Role and responsibilities
Headteachers/principals are asked to make summative assessments of newly qualified teachers’ (NQT) teaching and progress. These are based on termly assessment meetings between the induction tutor and/or the headteacher/principal and the NQT.
The headteacher/principal has two key responsibilities:
- to ensure each NQT is provided with an appropriate induction programme, in line with national arrangements
- to recommend whether the NQT has met the core standards to the local authority.
These overall responsibilities involve a range of specific functions. The headteacher/principal may wish to delegate many of these associated tasks to the induction tutor or other suitably experienced colleagues, but the responsibilities themselves cannot be delegated.
Specific functions
The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document requires the headteacher/principal to ensure an NQT is provided with a reduced timetable representing no more than 90 per cent of the average contact time normally allocated to more experienced teachers in the school. The headteacher/principal must ensure this release time is protected, distributed appropriately throughout the induction period and used to support the NQT’s development from the start of induction. This will mean:
- designating an induction tutor for each NQT, and ensuring they are prepared and can work effectively in the role; some headteachers/principals may wish to designate themselves as induction tutors
- ensuring any duties assigned to the NQT are reasonable
- providing the NQT with a way of raising concerns about the induction programme, and ensuring these are addressed satisfactorily
- promptly informing the local authority about any NQT who may fail to meet the core standards, and observing the teaching of any NQT concerned
- informing the governing body about NQT induction arrangements, and the results of formal assessment meetings.
Further education (FE) headteacher/principals of independent schools should also:
- agree which authority will act as the appropriate body (AB) before an NQT begins the induction programme
- agree the scale and nature of any charges for services provided by the AB
- ensure the NQT’s post and responsibilities comply with the specific requirements for FE institutions and independent schools (see guidance paragraphs 2.6 – 2.10).
Other tasks
The headteacher/principal may wish to delegate these tasks, while retaining overall responsibility.
- Devising a targeted monitoring, support and assessment programme with the NQT that builds on their career entry and development profile (CEDP) and draws on external resources where relevant
- Making arrangements for additional experience the NQT may need in settings outside the school (eg in a nursery or post-16 setting), or for further specialist support for an NQT teaching a minority subject
- Informing the local authority when any teacher who is subject to the induction arrangements either joins or leaves the school
- Forwarding reports completed after formal assessment meetings to the local authority
- Liaising with other headteachers/principals and local authorities regarding NQTs employed on a part-time basis in more than one school at the same time
- Ensuring any relevant reports and records are obtained from any school(s) where an NQT has served part of their induction, and forwarding copies of any previously completed assessment reports to the local authority
- Ensuring copies of all documents such as objectives, action plans, and review meeting reports are kept until induction is completed satisfactorily and any appeal determined
- Keeping copies of any records or assessment reports for those NQTs who leave the school before completing induction, and forwarding these to the NQT’s new school as quickly as possible
- Submitting the relevant assessment form (obtained from the local authorities or downloaded from the Teachernet website) to the appropriate body within 10 working days of completion of the induction period
The headteacher/principal is responsible for ensuring procedures are in place to ensure the induction tutors working with NQTs understand the profile process and their role within it. Where schools have appointed an induction coordinator, this responsibility may be delegated to that person.
See also
