New teachers

The ECF was introduced to give new teachers a longer period of support and the length of Induction  increased to two years in recognition of the fact that teaching is craft developed over a longer period and to help start a habit of career-long learning. This was part of the Government’s Recruitment & Retention Strategy.

There are some limited circumstances under which the induction period can be reduced, for example, an ECT who has a lot of prior teaching experience, perhaps unqualified before getting QTS. The school would have to apply to the Appropriate Body who would have to sign this off. The ECT would have to be in agreement.

However, this should not be agreed to lightly - once out of induction, you will be subject to normal school appraisal and should the school then raise concerns about the your performance, there is not the support or protections of the induction period to lean on. The 5% timetable reduction for second year ECTs would not apply, nor would time with your mentor be scheduled or funded. You would also not be entitled to the  ECF CPD that second year ECTs would be accessing.

It would be wise to discuss carefully with your employer why they think this is a good idea and what benefit it would bring you. If your school says that pay progression is dependent on completing induction, this is contrary to the ECF statutory guidance, which says that the two year induction should be no barrier to pay progression at the end of the first year. If you have been on a fixed term contract and your school suggests that another contract or a permanent post is available but not for an ECT, you should contact the NEU immediately.  If you are in any doubt, do not agree to reduce your induction period before contacting the NEU.

First of all, there is no specific and consistent job description that applies to the role of a mentor and the word is often used to describe many different roles. Sometimes a person who is called a mentor may not even really understand the extent of the responsibilities it implies.

You will have a mentor during your placement as a student. Newly qualified teachers will be assigned an induction tutor for the duration of their induction to provide day-to-day monitoring and support, and they will probably undertake most of the teaching observations and review progress, with some schools also assigning mentors as a source of additional personal support.

As a trainee if you feel you are not being given adequate support, speak to both your HEI tutor and/or the most senior person responsible for initial teacher training and student teachers in your school as early as possible.

If you are newly qualified and have concerns about the level of support you receive, it is also important that you raise any concerns early. However, we appreciate that you may find this difficult, and the National Education Union can provide advice and support on how to raise your concerns.

Early career teachers in maintained schools in England and Wales are entitled to full pay for 25 working days of sick leave and, after completing four calendar months' service, half pay for 50 additional days. These entitlements increase with years in service.

If you are working in an academy, free school or independent school, you will need to check your contract to see what sick leave you are entitled to.

You are entitled to self-certificate for seven calendar days of absence due to ill health. This means that you don't need to obtain a sickness absence certificate. If you are ill for more than seven calendar days, you will need to give your headteacher a 'fit note' (normally obtained from your GP), stating the reason for your absence and the projected duration of sick leave.

The school should have a sickness absence policy that outlines procedures for sick leave. Keep your headteacher informed whenever you suffer illness that requires sick leave. Always ring the school as soon as you know you will not be able to attend, or, if you cannot, arrange for someone to call on your behalf. The reason for your absence should be treated as confidential by your headteacher.

If you feel able to suggest work for your class(es) this will be appreciated but you are not under any obligation to do this. Many schools have contingency plans in place in the event of staff sickness.

As an Early Career Teacher (ECT) you can expect to be observed at regular intervals throughout the induction period, and you should meet with your mentor to review the teaching that has been observed. Observations should be carried out in a supportive fashion with professionalism, integrity and courtesy; be evaluated objectively and reported accurately and fairly; and take account of the particular circumstances that may affect performance on the day.

As you have been told you are at risk of failing your induction year already, you should contact your local branch secretary or the Advice Line as soon as possible, so a caseworker to assist you and discuss your individual situation in more detail.

After you have contacted the branch or Advice Line, you should also contact your appropriate body and discuss with them why you feel you have not received the support you would have in a normal year.  They will be able to review support provided to date and discuss with both yourself, your NEU rep and your school how appropriate the support has been and what additional support could be put in place to help you meet the teachers’ standards and pass the induction year.  They may also be able to give an indication as to whether they believe your individual circumstances may result in a recommendation for an extension.

In addition to having a recommendation for an extension based on the reports from your school and the appropriate body, there are other factors that can make NQTs automatically qualify for additional time, such as ad hoc absences of up to 30 days during the induction year, although this does not include Covid related absences. However, the DfE does encourage appropriate bodies to exercise discretion and recommend an extension where they feel NQTs have not met the teachers’ standards, due to Covid related absences. Find out more here.

If, following discussions with your school and appropriate body, it appears that they do feel you have been provided with sufficient support and will not meet the teachers’ standards, you can ask your NEU representative to help negotiate an early exit from your school before the induction year comes to an end. This will allow you to ‘bank’ some days in your induction year and complete it later date, (if you are an overseas trained teacher this must be completed within five years of obtaining QTS).  During the time you are not completing your induction year, you can carry out supply work in various schools and develop your skills to meet the teachers’ standards.  You must ensure that when carrying out supply work during this time you do not compete a full term in any post for it to count towards induction.  Further information can be found in the induction guidance.

If a decision to defer completing your induction year is made, please do be aware that from September 2021 the Early Career Framework will be introduced, with an induction of 2 years (6 terms).  This means that if you have one term remaining to complete induction, you would have until the end of 2022/23 to complete the term as part of a one-year induction.  From September 2023, you would be required to complete 6 terms of induction; with two terms already completed you would have another four to do.  Find out more about the ECF here. 

