Glossary

About the A to Z

This glossary covers terminology, definitions and usage conventions for content used across CPD services, internal admin interfaces and documentation arranged alphabetically.

If there’s language that is not covered here, check the DfE content guidelines.

A

Academic year

The year ECTs start their induction and are registered on the Manage training for early career teachers service.

Note, some schools use the term ‘cohort’ but this should be avoided where possible on CPD services.

Additional support offer (ASO)

A targeted support package for teachers new to the role of headship. Read more on GOV.UK

Automatic validation

When a programme participant’s information is matched and verified by the DfE online portal the TRA and GIAS systems.

A term used in lead provider facing content for the grouping of participants who begin their induction or training in a given academic year under a given funding contract. For example, a participant starting their training in the academic year 2021-22 will have a cohort of 2021, as funding comes from the 2021-22 call-off contract. In most cases providers cannot change a participant’s cohort once they have begun their training.

Avoid using this term in school facing content. Use academic year where possible.

Continuing professional development (CPD)

The umbrella term for all types of professional development.

Core induction programme (CIP)

An internal term for where schools deliver ECF-based training using DfE-accredited materials.

Schools who choose this option must use materials from one of 4 lead providers. The materials are quality assured by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Appropriate bodies will fidelity check programmes to make sure they cover the full depth of the ECF.

D

Database of qualified teachers (DQT)

An internal term used for the database of records of qualified teachers, managed by the Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA).

Declaration

Declarations are notifications submitted by providers via the API.

Declarations are submitted where there is evidence of participant engagement for a specific milestone period. They are the sole means for triggering output payments from DfE to a lead provider for a participant for a given milestone.

Use this term in lead provider facing content. Do not use this term in school or participant facing content.

Declaration state

Declarations can have one of the following states according to their payment eligibility and their payment status. States can be submitted; eligible; ineligible; voided; payable; paid; awaiting_clawback; clawed_back.

Declaration type

Specific types of declarations need to be submitted by lead providers inline with milestone dates and according to the participant’s progress through their training. Declaration types can be started; retained 1; retained 2; retained 3; retained 4; completed.

E

Early career framework (ECF)

The framework which sets out what early career teachers are entitled to learn about and learn how to do when they start their careers. It underpins the entitlement for 2 years of professional development designed to help early career teachers develop their practice, knowledge and working habits.

ECF-based training

The preferred user-facing term for the ECF programme of study.

Note, ECF-based training is not the same as statutory induction. ECF-based training is one part of statutory induction, though the 2 terms are often used interchangeably.

Early career teacher (ECT)

Term for those in their first 2 years in teaching. The term has replaced newly qualified teacher (NQT).

Early headship coaching offer

Structured support and networking opportunities for headteachers in their first 5 years of headship.

Eligibility criteria

To check whether a ECF participant (ECT or mentor) is eligible for funding, we check the Database of Qualified Teachers (DQT) and our own database to make sure the participant meets the criteria for funded training or access to materials.

ECT checks:

Their qualified teacher status (QTS)
They formally started their statutory induction after 1 September 2021 (the date the statutory changes came into effect)
They have not already started their induction
They’re required to serve statutory induction
There are no serious flags against the teacher’s record

Mentor checks:

They have a valid TRN
They have not already started their mentor training
There are no serious flags against the teacher’s record

The most common reason this is shown as a validation status is because the induction start date hasn’t been registered with the appropriate body. However, this does not prevent ECTs from starting their training.

F

Full induction programme (FIP)

An internal term for where a lead provider and a delivery partner provide ECF-based training directly to ECTs and mentors. This option is fully funded by DfE, so there are no costs for eligible schools.

FIP programme include self-study alongside face-to-face/video training elements. Materials are hosted on lead provider platforms.

G

Get information about schools (GIAS)

This is the DfE managed register of schools and colleges in England.

H

I

Induction

See statutory induction.

J

K

L

Lead provider

An organisation in a contractual relationship with the DfE to provide NPQ and ECF-based training.

M

Manual validation

The manual check by DfE staff required when a programme participant’s information cannot be verified automatically. For example, the TRN cannot be found in the database.

Mentor

The teacher who supports and guides ECTs through their ECF-based training. Lead providers receive funding for the training provided to mentors.

Milestone

Contractual retention periods during which providers must submit relevant declarations evidencing ECF or NPQ training delivery and participant retention.

Milestone dates

The deadline date a valid declaration can be made for a given milestone in order for the DfE to be liable to make a payment the following month. Milestone dates are dependent on the participant’s schedule.

Sometimes referred to as ‘Milestone cut off dates’.

Milestone period

The period of time between the milestone start date and end date.

Multi-academy trust (MAT)

A single trust responsible for a group of academies.

N

National professional qualifications (NPQ)

A national, voluntary suite of qualifications designed to support the professional development of teachers and leaders. NPQs are designed to provide training and support for teachers and school leaders at all levels and deliver improved outcomes for young people.

