post must meet the relevant conditions:
- Nurseries and maintained children’s centres: the headteacher or principal must be able to make the recommendation against the Teachers’ Standards. ECTs should teach classes predominantly aged three and over (paragraph 2.2).
- FE institutions, sixth-form colleges and 16–19 academies: normally no more than 10% of teaching should be to classes predominantly aged 19 and over. The ECT should teach children of compulsory school age in a school for the equivalent of at least ten days; the institution should make every effort to offer up to a further 15 days in a school setting (paragraph 2.3).
- British schools overseas: the school must have been inspected by a DfE-accredited inspectorate within the previous six years, met all the relevant standards/categories and belong to an organisation DfE has determined may represent such schools (paragraph 2.1; regulation 6(1)(d)).
- Schools requiring special measures: new induction placements are restricted. Existing ECTs and those employed on employment-based initial teacher training before the school entered special measures can continue; Ofsted can judge a school or part of it suitable to host induction (paragraphs 2.4–2.6).
- FE settings with adverse inspection findings: apply the restrictions and continuation provisions in paragraphs 2.4 and 2.7–2.8. For inspections on or after 10 November 2025, these cover urgent improvement for leadership and governance or inclusion, or safeguarding not met. Existing ECTs can continue; the guidance sets out written certification of suitability from the Chief Inspector (regulation 6(3)).
The headteacher and appropriate body must agree that the post is suitable. It should include regular teaching of the same classes, training and support, and duties that allow fair assessment without unreasonable demands. The governing body must be satisfied that the institution has the capacity to support the ECT (paragraphs 2.18–2.19).
How long does ECT induction last?
The normal period is two school years full-time equivalent (FTE), usually six terms, divided into two periods of three terms. The appropriate body decides equivalence for non-standard settings and induction across settings (paragraphs 2.30–2.31; regulation 7(1)).
For part-time ECTs, the normal requirement remains two years FTE. The guidance’s example is 0.5 FTE over four school years. Agree a length that reflects the individual working pattern with the appropriate body (paragraphs 2.36–2.37).
The minimum continuous employment that can count is one term, including permanent and long-term supply posts. A part-time teacher needs to be employed for that term; they do not need to accumulate a full-time term before any service counts. After the minimum period, further continuous employment counts even where it ends part-way through a term (paragraphs 2.33–2.35; regulation 7(2)).
Reductions are decisions for the appropriate body, with the teacher’s agreement:
- Extensive previous whole-class teaching experience against the Teachers’ Standards can justify a reduction to a minimum of one term. A teacher who wants to serve the full period must be allowed to do so. A one-term induction requires only the final assessment meeting and report (paragraphs 3.2–3.4; regulation 7(3)).
- A part-time ECT can be considered for a reduction after a period covering at least two full years, even if it is not equivalent to two years FTE. The ECT must have met the Teachers’ Standards; the headteacher consults the appropriate body, which decides whether to bring forward the final assessment (paragraph 3.5).
Appropriate body, induction tutor and mentor
The appropriate body provides independent quality assurance of support and assessment, checks that the programme is based on the ITTECF and makes the final decision on satisfactory completion. Agree the body and register the ECT before induction starts. The headteacher must notify it in advance: induction cannot be backdated. The start is tied to teaching in a suitable post and registration, rather than the training programme’s start date (Summary, page 6; paragraphs 2.11–2.13, 2.22–2.23, 2.27 and 2.67; regulation 6(4)).
Appropriate bodies are teaching school hubs or organisations determined by the Secretary of State. A teaching school hub cannot act for an ECT it employs, who has served induction at that school, or for whom it recommended QTS as an accredited ITT provider. The ECT should have a named appropriate-body contact for unresolved induction concerns, separate from their monitoring, support and completion decision (paragraphs 2.24–2.25 and 2.28).
The induction tutor monitors progress, supports the ECT and coordinates assessment against the Teachers’ Standards. The tutor is expected to hold QTS and needs the skills, experience and time to make fair judgements and act early on difficulties (paragraph 2.42).
The mentor provides regular mentoring and is expected to hold QTS, with suitable expertise and time for mentoring and training (paragraph 2.43). Sessions are expected to take place during teaching hours. In exceptional circumstances, mentoring and mentor training may take place outside teaching hours because of timetabling constraints, but should always be scheduled within contracted time (paragraph 2.44).
These are separate roles and should be held by different people. Where exceptional circumstances require the same person to do both, provide sufficient time and safeguards to keep mentoring support separate from assessment (paragraph 2.45).
Timetable reduction in years 1 and 2
- Year 1, terms 1–3 or part-time equivalent: a 10% reduction; the ECT must not teach more than 90% of the timetable of the school’s existing teachers on the main pay range.
- Year 2, terms 4–6 or part-time equivalent: a 5% reduction; the ECT must not teach more than 95% of that timetable.
Use the time for induction activities, including ITTECF training and mentoring. It is additional to PPA, not a replacement for it. Other settings offering induction must provide a comparable reduced timetable (paragraphs 2.20–2.21; regulation 10(4)). For PPA and pay, use the pay and conditions guide. The workload guide covers wider workload responsibilities.
