Teachers who qualified after May 1999 have to complete a statutory Induction Year and reach induction standards defined by the Teacher Development Agency (TDA).  Schools must put in place a programme of support, monitoring and assessment - details are in the DfES guidance and in TDA support material.  In Birmingham the Induction Year is supported by an Induction Grant, currently £1,000 per NQT per term.

The purpose of induction

Induction ensures that the future professional and career development of individual teachers is built upon a firm foundation.  It helps develop informed professionalism by providing NQTs with significant opportunities to:

• show their potential;
• make rapid advancement towards excellence in teaching; and
• begin to make a real impact on their school’s development.

Through an individualised programme of guidance, monitoring and support, induction provides the tools that NQTs will need to be effective and successful teachers.

Eligible NQTs

• Eligible NQTs
  Teachers undergoing induction must have QTS including the TDA skills tests. From September 2008 they cannot be employed by schools – even as unqualified – without passing the skills tests.
  
  

• There are special arrangements for overseas teachers and teachers trained in other parts of the UK.

The Induction Year

• Schools must register NQTs with the Local Authority before the start of the induction period, otherwise induction will be delayed.  See the registration form in eBriefing
  
   

• The induction period normally lasts for three terms
  
  

• NQTs employed part-time serve one year pro-rata.
  
  
• There are special arrangements for NQTs who take maternity leave, NQTs who have substantial periods of sickness and NQTs in sixth form colleges.
  These arrangements should be discussed with the Local Authority.
  
  
• Agency teachers can complete the induction year with the prior agreement of their current head teacher and in periods of at least one term.  Agency teachers undergoing induction should have regular contact with the same classes, and not be used for short-term cover.
  
  
• NQTs can be appointed to cover PPA time.  However this role can be very demanding, and may not be the most appropriate for an NQT.  The NQT must be given the same access to support, monitoring and assessment as a regular NQT, and the same opportunities to reach the Standards.  The appointment must:
  • Be for a term or longer
  • Involve regular teaching of the same classes
  • Meet all the criteria for an effective induction programme to take place.
    
    
• NQTs in nursery and special schools should have opportunities to broaden their experience.

Responsibilities for monitoring, support and assessment

• Schools have the key role in providing a structured induction programme, for supervising, monitoring, supporting and assessing NQTs; the Induction Tutor has a central role.
  
  

• NQTs are responsible for engaging in the induction programme, setting targets in relation to their Career Entry and Development Profile and participating in professional development.
  
  
• The Local Authority has a joint responsibility for an NQTs training and supervision. It has responsibility for quality assurance, so must ensure schools can put in place appropriate programmes. The main focus for this is BASS link advisers’ termly monitoring visits.
  
  
• NQTs who have concerns over their induction should try to resolve these with their school. If these are unresolved, they should contact the  Induction Manager.

Responsibilities for assessment, recording and completion of the Induction Year

• Schools must make a formal termly assessment of NQTs’ progress and send these to the Local Authority. They should keep appropriate records to substantiate these judgements.
  
  

• At the end of the Induction Year, schools must recommend whether the NQT has met the Induction Standards and so completed their induction.
  
  
• Schools should take early action if NQTs are experiencing difficulties and communicate these to the NQT and the Local Authority.
  
  
• The Local Authority maintains a record of NQTs and their assessments and makes the final judgement about completion of the Induction Year. It can recommend an extension only in exceptional circumstances.
  
  
• At the end of the year the Local Authority sends NQT records to the General Teaching Council, who send induction certificates to successful NQTs – this usually takes some time.
  
  
• In the unlikely event of a failure, there are arrangements for appeal to the Secretary of State and for dismissal.

Teaching Load

• NQTs should have 10% additional release time, compared with other teaching staff.  10% PPA time is in addition to Induction release time.  However Induction release time can be taken as regular time each week or as blocks of time, for example to attend courses, visit other schools.  Release time should be used for planned induction activities. You might ask NQTs to keep a professional log of their use of this time, perhaps to add to their CEDP, and providing good evidence for several standards including C7
  
  

• NQTs should not be given a job description which makes unreasonable demands 

Exceptions

NQTs may not complete an induction year in:

• a pupil referral unit

• a school under special measures, unless endorsed by HMI.

Independent Schools

Induction in independent schools and sixth form colleges

There is no legal requirement for NQTs to complete an induction period, unless they later intend to work as a teacher in a maintained school or non-maintained special school, where successful completion is a statutory requirement of employment.

Schools that can provide an induction period are:

• maintained schools;
• non maintained special schools;
• sixth form colleges (see annex E in DfES Guidance)
• independent schools where:
  1. the curriculum for any primary pupils at the school meets national curriculum requirements.
  2. the curriculum for any pupils at key stage 3 or 4 includes all core and foundation subjects.
  3. maintained early years settings and early years settings within an independent school.

For teachers employed to teach in the sixth form of an independent school, the only requirement is that the curriculum for any primary pupils at the school, where appropriate, must meet the requirements of the National Curriculum (other than assessment arrangements).

Independent schools must have HMI approval.

Main requirements

• Schools must have a head teacher and the NQT's induction tutor must have been awarded QTS.
  
  
• Schools and colleges must work with an Appropriate Body to monitor and quality-assure induction. For maintained schools the Appropriate Body is the Local Authority; independent schools may ask the Independent Schools Council Teacher Induction Panel (ISCTIP) or the Local Authority to act as Appropriate Body.  This must be arranged prior to the start of the induction period. If not, any periods of induction that have been completed prior to this agreement will not count, and will have to be done again.
  
  
• Before embarking on an induction programme, schools must be confident they have the capacity to provide a programme of guidance, monitoring and support, in accordance with the purpose of induction and DfES induction guidance.  This includes 10% additional release time for NQTs, as well as the additional demands on Induction Tutors.
  
  
• Before agreeing to act as Appropriate Body, the Local Authority will want to assure itself that an independent school or college has the systems and the capacity to induct an NQT through an individualised programme of guidance, monitoring and support.  Local Authority advisers will want to make at least one quality assurance visit to the school. These activities will be chargeable.