Role and responsibilities
The induction tutor has day-to-day responsibility for monitoring, supporting and assessing a newly qualified teacher (NQT). Responsibility for this role will vary from school to school; in secondary schools, the induction tutor may be the NQT’s head of department and in primary schools, the deputy headteacher/principal or a phase coordinator.
The role must be taken by an appropriately experienced colleague who has regular contact with the NQT. The induction tutor must be aware of induction requirements and have the skills to fulfil the role. In particular, induction tutors should be able to provide guidance and support, and make rigorous and fair judgments on performance.
The statutory induction arrangements set out a programme of formative assessment activities that include observations and meetings to review progress at least every half-term.
Specific tasks
As well as any tasks delegated by the headteacher/principal, responsibilities include:
- ensuring the NQT understands the roles of those involved in induction, including their entitlements and the responsibility to take an active role in their own development
- working with the NQT to organise and implement a programme of monitoring, support and assessment (see guidance, paragraph 6.9) that takes forward the action plan identified in transition point two of the career entry and development profile (CEDP); this should recognise the needs and strengths identified, the core standards and the specific context of the school
- coordinating or undertaking observations of the NQT’s teaching and organising follow-up discussions with the NQT
- working with the NQT to review progress against their objectives and the core standards
- ensuring the NQT is fully informed about assessment in the induction period
- ensuring dated records of monitoring and support are kept, plus formative and summative assessment activities undertaken, and their outcomes
The induction tutor will provide formative assessment and often be involved in the formal, summative assessment at the end of induction. Support and assessment functions may be split between two or more teachers, depending on the structure of the school. If a school chooses to take this approach one person must have day-to-day responsibility for coordinating the induction programme. It is important for responsibilities to be clearly specified at the outset.
In a large school, a senior member of staff may oversee induction arrangements for all NQTs across the school. This role – sometimes referred to as induction coordinator – is in addition to the induction tutors with direct responsibility for individual NQTs.
The career entry and development profile
The CEDP is designed to help trainee and newly qualified teachers think about development at three transition points:
- transition point one – towards the end of initial teacher training (ITT)
- transition point two – at the start of induction
- transition point three – at the end of induction
The induction tutor will work on transition points two and three with NQTs. They will also refer to the responses of each NQT (as a trainee) at transition point one, to identify prior experience and the strengths, needs and aspirations identified at the end of ITT.
