he role of the Appropriate Body is to ensure that Early Career Teachers (ECTs) are provided the necessary training and support to ensure they can demonstrate competence in performance against the Teachers’ Standards by the end of the induction period and that the induction has provided a sufficient foundation to equip ECTs with the tools to be effective and successful teachers.
The appointment of an Appropriate Body is a statutory requirement of the induction period of all ECTs. It is the Appropriate Body who makes the final decision whether the recommendation of the Headteacher, that the ECT has met the required Teachers’ Standards, is correct.
The Appropriate Body has the main quality assurance role within the induction process. It will establish that the Headteacher is aware of/capable of meeting their responsibility to the ECT and that the monitoring, support, assessment, guidance and procedures in place are fair and appropriate.
It is also a responsibility of the Appropriate Body to provide data to the Teaching Regulation Agency regarding the progress of all persons who start and complete the induction.
The Department for Education (DfE) have carried out a consultation on the future of Appropriate Body Services. The outcome meant that Appropriate Bodies currently operating within the Local Authority could not continue in their role beyond with those ECTs registered with them. Since September 2023, new ECTs have been registered with a Teaching School Hub as DfE have announced they are making Appropriate Body Services the responsibility of Teaching School Hubs only.
Since September 2023, Inspire Learning haas operated as an Appropriate Body to fulfil these statutory requirements.
If you would like to read further about the Department for Education (DfE) guidance regarding Appropriate Body Services in relation to the Early Career Framework, then please follow the links below;