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ECT

ECT Entitlements Explained

Induction should come with structured support. This page explains the main entitlements in plain English and points you to official sources.

TeacherGuide Editorial

What ‘entitlements’ usually means in practice

For most ECTs, the important practical questions are: Who is my mentor? When do we meet? How is my timetable reduced? Who assesses my progress? What happens if support is missing?

  • A designated induction tutor / appropriate body process for assessment
  • A mentor with protected time to support you
  • A reduced teaching timetable compared with experienced teachers in the same school context
  • Access to an induction programme aligned to the Early Career Framework

If your support is not happening

Keep a simple record of missed mentor meetings, cancelled ECT time and unanswered requests. Raise concerns early and politely. If needed, escalate to the induction tutor, headteacher, or your appropriate body. Union advice can help if things stall.

Read this alongside our ECT timetable and observations guides, plus PPA entitlement if your non-contact time feels unclear.

Sources

About the author

TeacherGuide Editorial

TeacherGuide publishes practical guides, buying advice and tools for UK teachers. We prioritise usefulness, independence and clear sourcing — especially on pay, pensions and statutory entitlements. Named contributor bylines will appear here only when real writers are credited.

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