Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP)
Chiltern Teaching School Hub is proud to partner with University College London (UCL) in the delivery of the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP).
changes to ecf terminology
From now on, the ECF Programme will be known as the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP). The term ECTP will be used to describe the updated ECT training programmes all providers will deliver from September 2025.
The phrase Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE) will now be used as an umbrella term to describe each ECT’s full entitlement during induction, which includes the usual access to a full training programme, regular mentor meetings, 10% release time in Year 1 and 5% release time in Year 2...etc.
About UCL's ECTP
UCL is one of five lead providers of the ECT Programme (ECTP) for all new ECTs and their mentors from September 2025. UCL's Faculty of Edcuation and Society, the IOE, has been the number 1 faculty of education in the world for over a decade and the UCL IOE team has built on their experience of providing the ECTP (formerly ECF) since its inception in 2021, supporting new teachers and their schools all over England.
Chiltern TSH will be delivering the UCL ECTP from September 2025, and our goals are to:
- Equip teachers with professional learning opportunities which are informed by research-based evidence and have a positive impact on learning in classrooms.
- Help to create cultures in schools where leaders support professional learning in practical, long-lasting ways.
- Create a nation of inspirational mentors who learn alongside ECTs, enabling mentors to provide high-quality coaching, guidance and support throughout their ECTs' two-year induction period.
- Empower teachers to develop their professional voice, continually grow in confidence and embrace continuous professional inquiry.
- Improve teacher retention by fostering a supportive environment and equipping teachers with the necessary skills to reduce teacher turnover and encourage teachers to remain in the profession.
Please note:
- New mentors from September 2025 will only be required to attend ECTP mentor training sessions in the first year of their role. The updated programme for mentors will cover everything they need to ensure they are able to effectively support their ECT(s) across both years of induction
- Mentors who have already completed their training through any programme will not need to re-train, even if they will now be supporting ECTs who are following a different ECTP from September.
- ECTs and mentors who have already completed their first year of BPN's ECF programme will continue with this as they move into their second year of induction from September 2025. No action is required here.
Why we have chosen UCL as our ECTP provider
UCL Centre for Educational Leadership has been at the forefront of teacher development, supporting over 18,000 Early Career Teachers (ECTs) since 2021. As one of the Lead Providers for the Department for Education’s Early Career Teacher Programme from 2025, UCL continues to set the benchmark for evidence-informed teacher education.
The UCL ECT Programme ensures:
- High-quality professional development informed by research for both ECTs and mentors.
- A network of expert Delivery Partners providing localised support.
- Flexible learning options tailored to individual and school needs.
- Proven impact on professional growth and classroom practice.
Registering new ECTs and mentors
Please see this step-by-step guide for registering new ECTs and mentors:
registering ects for the ucl ectp on the dfe portal.pdf