It is unrealistic for teachers and lecturers to always avoid being alone with students. In some situations (such as music lessons) one-to-one teaching is entirely normal. However, misunderstandings can more easily occur, so be mindful of these general precautions:

• Notification: colleagues (or, where appropriate, the student's parent/guardian) should, wherever possible, be aware in advance of the lesson or meeting.
• Location and environment: where possible, avoid locations that could appear clandestine, such as remote areas, closed or locked doors and rooms without windows. Where appropriate, talk to the student with a desk between you, or arrange the environment to avoid unnecessary physical contact.
• Contact: avoid physical contact unless strictly necessary and, if it is (or becomes) necessary, studiously avoid any contact which could be misconstrued as sexual.
• Reporting: if a student becomes emotional or distressed during a one-to-one lesson or meeting, report this promptly and discreetly to a senior colleague.

Teachers and lecturers are not legally obliged to inform parents or guardians automatically of confidential disclosures by students (e.g concerning their emotional lives). In accordance with the Gillick judgement and the principles of the Children Act 1989, teachers and lecturers are entitled to make reasonable professional judgements on this issue, recognising that young people are entitled to more control over matters affecting them as they mature.

Schools and colleges should have a policy on confidentiality and you should act in accordance with it. If the matter is highly sensitive, it is appropriate for you to discuss the confidential information with a senior colleague. Remember to inform the student concerned if you decide you have to pass on their confidential disclosure to another person.

No. Teachers and lecturers have no formal right to refuse to teach a student. To do so is, strictly speaking, industrial action (which is subject to detailed rules on balloting, notice, etc). Refusal to teach is therefore an 'industrial action' weapon to be used only as a last resort, with careful advice from the National Education Union. A headteacher/principal does have the power to exclude violent or seriously disruptive students, either for a fixed period or permanently (subject to the student's right to appeal).

Classroom behaviour and discipline are perennial concerns, but are often a major worry for those new to teaching. The school or college should have a behaviour and discipline policy that states clearly what sanctions are available and who has the power to impose them.

Trainee and newly qualified teachers and lecturers should clarify what authority they have to impose punishments, and if there are circumstances in which they must refer an issue to a senior colleague.

The school or college should publish an escalating system of sanctions, usually ranging from removal from classes, loss of privileges (such as having to stay in at break times), reporting to senior staff, contact with parents/guardians, being placed on 'report' and behaviour 'contracts', through to temporary or ultimately permanent exclusions.

When it comes to exclusions, only the headteacher/principal can exclude a student from school or college and she/he must observe a procedure when doing so.

Detentions can be imposed only when this is 'reasonable in all the circumstances'.

The Education and Inspections Act 2006 enables staff in all schools to use reasonable force to prevent students from hurting themselves or others, from damaging property or from causing disorder. The use of force has two main purposes: to control students or to restrain them.

All schools should have a policy about the use of force to control or restrain students, which you should familiarise yourself with.

Always try to keep calm and consider your own safety. As soon as the incident is over, record exactly what happened with a senior member of staff. 

Schools and colleges have a duty to provide appropriate support and training to trainee teachers and lecturers to minimise the risk of accidents. However, even if you are still in training, you have the same obligation as qualified teachers and lecturers to take reasonable care of students.

This is often explained as the care a reasonable parent would exercise, taking account of the numbers, ages, abilities and any special educational and/or medical needs, and the usual standard of behaviour of the students, the location and the risks associated with the activity taking place.

Do check and act in accordance with any policies on this issue.

If an accident does occur, first aid should be called for if necessary and a record made in the school or college accident book as soon as possible. 

Keep copies of any accident reports or statements made, since they can be relevant to any subsequent claim for compensation. Fortunately, such claims are almost invariably pursued against the employer (and their insurers) rather than against the individual teacher or lecturer.

In the (most unlikely) event of a claim being raised against a member for an accident to a student, get in contact with the National Education Union.

The educational and social value of trips makes such activity an essential part of learning. Nevertheless, a series of high profile incidents plus health and safety requirements have understandably heightened fears about liability and negligence.

Teachers or lecturers taking students on trips or visits have an obligation to take reasonable care of them – taking account of the students' ages, aptitudes, any special educational and/or medical needs, the risks associated with the activity and the environment concerned, which should be considered in the risk assessment(s).

You should follow the school/college procedures for off-site activities. If an accident happens, any claim for compensation is highly likely to be brought against the employer, who is vicariously liable for the actions and omissions of its employees.

Unfortunately, manual handling operations – lifting, carrying, pushing or moving a heavy object or person by hand or bodily force – are a major source of injury at work. Lifting anything even moderately heavy in the wrong way can result in strain or injury, especially to the back – one of the main causes of sickness absence.

We advise you to exercise caution and to avoid lifting or manoeuvring heavy or awkwardly shaped loads, such as desks or filing cabinets.

Any injury should be recorded promptly in the accident book and you should retain a copy of it.

All teachers owe a duty of care to their students and colleagues. An important aspect of this duty is to take reasonable steps to safeguard and promote students' health, safety and welfare. This is particularly important in the area of child protection; all children have the right to protection from abuse and exploitation.

Find out what the procedures are for dealing with suspected abuse, and follow these. As soon as you suspect neglect or any form of abuse, talk to the designated teacher with responsibility for child protection. Do not wait to gather more evidence of abuse; it is always better to act sooner rather than later.