Appropriate Body

Appropriate Body

The Five Counties Teaching School Hub Alliance (TSHA) is an Appropriate Body for Early Career Teachers based in the Five Counties hub area. We offer two different levels of Appropriate Body Service depending on which Early Career Teacher programme you have chosen.

An Appropriate Body has the main independent and impartial quality assurance role within the statutory induction process. Each school registering with us will have a dedicated Quality Assurance Officer (QAO) linked to their school or setting.

ECTs cannot start their induction until the Appropriate Body has been agreed.

Service Benefits & Options

  • A high quality and highly regarded service provided by dedicated Early Career Teacher specialists with significant experience operating as an Appropriate Body
  • A standardised and rigorous approach across the Five Counties Hub area that is consistent and personalised to meet the needs of your school and its teachers
  • Seamless liaison between the work of the AB and the wider Five Counties team who deliver the Early Career Framework programmes to ensure the full picture of support for ECTs and schools
  • Expert support and intervention for schools and ECTs when you need it most
  • A friendly, professional and rapid response to queries and questions through our dedicated support team and a dedicated email address: AB@fivecountiesalliance.co.uk
  • Registration with the Department for Education (DfE)
  • Access to the online AB system – ECT manager – to seamlessly manage your ECTs induction paperwork online and liaison with our team

  • Appropriate Body - Option 1

    £225
    Per year per ECT from September 2025
    The school uses a lead provider, such as EDT or Ambition’s full induction programme and signs up to register ECTs with the AB service – the DfE funded provider route.
    • Registration of ECTs with the DfE.
    • Support and training for induction leads in schools.
    • Assessment of ECT at 2 formal assessment points – end of Yr1 and end of Yr2.
    • Support for Induction leads to manage ECTs not on track.
    • Quality assurance of school's provision for ECTs and mentors.

  • Appropriate Body - Option 2

    £995
    School level + £225 per year per ECT from September 2025
    The school designs and delivers its own programme for ECTs and mentors based on the ITTECF, using some of the lead provider published resources should they wish and signs up to register ECTs with the AB service.
    • Registration of ECTs with the DfE.
    • Support and training for induction leads in schools.
    • Assessment of ECT at 2 formal assessment points – end of Yr1 and end of Yr2.
    • Support for Induction leads to manage ECTs not on track.
    • Quality assurance of school's provision for ECTs and mentors.
    • Quality assurance of school's provision for ECTs and mentors - checks of programme before the start of induction period to ensure all elements of the ITTECF are covered.

    If you are having any issues, do contact the team here via email at AB@fivecountiesalliance.co.uk so we can help and advise on next steps.

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