The headteacher

Headteachers are responsible, in conjunction with the appropriate body for the supervision and training of NQTs during their induction period, and for ensuring that the NQT has an appropriate induction programme.

The government guidance also makes it clear that your headteacher must ensure you have an appropriate workload, ie one that allows a reasonable work/life balance and has regard for your health and welfare. 

The headteacher must also recommend to the appropriate body whether or not you have met the requirements for satisfactory completion of the induction period. 

While the headteacher may not delegate these responsibilities, many of the associated tasks can be carried out by an induction tutor (who the headteacher must identify) or by other suitably experienced colleagues who will have considerable contact with you.

The headteacher as induction tutor

Your headteacher may act as your induction tutor. However, ATL advises against it wherever possible. The particular relationship between a teacher and headteacher, when continued employment is the issue, can put a greater strain on the role of providing day-to-day support. It also adds complications when the headteacher splits the role of induction tutor with another colleague. 

In addition, under the Induction Regulations, the headteacher's role, on many occasions, is to provide a second opinion. For example, when the headteacher is not the induction tutor, he or she is required to observe the teaching of any NQT at risk of failing the induction period and to review the evidence. 

The government guidance is clear that ensuring impartiality is important. It advises that, where the headteacher is the induction tutor and he or she has undertaken all your observations, consideration should be given to ways in which a third party might be involved in giving evidence. This is so the headteacher (and others) are confident that the assessment can be shown to be fair. 

The government guidance also states that, if your headteacher is the induction tutor and you are considered not to be making satisfactory progress, a third party should review the evidence and observe your teaching. Should this happen, and if your headteacher is your induction tutor, it is reasonable for you to ask who may act as a third party; ATL would expect that person to be from outside the school. 

If, during your induction year, it appears that no one other than your headteacher is to observe you, or if you feel that you are at a disadvantage because your headteacher is your induction tutor, you should contact ATL for advice. Where feasible, consideration should be given to allocating the role to another colleague, or to clarifying roles and responsibilities. 

 Download ATL's Induction: making it work for you, full of advice and information so you can 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: making it work for you, Pdf document, 4285 KB