National Professional Qualification Early years leadership (NPQEYL)

Develops expertise in leading high-quality early years education and care, as well as effective staff and organisational management.

Read the NPQEYL course summary.

National Professional Qualification Executive leadership (NPQEL)

Develops expertise needed to become an outstanding executive leader, leading change and improvement across a group of schools or multi-academy trust.

Read the NPQEL course summary.

National Professional Qualification Headship (NPQH)

Develops the knowledge that underpins expert school leadership.

Read the NPQH course summary.

National Professional Qualification Leading behaviour and culture (NPQLBC)

Develops expertise needed to create a culture of good behaviour and high expectations in which staff and pupils can thrive.

Read the NPQLBC course summary.

National Professional Qualification Leading literacy (NPQLL)

Develops expertise needed to effectively teach and promote literacy across the whole school, year group, key stage or phase.

Read the NPQLL course summary.

National Professional Qualification Leading teacher development (NPQLTD)

Develops expertise needed to become a teacher educator and successfully support teachers in schools to expand their skills.

Read the NPQLTD course summary.

National Professional Qualification Leading teaching (NPQLT)

Develops expertise needed to become lead the teaching and learning of a subject, year group or phase.

Read the NPQLT course summary.

National Professional Qualification Senior Leadership (NPQSL)

Develops leadership knowledge and expertise to improve outcomes for teachers and pupils in schools. Read the NPQSL course summary.

Read the NPQSL course summary.

National rollout (NRO)

An internal term for the national rollout of DfE services.

Newly qualified teachers (NQT)

Teachers in their first year of teaching who have gained qualified teacher status (QTS) but have not yet completed the statutory ECF-based training.

Note, early career teacher (ECT) is the more commonly used term.

Newly qualified teacher +1 (NQT+1)

An internal term used to identify teachers part way through their ECF-based training (where training has been delayed because of the Covid pandemic).

O

Output payment

The sum of money paid by DfE to providers per valid declaration.

P

Partnership

The relationship created between schools, delivery partners and providers who work together to deliver ECF-based training to participants within a given cohort.

When induction tutor register ECTs and mentors to the service for a given cohort, they will be registered to receive training from the provider and delivery partner the school is partnered with by default.

Q

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

This is the qualification you need to teach in state schools in England. You can’t teach without it.

R

Relationship

An internal term used to distinguish ‘default’ partnerships from those that are associated with specific participants.

Like partnerships, a relation describes the relationship created between a school, delivery partners and provider who work together to deliver ECF-based training.

However, it is unique as it most commonly applies to partnerships in place for an individual participant’s training.

For example, a participant who transfers from one school to another part way through their training can choose to continue with their original training provider and delivery partner. The new school will then have a relationship with the participant’s provider and delivery partner, as well as a partnership with another default provider and delivery partner for that given cohort.

Reduced induction

A non-standard training schedule for participants who expect to complete the induction over a period less than 2 years. Examples include those with previous experience.

S

Sandbox

A test environment which allows school induction tutors, lead providers and software vendors to test the Manage teacher CPD service.

The sandbox environment is commonly used by lead providers to test their API integrations without affecting real data.

School induction tutor (SIT)

The person nominated by the school who coordinates ECF-based registration. They add ECT and mentor details to the service. They’re responsible for the monitoring and support of ECTs. They also manage progress reviews and coordinate formal assessments.

They’re also known as induction tutors. Some schools use the term induction coordinators, but this is not the preferred term.

Statutory induction

A mandatory requirement for teachers to complete a 2-year programme of study.

Statutory - a legal requirement
Induction - entry to a profession

Although usually applied to newly qualified teachers starting their teaching career from 1 September 2021, it is a requirement of all teachers who are employed in certain school types (for example, Local Authority maintained schools and non-maintained special schools). For example, if a teacher qualified in 2016 and had been working in an academy ever since, they would have to complete induction if they then started to work in a maintained school.

This 2 year programme provides teachers with:

a 2-year programme of ECF-based training
support from a dedicated mentor
time off timetable for induction activities, including ECF-based training and mentor sessions
regular progress reviews and 2 formal assessments against the teachers’ standards

Note, statutory induction is not the same as ECF-based training. ECF-based training is one part of statutory induction, though the 2 terms are often used interchangeably.

T

Targeted support funding

Eligible workplaces receive payment for every teacher and leader they employ taking an NPQ. This funding is available to support teachers and leaders working in small settings to participate in national professional qualifications (NPQs).

Targeted delivery funding

Teacher reference number (TRN)

A 7 digit number that uniquely identifies teachers in England. Those eligible for a TRN should be allocated one automatically by the Teaching Regulation Agency or Capita Teachers’ Pensions.

Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA)

The agency that is responsible for the regulation of the teaching profession, including misconduct hearings and the maintenance of a record of teachers, trainee teachers and those who hold a teacher reference number (TRN). They manage the database of qualified teachers (DQT).