Sussex Coast Schools Alliance

We are really excited to be working with UCL Institute of Education as a Delivery Partner for the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE). 

Schools recruiting ECTs starting in September 2025 can join Cohort 5 of the fully funded Full Induction Programme (FIP) ​using SCSA as the Delivery Partner for UCL's ECF programme.There are six steps you should take now to register an Early Career Teacher (ECT).

Step 1: You should already have registered your Induction Tutor with the DfE.  Your Induction Tutor should access the DfE portal for ECTE.

Step 2: On access to the portal, you will then be asked to make a choice on how you intend to deliver the Early Career Framework. You will make a choice for the full induction programme (FIP).

Step 3: ​You will be asked to select your Teaching School Hub (TSH) to deliver the programme - LEAVE THIS BLANK.  As you are choosing to access the ECF through our Alliance DO NOT select a TSH.  Instead, ​you should fill out the Expression of Interest form 2025-27 for ECTs starting in September 2025  and we will pass on your details to UCL. ​

Expression of interest form for ECTs starting in September 2025

If you have any late starting ECTs in this academic year 2024-25 please email us directly with their details.

Step 4: Upload ECT & Mentor information onto the DfE portal.  Make sure ECTs are added to the correct Cohort and linked to their mentor.  This data is then passed to UCL and used to provide log ins for ECTs and Mentors for the UCLeXtend learning platform.   We advise that where possible the mentor is not the same person as the Induction Tutor.

When UCL submit our data to the DfE they will know that you are using the UCL's Full Induction Programme for ECF and that we are the Delivery Partner for the provision.

Step 5: Register your ECT with an Appropriate Body

The Appropriate Body (AB) and the provider of the Early Career Framework (SCSA/UCL) are different things.  The role of the AB is to support schools with the monitoring and assessment of ECTs, and schools must register their ECTs with an AB to fulfil the requirements of Induction.   The AB makes the final decision to the Teaching Regulation Agency whether the ECT has passed induction.  Whilst the Full Induction Programme (ECTE) is fully funded there is a charge to sign up with an AB.  You could use whoever you have used before or Wandle (see details below):

Wandle Teaching School Hub acts as an appropriate body for ECT induction and is now accepting registrations from schools for September 2025. Wandle has been an Appropriate Body for many years and aims to provide an effective and supportive service for schools. To enable them to provide this service to schools, ECTs, Mentors and Induction Tutors, they use ECT Manager which is an online programme. The first stage is for schools to register with Wandle, via ECT Manager using this link:

New schools registration link for Wandle

For the question 'Give details of the statutory ECF based induction programme', please select 'Other' and enter Full Induction Programme with UCL/SCSA

Please note: In relation to Step 3 of the DfE registration, Wandle are also a delivery partner for UCL and should not be chosen as your TSH. 

 Following successful registration, you will receive user names and passwords which will allow you to access the programme, register your ECTs and complete all progress and assessment reports.

Wandle's fee for each 2024 intake ECT is £350 for the two-year registration.

Quality Assurance and further support (if needed) will be delivered by SCSA.

For more information about Wandle's service, please look on their website:

https://www.wandletshub.org.uk/appropriate-body 

Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Induction Tutor Guide (UCL)

Mentoring Professional Development Guide (UCL)

Dates for completion of End of Module Evaluation Forms for Cohort 3 & Cohort 4:

Frequently asked questions from the DfE.

DfE FAQs May 2021 

DfE FAQs July 2021 this includes how to register ECTs & Mentors onto the DfE portal

Guidance for schools - How to manage ECF based training.