Since September 2023, Teaching School Hubs are the main providers of Appropriate Body services. Local authorities no longer offer the service.

Star Institute can provide a professional Appropriate Body service, through a highly experienced team, that supports the induction of ECTs in all schools and settings. The appointment of an Appropriate Body is a statutory requirement for the induction period. 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. Our service provides guidance, advice and training relating to the induction process and quality assurance of your ECT provision.

An ECT cannot start their Induction until they are registered with an Appropriate Body.

Registering for an ECF programme does not mean you are registered with an Appropriate Body service, schools must ensure ECTs are registered for both an ECF Programme and an Appropriate Body.

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, failure to register them in time could result in their first term not counting towards their induction.
  • On the DfE online service;
  • With an ECF provider;

For further details of the registration process please see our registration guidance document.

KEY INFORMATION

Star Institute can carry out the role of Appropriate Body for any school across the country with ECTs.

Star Institute can also carry out the AB service for those schools who have NQTs who started their Induction prior to September 2021 but have not yet finished it and for which the AB provider is no longer providing this service.

Visit the steps here to register.

  • Registering and monitoring the progress of ECTs
  • Reporting the outcomes of the ECT induction to the Department for Education
  • Providing a briefing session for Professional Mentors and ECTs
  • Assessing and reviewing a school’s ECT provision against the Teachers’ Standards
  • Giving advice where ECTs are at risk of failure and advising on appropriate support for the ECT
  • Providing advice and guidance on the induction of ECTs for Headteachers/Principals, Governors, Induction Tutors and ECTs
  • Providing an ECT Induction Tutor and ECT Handbook
  • Phone/email support for Headteachers/Principals, Induction Tutors and ECTs
  • Providing access to up-to-date guidance documents

The Appropriate Body service is offered for the three different routes a school can take to deliver the Early Career Framework (ECF).

Each route is priced to reflect the level of work required to conduct a fidelity check. Fidelity checks take place throughout the duration of the ECF programme and are repeated every two years.

Route Included Cost per ECT Cost per school
Use a DfE-funded training provider  Ensure ECTs fairly and regularly assessed through monitoring reports and formal assessment. £350* No additional cost
Use DfE-accredited materials to deliver your own programme  As above with an additional service to conduct a fidelity check of the programme of training delivered by the school based on core materials. £500*
Deliver and design your own ECF-based training  As above with an additional service to conduct a fidelity check of the programme of training delivered by the school and ensure comprehensive coverage of the ECF. £1000*

*This fee will be charged as 50% per year across the two-year induction. The ‘Cost per ECT’ rate applies to ECTs registered from Sept 23.

Star Institute can also carry out the AB service for those schools who have ECTs who have started but not finished their induction by August 2021 and for which the AB provider is no longer providing this service.