Welcome to NQTs
It’s daunting, certainly, but starting your new job as a fully qualified teacher can be incredibly exciting too. Sure, there are still challenges to meet – induction for one – but for most NQTs, this is the first time you get your own classroom, your own class(es) and the opportunity to really make your mark on the lives of your pupils.

There can be few teachers who have not faced the inevitable last-minute panic. ‘Is this the right career?’, ‘Have I found the right school for me?’, ‘Will I cope?’ – the list goes on. Yet the latest statistics from the DfES show that 10 years after qualifying, over 60 per cent are still in service in maintained schools; and that doesn’t account for those who may have moved to the independent sector, or into further and higher education. For many, the initial trepidation is pretty short-lived.

Naturally there are things you can do for yourself to ensure that your first term gets off to the best start, but to a great extent, successful adjustment into your new career is dependent upon those responsible for your induction.

By the time you turn up for your first day, you should have been assigned an induction tutor who, along with your head teacher and other key colleagues such as your department head, will have day-to-day responsibility for your induction. It is this person who can make or break your first year, so make sure that you are introduced as early as possible and that he or she has a copy of your Career Entry Profile, as this will form the basis of the planning for your professional development.

Within the first four weeks of term, you should have had the chance to set objectives for your induction based on the context of your school, your CEP and the Induction Standards. You should also have been observed at least once and have had a follow-up discussion as well as a meeting to review your progress. If this does not happen, talk initially to your induction tutor about it, and if necessary to your head teacher. Don’t let time pass before getting the situation sorted out as you may be missing out on vital aspects of the induction period.

It is your induction tutor who will be able to help you to iron out any difficulties that might crop up in your ‘settling in’ days. Never feel that a question is too daft to be asked! It’s better that the minutiae of school life are made crystal clear than you still having to second-guess its vagaries at Easter!

If an issue concerns you that cannot be solved by your induction tutor, then your head teacher should be able to help. There will also be someone on hand at your Local Education Authority with special responsibilities for NQTs, and if you want to talk about anything with someone from outside your school, this person would be a good bet.

Teaching is a busy career at the best of times, but as an NQT, it’s possible that you’re now juggling more ‘urgent’ tasks than ever before. In addition, you’ll need time to assimilate the information and professional development that your induction is providing you with. It’s important that you pace yourself through the first weeks of term and that you are strict about giving yourself adequate rest and relaxation time. Taking work home is an inevitable dimension of the job for many teachers, but for it to dominate all your working hours is not sustainable. The work–life balance, though, is a particular challenge for new entrants to the profession.

Above all else, these early days can see you honing your skills and developing your craft. It’s the next big step up from the success of your initial teacher training and can be an incredibly creative time. Each day will see you notching up achievements and stretching your previous abilities. Give yourself the chance to reflect on your progress and congratulate yourself daily. Being mindful of milestones, however small, can help to ensure that your job is not only fulfilling, but enjoyable too.

• Make sure you have received a written contract before you start work.
  
  
• If stress becomes a problem for you, confidential advice can be sought from the Teacher Support Line: 08000 562 561.
  
  
• Take every opportunity to observe colleagues at work. New teachers have said that this is one of the most effective ways of enhancing their skills of teacher effectiveness.
  
  
• Give yourself time to assimilate new information whenever possible. Aim to pace yourself through each week and term.
  
  
• Don’t be tempted to reinvent the wheel if time is short. Use resources that your school can provide or that are provided electronically (for example on this TeacherNet site or on the National Grid for Learning) whenever appropriate. Your creative input can still come into play in your delivery of the lessons.
  
  
• In the ‘busyness’ of the start of term, don’t forget you and your needs.

The Teacher Training Agency has produced induction support materials which can be downloaded from its website, or ordered from the TTA Publications Unit: 0845 606 0323.  

Originally published on Teachernet