Press Release

GOOD RELATIONSHIPS AT HEART OF INDUCTION SUCCESS

Newly qualified teachers expect a first year of emotional peaks and troughs, but can survive and thrive with the aid of strong relationships and support from mentors and other colleagues, according to a new study.

The research - commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the General Teaching Council for England and the Training and Development Agency for Schools - showed that the first year of teaching was a largely positive experience for the new qualified teachers (NQTs) who took part (93 per cent said they enjoyed teaching). However, teachers experienced a mixture of low as well as high points. Strong professional relationships could minimise the negatives and played a central role in the ultimate likelihood of NQTs successfully passing their induction period.

The positive aspects of induction tended to relate to becoming established in school life. NQTs identified being accepted and trusted as a teacher; relationships with pupils and satisfaction at being involved in their learning, and supportive relationships with colleagues. Lows included feeling burdened by workload and difficulties in achieving work/life balance; challenging relationships – with pupils, colleagues and parents – poor pupil behaviour and feeling unsupported.

The researchers - from the University of Nottingham, University of Leeds and Ipsos MORI Research Institute – identified possible courses of action for those involved in supporting NQTs to minimise the impact of the negative experiences and help teachers to have the most positive experience of induction possible. This support should start with teacher trainers ensuring that graduates take away a clear idea of their strengths and ongoing development needs, the study concludes. In school, mentors and induction tutors also need to ensure they are familiar with and can build on the new teacher’s training experience, avoiding repetition.

Support needs to be personalised for each new teacher. Help to manage workload plus clear and effective procedures to deal with pupil disruption would help alleviate new teachers’ concerns about these particular issues. Steps should be taken to counter the isolation that new teachers can feel. Dedicated time is essential - the majority of induction tutors said insufficient time was the biggest constraint to supporting new teachers. A quarter of the NQTs in the study who had started their induction period said they received two hours or less non contact time per week, less than the statutory entitlement for the majority of this group. The choice and training of mentors to develop their skills was also an important factor.

Jim Knight, Minister for Schools, said:
 
"We cannot achieve anything in education unless we have a world class workforce that is properly supported at every level. I believe we have the best trained generation of teachers ever and OFSTED agree with this. The first year in any job is difficult, especially in a challenging job like teaching. That is why we have given every teacher at least 10 per cent of their timetabled teaching time for planning and preparing lessons and assessing pupils, and we now have more support staff in our schools than ever before.

 "We have shifted the balance of authority so that teachers have a concrete right to discipline and to use force on pupils where necessary without pupils quoting their rights back at them. We have also increased pay by 15% in real terms and limited the number of hours they can be asked to cover for absent colleagues. However, we will continue to work in partnership with the major teaching unions to address the challenges teachers face and ensure that teaching remains a rewarding career."

GTC Chief Executive Keith Bartley said,
“High quality support early in a teacher’s professional life pays dividends. Strong professional relationships help new teachers to gain the confidence they need to embark on a career-long journey of developing expertise.

“Induction mentors and other colleagues who support teachers in their first year play a central role. Early career teachers need this support as part of their development and training.”

Jacquie Nunn, Assistant Director of Initial Teacher Training at the TDA, says:

 “This report shows that newly qualified teachers are confident that their induction encourages professional autonomy and builds positive relationships with colleagues.  The evidence is that induction supports NQTs to develop their skills and to meet the exciting and diverse challenges of teaching. The report also highlights the important role of school leaders and induction tutors in ensuring that newly qualified teachers are supported effectively during the induction period, building on their initial training to become confident and effective teachers.”