This chapter provides an overview and critical analysis of the Early Career Framework (ECF) education policy in England. This policy formed a fundamental part of the Department for Educations Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy in 2019, establishing a mandatory framework of professional formation for early career teachers (ECTs) to become a fully qualified against the Teacher Standards prescribed by the Department for Education. The ECF is part of the government’s ‘golden thread’ of profession development executed in state maintained schools, including Academies. The aim of the ECF was to equip ECTs to teach effectively, to develop self-efficacy and thereby want to stay in teaching longer. The hope of the government was that the ECF would mitigate high levels of ECT attrition. The ECF applies to primary and secondary teachers in maintained (including academy) schools in England, We critically explore, using Luke’s radical view of power as a lens, the development of the ECF from inception into pilot provision and onto the full implementation through the national roll-out to all schools in England in 2021. We also consider the effectiveness of the ECF in achieving its aims after two years of enactment in schools, including evaluation in 2023 by the Department for Education and amendments to delivery resulting from this.

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