Newly qualified teachers - frequently asked questions

The TDA provides a very comprehensive section entitled 'Popular questions on induction.' The following are the 10 most frequently asked questions by Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) in Bury, in recent years.

Am I registered as an NQT in Bury?

If your current school has returned the paper NQT registration form to either Personnel Section or the Quality and Advisory Section at Children's Services then you will be registered on the Local Authority (LA)'s database. Your induction tutor should be able to confirm that this has been done.

Am I eligible for PPA and induction release time?

All NQTs, including those working part-time on a pro rata basis, should have a timetable of no more than 90% of other main scale teachers. This reduction in teaching duties is in addition to the 10% planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time allowed for all teachers.

How long will my induction period last if I am part-time?

The induction period is three terms for a full-time NQT and pro rata for part-time teachers. So, if you teach 0.5fte your induction period will last 6 terms. If you teach 0.8fte it will last for 4 terms, and so on. If in doubt, contact the Quality and Advisory Service from our contacts area.

What evidence do I need to demonstrate that I am meeting the standards required to pass my induction period?

You should receive and keep copies of lesson observation records and end of term assessments. You and your tutor should also agree and record outcomes of review meetings. You will also have your own plans for teaching, materials that you have developed for teaching, records of your observations of other teachers and records of any professional development you have attended. If these are well organised and readily accessible, there should be no need for extra evidence.

What can I do if I have any concerns about my induction programme and the support that I am receiving in school?

In the first instance you should talk to your induction tutor about your concerns. If there continues to be a problem then you should discuss the position with your Headteacher, who has overall responsibility for your induction. If concerns remain contact the Quality and Advisory Service from our contacts area.

How does the new framework for performance management apply to NQTs?

Teachers under going induction are specifically excluded from the performance management scheme. However, your Career Entry and Development Profile (CEDP) and record of assessment meetings will be useful for helping to set your objectives for the year following induction.

What happens if I move to another school before completing induction?

The period that you spend at any school should count towards the completion of your induction, as long as it is for a minimum of one term. The next school will request the paperwork from your previous school and your induction period will simply continue as before. The same applies if there is a break between leaving one school and starting at another.

How can observations in other schools be organised?

It is important that visits to other schools are purposeful and result in some specific gain for you as an NQT. Go with a particular aim or focus in mind, and arrange to discuss your experience with your tutor when you return to school. The focus should be linked to your particular needs, as set out in your CEDP. Clearly, it will be important to choose a school that can provide the kind of information or examples of good practice needed. Your induction tutor should be able to help with this, or seek advice from the LA's Adviser for NQTs.

Where can I get help and detailed advice if I am the only teacher in school who teachers a certain Key Stage (primary) or in a specific subject (secondary)?

In these circumstances it may be considered to be beneficial that you make early and regular contact with experienced colleagues in one or more other schools. You should raise this matter with your induction tutor at an early stage to ensure that consultation with colleagues in other schools is an important part of your induction programme. It will, of course, be important to choose colleagues who can provide you with the kind of important information or examples of good practice that you need. The induction tutor should be able to help with this and may also seek advice from the school's LA Adviser.

What are the implications should I fail to meet the induction standards at the end of my induction period?

Should you fail to complete the induction period satisfactorily, you would no longer be eligible to be employed as a teacher in a maintained school or non-maintained special school. Whilst you would still hold QTS, you would be unable to undertake another induction period.

If there are any concerns that you may not be able to successfully meet the induction standards, please be assured the LA will work with you and the school to provide guidance and support to you.

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