Induction: what to expect

Good induction helps you to feel at home, to fit in, to make sure you know all the routines and procedures and to understand the values, objectives and purposes of the organisation you have joined.

The way induction works in Northern Ireland and Scotland is significantly different to the system in England and Wales (in fact, induction is called probation in Scotland). Although this section focuses on induction in England and Wales, much of the general information on getting started, setting up a classroom, building good relationships and dealing with observation will be relevant.

Before you start

You should expect to receive advice before you take up your post or right at the start of your induction period on the following:

• the name of your induction tutor
• the timetabling of lessons and support arrangements 
• a schedule of your formal assessment meetings
• the name of the ‘named contact’ at the local authority (LA, or education library board (ELB) in Northern Ireland) that you can go to if you have any concerns about the quality of the induction you are receiving*
• your entitlements to pay during sickness and other absences, eg maternity leave, arrangements for salary payments, pensions, etc
• school policies covering health and safety and equal opportunities 
• other relevant policies including arrangements for cover, child protection, etc 
• the nature of the contract of employment, a list of duties and management arrangements.          

*You should be given contact details for this person at the beginning of your induction period. If you are not given this it can be obtained from the Training and Development Agency (TDA) by calling 0870 4960 123 or by email to induction@tda.gov.uk). In Northern Ireland you can contact your local ELB. If you are teaching in an independent school, your contact will be from the Independent Schools Council Teacher Induction Panel (ISCTIP).

Throughout induction

The government’s guidance says that induction should help NQTs to take increasing responsibility for their own professional development as the induction support programme progresses. Induction should:

• provide a programme of monitoring, guidance and support which is tailored to individual needs and will help you meet the requirements for the satisfactory completion of induction
• involve the headteacher or induction tutor and you in discussions using the career entry and development profile (CEDP), which result in short-, medium- and long-term objectives relating to identified individual needs, the specific school context and the requirements for the satisfactory completion of induction 
• involve regular reviews of progress, leading to termly reports on your progress being sent to the LA or ISCTIP (in England and Wales) 
• develop your skills of self-evaluation and provide a sound foundation for your CEPD.          

As part of the induction support programme in England and Wales, your headteacher has a duty to make arrangements such that you are not required to teach for more than 90% of a normal timetable. You are also entitled to 10% non-contact time for planning, preparation and assessment.

The support you should expect

Your induction programme should be designed to support you to become an effective and successful teacher. You should expect to have:

• support from a designated induction tutor
• observations of your teaching and follow-up discussions 
• professional reviews of your progress
• opportunities to observe other experienced teachers 
• other targeted professional development activities.          

All of these have been shown to help NQTs make a smooth transition into teaching, and they should all be available to you in your school. One thing is certain: support from experienced and sympathetic colleagues is an essential part of successful induction. 

Alongside your induction programme there will be additional termly formal assessment meetings if you are full-time (they will be held at equivalent intervals if you are part-time).

An induction to suit you

Induction is most effective when tailored to the needs of the individual NQT and the specific teaching context. After all, teachers begin from different starting points and meet different demands and opportunities in their first teaching post. 

This is where the CEDP comes in. It is meant to act as a bridge from your initial teacher training (ITT) and to contribute to this individualised programme by identifying for your school your individual strengths and priorities for further professional development. 

A fair assessment 

As well as a programme of support, the Induction Regulations in England and Wales require each NQT to be assessed against and to meet:

• the standards for the award of QTS, ie the standards against which you were assessed as a trainee teacher
• the Induction Standards. 
  

Both sets of Standards are published by the TDA and you should have received them when you completed your initial training. They are also available from the TDA website or from the TDA Publications Unit on 0845 6060 323.

The intention is that all NQTs are assessed in the induction year against the same set of professional expectations and that the standards represent explicit and shared understandings. Despite this, teaching contexts do vary enormously. This is why the advice on this website emphasises:

• what high-quality support should look like and why you should take action if you do not receive it
• the importance of a fair and equitable assessment, based on open, shared, unbiased, convincing evidence.          

Quality assurance in terms of induction is the responsibility of the appropriate body. This is the body that decides whether an NQT has met the Induction Standards. In maintained schools, the LA will be the appropriate body and will make a decision based on the headteacher's recommendation. The LA may also act as the appropriate body for some independent schools. Alternatively, independent schools that wish to make the induction year available to their NQTs may choose the Independent Schools Council Teacher Induction Panel (ISCTIP) as the appropriate body. 

The appropriate body is also responsible for making sure that headteachers and governing bodies are aware of, and capable of, meeting their responsibilities for monitoring, support and guidance, and for undertaking a rigorous and equitable assessment of the NQT.

In Northern Ireland, an NQT is assessed by his or her mentor/head of department or possibly by the headteacher. The head has responsibility for signing off the NQT at the end of his or her induction year.

 Download ATL's publication, Induction: making it work for you, full of further advice on how to get the most out of your first year in teaching.

Help and support 
For further advice on this issue, ATL members can speak to their school rep, their branch secretary or their regional official. They can also call the London (020 7930 6441), Cardiff (029 2046 5000) or Belfast office (028 9078 2020) or email info@atl.org.uk.

For out of hours enquiries, call the out of office hours helpline on 020 7782 1612 (Monday-Friday, 5-8pm during term time). Don't forget that ATL also offers a Crisis Line for members who have suffered assaults or trauma either at work or in their private lives (08705 234 838).

If you are not a member, join now.

Resources

• Induction: what to expect, Mp3 audio, 1694 KB
• Induction: making it work for you, Pdf document, 4285 KB