Early career teachers won’t have to extend induction because of Covid absence

The DfE has said that early career teachers (ECTs) absent for reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic will not have their induction period automatically extended.

Induction arrangements state that ad hoc absences totalling 30 days or more per year of induction automatically extend the relevant year of induction by the aggregate number of days.

In May 2020 and August 2020 the DfE laid regulations that amended existing provisions. Any absence related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including school closures, sickness or self-isolation, would not count towards this limit. It has now laid new regulations that will reinstate this provision until 1 September 2022.

This means that after the new regulations come into force, ECTs can continue into their second year of induction as expected, without automatic extensions relating to COVID-19 absence. Transitional ECTs who began induction before 1 September 2021 can complete induction without any automatic extension relating to COVID-19 absence, provided that those completing their induction are on track to meet the Teachers’ Standards.