All schools that offer a statutory induction are required to have an Appropriate Body (AB) for their Early Career Teachers (ECTs).
Appropriate Bodies (ABs) play a key role in statutory teacher induction. In addition to monitoring ECTs, ABs will support schools and ECTs to meet the statutory guidance. Through moderation and quality assurance, ABs will work collaboratively with schools to ensure that ECTs are fairly and consistently assessed.
From 1 September 2023, only teaching school hubs and other organisations determined by the Secretary of State will be listed as being able to act as appropriate bodies. (Please see page 7 of the Induction for early careers teachers on the GOV.UK website).
What is the role of an Appropriate Body?
Schools are required to register their Early Career Teachers with an Appropriate Body to ensure they complete their inductions. The AB has two main roles:
- Monitoring of support: Ensuring that ECTs are receiving their statutory entitlements and fidelity checks; ensuring schools are supported to provide ECTs with an Early Career Framework (ECF) based induction.
- Monitoring of assessment: Making the final decision as to whether the ECT has satisfactorily met the Teachers’ Standards, based on the headteacher’s recommendation.
In Derbyshire, we have two teaching school hubs:
Spencer teaching school hub
The new Spencer AB will provide a streamlined AB service for primary and secondary ECTs, engaging with the Early Career Framework (ECF) training across the hub area. We hope that our offer will support schools in navigating the recent changes to induction, including the Early Career Framework.
Spencer Teaching School Hub - Appropriate Body Services for Early Career Teachers
Potentia teaching school hub
Potentia teaching school hub is the AB for Amber Valley, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak and North East Derbyshire.
To support schools in registering their ECTs, we recommend that headteachers familiarise themselves with the information about Appropriate Body Services on the Potentia teaching school hub website.
Statutory guidance: Induction for early career teachers
Early career framework (ECF) for early career teachers (ECTs)
The ECF sets out what ECTs are entitled to learn about and learn how to do when they start their careers. It underpins a new entitlement for 2 years of professional development designed to help ECTs develop their practice, knowledge and working habits.
The Department for Education published interim research which evaluated the national rollout of the ECF induction programme in May 2022.
From September 2025, the Initial teacher training and early career framework will replace this framework.
Early career framework guidance.
Contact information
For queries, please email: ECT@derbyshire.gov.uk