Progress reviews and formal assessments
Progress reviews take place each term without a formal assessment, including for part-time ECTs regardless of working pattern. If a part-time progress review and formal assessment fall less than one term apart, only the formal assessment is required. Reschedule an outstanding review when an absent ECT returns (paragraphs 2.48–2.49).
Use existing teaching evidence: the ECT does not need to create material specifically for a review. Keep a written record of progress, evidence and agreed development targets, give it to the ECT and notify the appropriate body whether progress is satisfactory. Share a support plan where progress is unsatisfactory (paragraphs 2.50–2.54).
Two formal assessments are scheduled: in the final term of the first year (term 3) and the final term of the second year (term 6), or the equivalents for part-time ECTs. The headteacher or induction tutor carries them out. The mentor should only assess if also acting as induction tutor. Agree exact dates with the ECT; an outstanding assessment waits until an absent ECT returns (paragraphs 2.55–2.56).
Assessment uses existing work and evidence gathered during induction, judged against the Teachers’ Standards. No new assessment portfolio is required. Reports should show performance against the standards, and the final report records the headteacher’s recommendation. The ECT adds comments and signs alongside the tutor and headteacher (paragraphs 2.57–2.61). Send the final assessment report to the appropriate body within 10 working days of the final assessment meeting (guidance, paragraph 2.61). The headteacher must also make the written recommendation within 10 working days beginning with the date induction is completed, sending the ECT a copy at the same time (regulation 11(3)). The ECT may make written representations to the appropriate body within 10 working days beginning with the date they receive the recommendation (regulation 11(4)).
The appropriate body must decide satisfactory completion, extension or failure within 20 working days of receiving the recommendation, considering the evidence and the ECT’s written representations. It must notify the ECT, headteacher and employer in writing within three working days of its decision (paragraphs 2.67–2.70; regulation 11(5)–(7)). Where progress is unsatisfactory, put additional monitoring and support in place immediately rather than waiting for the final assessment (paragraphs 4.1–4.3).
Extensions and statutory leave
Absences totalling 30 days or more per year of induction (or equivalent period for part-time ECTs) trigger an automatic extension by the total days absent, not just those beyond the threshold. Additional absences cannot be added to an existing absence-related extension (paragraphs 3.6–3.7; regulation 8(1)).
Paragraphs 3.6 and 3.8–3.9 of the guidance exclude statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, parental bereavement, carer’s and neonatal care leave from automatic extensions. The ECT can choose an extension to reflect this leave, and any such request must be granted. An outstanding assessment should wait until the ECT returns and has had the opportunity to decide. Regulation 8(2) uses different wording: it refers to parental leave under section 76 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and absence of more than 30 days. Where this difference affects an individual case, confirm the applicable treatment with the appropriate body before setting the induction end date.
At the end of induction the appropriate body can grant an extension where justified, including insufficient evidence, illness, disability, personal crises or problems with induction support. It sets the extension’s length and assessment arrangements. An ECT moving to a new institution to serve it must still serve the minimum one term there (paragraphs 3.10–3.11).
What happens if an ECT fails induction?
An ECT has one opportunity to complete statutory induction and cannot repeat it after failure, but can appeal. Failure does not remove QTS. It prevents employment as a teacher in relevant schools; it does not prevent teaching in settings where statutory induction is not mandatory (paragraphs 1.13 and 2.71–2.72; regulation 9).
For an extension or failure decision, the appropriate body must explain the right of appeal. The appeal period is 20 working days, beginning with the day the ECT is deemed to receive the decision notice. The ECT notifies the Teaching Regulation Agency; late appeals are accepted only in exceptional circumstances (paragraphs 2.71–2.73; regulation 14; Schedule 3, paragraph 2). Where no appeal is made or an appeal is dismissed, employment as a teacher in a relevant school must end within 10 working days beginning with the date the employer receives written notification that the ECT will not appeal, the appeal period expires without an appeal, or the employer receives written notice of the unsuccessful appeal’s outcome, as applicable (regulation 12(2)–(4)).
Short-term supply: the five-year rule
A qualified teacher who has not completed induction can undertake supply of less than one term in a relevant school for up to five years from the award of QTS. The limit cannot be extended. These short placements do not count towards induction (paragraph 2.14; Schedule 1, paragraph 4).
After that limit, teaching in a relevant school normally requires a post of one term or longer with statutory induction. The guidance also allows part-time short-term supply alongside induction in another part-time post; the supply does not count towards induction. Short-term supply in settings that are not relevant schools is not restricted by this rule (paragraph 2.15; Schedule 1, paragraph 5).
The headteacher or supply agency is responsible for checking eligibility. If a short contract is extended, induction cannot be backdated: put the programme in place as soon as it becomes clear the extended contract will continue for at least a term (paragraphs 2.16–2.17).
Interview guides and leadership roles
Prepare to discuss induction, staff development and support with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher interview guides. Read the corresponding headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher role pages for the wider responsibilities.