Completing the ECF with Inspire Learning TSH – a case study

In November 2024, Inspire Learning Teaching School Hub (TSH) spoke to Lloyd Pennington who was in the process of completing his second year of the early career framework (ECF) to find out what a day in the life of an early career teacher (ECT) looked like. 

As the 2024/25 academic year and Lloyd’s two-year statutory induction period came to an end, Inspire Learning TSH caught up with the maths teacher at Gateacre School in south Liverpool to find out how he had progressed over the eight months.

Whilst completing the ECF, soon to be renamed the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE) programme in September 2025, Lloyd had to show during various review points that he was meeting the teachers’ standards. By the end of the two-year induction, all ECTs must be able to show they meet the teachers’ standards.

During his time as an ECT, Lloyd was on a temporary contract and in July this year, following his successful completion of the ECF, was awarded a permanent contract following a rigorous interview process against experienced candidates. 

Reflecting on his ECT journey, Lloyd said: “Looking back at my initial expectations of my ECT years, I’m really surprised with how everything has just fallen into place. It just works. It’s not been a sudden change, but I realise why the ECF is a two-year programme because as I near the end of it, I’m now settled, and things are coming together. 

“There were times when I didn’t think I would make progress, but I did. The support I received from Inspire TSH, the UCL resources and my mentor meetings aided my development. The programme was planned perfectly and allowed me to pause, think and reflect on what was happening day-to-day in order to make improvements.”

As part of UCL’s ECT programme, Lloyd had to visit another school in a contrasting setting to broaden his experience and learn from different contexts. He visited another school within the Northern Schools Trust (NST) that solely teaches Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5, to support his practice of teaching GCSE and A-level. 

Lloyd commented: “I’ll be getting my own Key Stage 4 class next year, so going to observe the teachers at Liverpool Life Sciences UTC who teach 14–19-year-olds was a really valuable experience. I’ve made great progress with my Key Stage 3 classes and now feel ready to do the same as I take many of my Year 9 students into Year 10 and begin to deliver the GCSE curriculum.”

Whilst talking about the future, Lloyd also revealed his growing ambitions to become an ECT mentor one day. 

He added: “I would love to be a mentor at some point in the future. Having a mentor hugely helped me and I would like to help someone who is in the same position that I’ve been in.  I’d like to give back as I know how reassuring a mentor can be and I’d like to be that for someone else.” 

For early careers teachers starting the ECTE in September 2025, Lloyd’s single most important piece of advice is to “stick with it.” 

He said: “There’s a lot to learn, but suddenly it’ll get easier. Sometimes you might not see it coming, but it does – it’s like a switch that just flicks. Stick with it. It’s a challenging career, but a rewarding one and it’s worth it in the end.”