Welcome to the Embrace Appropriate Body Service
What is an Appropriate Body Service?
The appointment of an Appropriate Body is a statutory requirement for the induction period of all Early Career Teachers (ECTs).
The Appropriate Body provides a quality assurance role in the statutory induction of ECTs in all schools and settings. They are responsible for ensuring that ECTs receive their statutory entitlements in line with the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE). They ensure that the support, assessment and guidance procedures in place are fair and appropriate.
It is the Appropriate Body that makes the final decision as to whether an ECT has met the Teachers’ Standards on the recommendation of the Headteacher/Principal.
Teaching School Hubs are the main providers of Appropriate Body Service. Schools are encouraged to choose their local Teaching School Hub as their Appropriate Body unless they have specific reasons to go elsewhere.
Embrace Teaching School Hub provides a professional Appropriate Body service
- We provide timely, specialist advice and support as required.
- We use ECT Manger for the easy management of the Appropriate Body Service.
- We support Induction Tutors with access to flexible, high-quality training
The Appropriate Body Service from Embrace Teaching School Hub includes:
- Registering and monitoring the progress of an ECT during induction
- Reporting the outcomes of the ECT induction to the Department for Education
- Providing advice and guidance on the induction of ECTs for Headteachers/Principals, Governors, Induction Tutors and ECTs
- Providing ongoing training and development on Induction Assessment to Induction Tutors and ECTs
- Ensuring ECTs receive their statutory entitlement of induction and ECTP training
- Providing guidance if an ECT is at risk of failing to meet the Teachers’ Standards by the end of the assessment period, and advising on support for the ECT
- Phone/email/online support for Headteachers/Principals, Induction Tutors and ECTs
- School Support Visits
- Fidelity checks (if opted for School-Led approach)
Provider-led or School-led?
The Embrace Appropriate Body Service is available for the two different routes a school can take to deliver the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP). Each route is priced to reflect the level of work required.
If schools select the Provider-led route, ECTs and Mentors will access a funded training programme in partnership with a lead provider and local delivery partner (for example, the National Institute of Teaching Programme delivered by Embrace Teaching School Hub).
If schools select the School-led route, they must deliver their own training programme, with the option to use freely available school-led materials and resources created by either the National Institute of Teaching or UCL. Details of these materials can be found here on the DfE website. This leads to additional work for the Appropriate Body as they must 'fidelity check' the programme to sure that it meets the requirements of the ITTECF and the ECT is receiving their entitlements correctly.
Route 1: Provider-led |
Route 2: School-led |
|---|---|
|
Included: A funded provider-led programme that ensures ECTs are fairly and regularly assessed through monitoring reports and formal assessment. Guidance and support for school, ECT and Induction Tutor. |
Included: As previous, but schools deliver their own training programme, with the option to use freely available school-led materials and resources. Embrace provides an additional service to conduct Fidelity Checks. |
|
Cost per ECT: £180 per year |
Cost per ECT: £180 per year |
|
Cost per school: No additional cost |
Cost per school: £262.50 per year |
Cost per ECT is based on £60 per term. Reduced Inductions, if required, are charged at £60 + a £30 administration fee.
These charges are fixed until 31st August 2026 and will be reviewed annually, with any changes taking effect from 1st September the following year.
There are three places a school must register their ECT.
- With an Appropriate Body service. An ECT cannot start their induction until they are registered with an Appropriate Body Service.
- On the DfE online Service.
- With an ECF provider (if using a DfE funded training provider).
An ECT cannot start their induction until they are registered with an Appropriate Body.
Please visit Register ECTs & Mentors for further advice on registering your ECT.