Frequently Asked Questions

Induction in Colleges Can I do my induction in an FE or Sixth Form College?

Yes, but your College must firstly make a written request of the NQT Steering Group to request Appropriate Body support for NQT Induction. A Quality Assurance visit will then be made to the College and if the College is able to satisfy the Induction Regulations, then Induction can be agreed from a mutually agreed date. Please note that Induction cannot be back-dated.

Induction cannot be undertaken where following an Ofsted inspection, it is reported that an FE College or Sixth Form College is judge to be inadequate for the overall effectiveness of the institution, or part of its education or training, has been judged to be inadequate (category 4) except in cases where Ofsted has judged the institution or part of the institution to be suitable to host induction

Normally, no more than 10% of the NQTs teaching in an FE institution (not Sixth Form College) is devoted to teaching classes predominantly consisting of pupils aged 19 and over.

To enable NQTs to develop a sound knowledge and understanding of day-to-day practices and the role of a teacher in a school, NQTs must spend the equivalent of at least ten days teaching children of compulsory school age in a school during their induction.

Every effort is made to provide the NQT with up to a further 15 days’ experience in a school setting.

Supply Teaching and Induction

Short-term supply placements of less than a term cannot count towards induction. You can do short-term supply (placements lasting for less than a term) for five years only. This five year limit starts from the date you are awarded QTS Status. No further extensions can be awarded by the Local Authority.

What to do if difficulties arise

1. Matters arising from day-to-day organisation and management

Sources of support for NQTs include:

•The School Staff Handbook

•The Induction Tutor’s advice

•The advice of any member of staff within the school that you relate to

1. Matters arising from the quality and the nature of support •You should raise these in discussions with your Induction Tutor, as soon as you are concerned •If you remain unhappy, approach a member of the school’s Senior Management Team. It is usually the case that concerns can be resolved at this point •It the situation has not been resolved, then you should speak with the Professional Association Representative who is based in your school, or if there is no Representative based in your school, then contact your Association directly. •You should also contact Kate Armstrong from the NQT Steering Group on 01257 516100.

2. The nominated person in the Local Authority for any matters still unresolved is:

Steve Belbin, Head of School Improvement, 01772 531663.

Supply Teaching and Induction

Short-term supply placements of less than a term cannot count towards induction. You can do short-term supply (placements lasting for less than a term) for five years only. This five year limit starts from the date you are awarded QTS Status. No further extensions can be awarded by the Local Authority.

Induction in Colleges

Can I do my induction in an FE or Sixth Form College?

Yes, but your College must firstly make a written request of the NQT Steering Group to request Appropriate Body support for NQT Induction. A Quality Assurance visit will then be made to the College and if the College is able to satisfy the Induction Regulations, then Induction can be agreed from a mutually agreed date. Please note that Induction cannot be back-dated.

Induction cannot be undertaken where following an Ofsted inspection, it is reported that an FE College or Sixth Form College is judge to be inadequate for the overall effectiveness of the institution, or part of its education or training, has been judged to be inadequate (category 4) except in cases where Ofsted has judged the institution or part of the institution to be suitable to host induction

Normally, no more than 10% of the NQTs teaching in an FE institution (not Sixth Form College) is devoted to teaching classes predominantly consisting of pupils aged 19 and over.

To enable NQTs to develop a sound knowledge and understanding of day-to-day practices and the role of a teacher in a school, NQTs must spend the equivalent of at least ten days teaching children of compulsory school age in a school during their induction.

Every effort is made to provide the NQT with up to a further 15 days’ experience in a school setting.

Your Entitlement as an NQT and Your involvement in the Induction Process

You are entitled to an individualised monitoring and support programme which will help you to meet the requirements for satisfactory completion of the induction period.

A support programme should provide the following for you:

• Access to an Induction Tutor who is able to offer professional support, to monitor progress and provide well founded feedback

• Observation of your work and provision of feedback; this should be co-ordinated by your Induction Tutor and be well targeted. The choice of focus of the observations should be informed by the objectives in your Career Entry and Development Profile

• Opportunities for the observation of experienced teachers in order to gather evidence to support the development of good practice in specific areas of teaching; this could be in your own school or in another school

• A professional review of progress in discussion between you and the Induction Tutor, at least each half term

• Review discussions should result in the recording of progress towards your objectives and, where necessary, the setting of new ones, as well as identification of the steps to be taken to support you in meeting these. Copies of records made should be passed onto you

• Professional development during the induction period. This should be based on the strengths and areas for professional development identified at the close of your Teacher Training Programme, as well as the Teachers' Standards and any new or revised objectives that are agreed at review meetings

Opportunities should be included to:

• Review information about the school and the specific post, before you take up the post

• Participate in the school’s general induction arrangements for new staff

• Have access to any additional training provided for the staff at the school and contribute with other teachers to specific school improvement activities within the school

• Spend time with the school SENCO in order to address specific and general SEN issues

• Receive, where appropriate, training and advice from professionals from outside the school, attend external training events which are relevant to identified needs and, where appropriate, join any networks for NQTs established by groups of schools or by the Local Authority

You will recognise that whilst both your school and the Local Authority will have procedures, you should take an active role in all aspects of the induction process.

Your responsibilities of an NQT

• Make your strengths and areas for professional development available to the school at a very early stage and work with your Induction Tutor to use this and the Teachers' Standards as a basis for setting objectives for professional development and for devising an action plan; transition Point 2 will be completed early in your induction period

• Be aware of your entitlement to a reduced teaching load and to a full programme of reviews, observation, support and professional development.

• Take part in planning your induction programme, including the identification and reviewing of objectives

• Engage fully in the programme of monitoring, support and assessment that is agreed with your Induction Tutor, taking increasing responsibility for your professional development as the induction period progresses

• Be familiar with the Teacher' Standards, monitor your own work in relation to them and contribute to the collection of evidence towards their final assessment.

• Read and sign the termly assessment forms to go to the Local Authority; we encourage you to comment in the space provided

• Raise any concerns you have about the content and/or delivery of your induction programme. In doing so, you should make use of the school’s internal procedures for raising professional concerns in the first instance (see the section, “What to do if difficulties arise”)

What your school will expect from you

You will be welcomed to your school. Time and money will be invested in your induction. There will be a hope, if not an expectation, that you will bring energy, enthusiasm and new ideas to the school, although there will also be recognition that this might take time!

Commitment to

•The aims/ mission of the school

•The effective teaching and learning of your pupils

•Planning and marking pupils’ work

•The general welfare of the pupils in your care

•Supporting and implementing the school’s policies and practices

•Maintaining positive standards of behaviour

•Contribute to the community life of the school

•High standards of conduct, attendance and punctuality

Loyalty, integrity and confidentiality

•Towards the school and its reputation

•Towards your colleagues

•In your dealings with your pupils, and their parents

Your school will have expectations of you from the outset, both as a professional person and as a member of the staff.