Evaluation of the national roll-out of the early career framework induction programme: evaluation summary report

The Department for Education (DfE) commissioned a three-year process evaluation of the implementation of the Early Career Framework (ECF)-based induction for Early Career Teachers (ECTs). The evaluation followed participants (induction tutors, mentors and ECTs) in the first cohort over the two years of their induction programme, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. It explored decision-making, experiences of different models for ECF-based induction, what worked well (and less well), outcomes and early signs of impact, and lessons for delivery and national policy development. This report summarises the key findings from across the full evaluation.

IES (working with BMG) were commissioned by the DfE to undertake a process evaluation of the new two-year induction programme for early career teachers. The induction programme was trialled in the 2020 to 2021 academic year in specific locations (known as the Early Roll-Out, ERO). It was then rolled out nationally across England, from September 2021 (known as the National Roll-Out, NRO) with all new teachers expected to take part. This evaluation focused on the national roll-out to track the experiences of key stakeholders over a period of three years as the new induction programme was launched. It aimed to see how the programme was implemented and was embedding, how schools and participating individuals viewed and experienced the programme, and to capture the key lessons learned.

This report summarises the key findings from the full three-year evaluation and is designed to complement the reports that cover findings from each year of the evaluation separately and in more detail. All reports can be accessed via the sidebar. The statistical annex report, available to download below, provides an analysis of trends in early career teacher retention as part of the evaluation of the national roll-out of the Early Career Framework (ECF) induction. 

The analysis covers:

• Descriptive retention figures using data from the School Workforce Census.
• Changes in retention for the 2021 and 2022 ECF cohorts derived from regression analyses, which adjust for past retention trends, school characteristics and teacher characteristics.
• Differences in retention between provider-led and school-led ECF participants.