Teachers: Pastoral Care
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure Newly Qualified Teachers are supported with pastoral care in the workplace.
Answered by Georgia Gould
The government is determined to raise school standards for every child to ensure they are prepared for the future. The factor that makes the biggest difference to a child’s education is high-quality teaching. That is why we are committed to providing Early Career Teachers (ECTs) with a high-quality evidence-informed training programme as they embark on their teaching career.
In September 2025 we introduced the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE) to ensure the highest standards of professional development for new teachers. ECTs are entitled to two years of development support and training via the ECTE. This includes regular, structured sessions for ECTs with a dedicated mentor.
The department recognises that the role of the mentor is crucial in the delivery of high quality ECTE based training. New mentors will receive up to 20 hours to undertake specific training for 1 year, with settings funded to support the mentor to undertake the training.
The Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework, which underpins the ECTE, also ensures new teachers receive high-quality training on how to manage workload and wellbeing. This includes learning how to protect time for rest and recovery.
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