Evaluation of the early roll-out of the Early Career Framework
16 October 2024
The Early Career Framework (ECF) outlines what early career teachers (ECTs) should learn and practice at the start of their careers. It was introduced as part of the Department for Education’s Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy to improve ECTs’ teaching quality, job satisfaction, well-being, and commitment to the profession.
Prior to its nationwide implementation, the ECF was piloted through the early roll-out (ERO), which included training, mentoring, and self-directed study for ECTs. Schools in the North East, Greater Manchester, Bradford, and Doncaster participated in the pilot, delivered across the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 academic year.
Funded by the Education Endowment Foundation, the evaluation assessed the impact of the ECF ERO on ECT retention after two years. It also looked at retention after one year, retention within initial schools, and perceptions of teaching quality, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy. A two-arm quasi-experimental design compared ECTs in the ERO schools with a tailored comparison group.
Key Findings
- After two years of induction, ECTs in schools who participated in the ECF ERO were as likely as comparison ECTs to remain in the state-funded sector. While the retention rate of participating ECTs was slightly lower than the retention rate of comparison ECTs, the uncertainty around this estimate suggests the ERO of the ECF had a null effect on retention. These results have a low to moderate security rating.
- Participating ECTs were more likely to stay in their original induction school after two years of induction compared to the comparison group. This result has a low to moderate security rating. Survey and interview findings suggest that the ECF ERO enabled deeper ECT–mentor relationships, which may have strengthened the bond between ECTs and their schools.
- Perceived benefits of the ECF ERO included an improvement in ECTs’ teaching practice, self-efficacy, confidence, and job satisfaction, as well as mentors’ skills and confidence in coaching.
- ECTs in schools who participated in the ECF ERO faced significant workload challenges, with a larger proportion of participating ECTs in year one reporting an inability to complete their induction-related activities within their 10% timetable reduction, compared to ECTs in the comparison group.
- Supportive factors for implementation of the ECF ERO included backing from senior school leadership, designated time for mentors, and school assistance in managing the workload of both ECTs and mentors.