What to do if you are employing a newly qualified teacher

Schools have a statutory obligation to provide newly qualified teachers (NQTs) with induction support. If your school has employed a new school teacher, check with them if they have completed induction. If they haven’t, you must submit the induction notification form to us within 10 working days of them starting employment at the school. The school must identify an induction mentor (IM) who will provide the NQT with the appropriate day to day Induction support.

When completing the induction notification form, please ensure:

• all sections are completed in full
• the form has been signed by all parties
• all parties are copied in to the email if submitting by email

Once we have received and processed the form, we will send an email confirming that we have received the paperwork, to the NQT, IM, and copied to the headteacher. An induction notification form should be submitted to us within 10 working days at the start of each new period of employment.

Requirements of induction, and timescales for completing

To undertake induction in Wales, NQTs must hold QTS and must be registered with us in the category of school teacher. Any periods of employment undertaken prior to registration in the correct category cannot count towards induction.

The induction period is three school terms, or the equivalent. However, the appropriate body (AB) has the discretion to reduce the length of the induction period for NQTs who can demonstrate their teaching practice meets the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership in less than three school terms (380 sessions). Induction cannot be completed in less than one term (110 sessions).

NQTs who are not employed on a full time basis can accrue sessions towards their induction. A session is defined as one full morning, or afternoon in a school. Only periods of employment where the NQT is employed as a qualified teacher can count towards induction.

NQTs who gained qualified teacher status (QTS) between 1 April 2003 and 6 November 2022 will have five years from 7 November 2022 to complete induction. NQTs who gain QTS from 7 November 2022 onwards, will have five years from the date QTS is awarded to complete induction.

If an NQT is unable to complete induction within the required timescales, the Appropriate Body (AB) has discretion to extend the time limit completing induction, where it is satisfied that there are good reasons for doing so, and the NQT is in agreement. Further information is available in the Welsh Government guidance induction for newly qualified teachers in Wales. Failure to complete induction within the required timescales will mean the NQT is no longer able to register with EWC in the category of school teacher. They will therefore be unable to be employed as a teacher in a maintained school, or pupil referral unit in Wales.

Induction funding

Schools are given funding by Welsh Government, to help with providing the NQT’s statutory entitlement to a 10% reduction in their timetable (in addition to their PPA time). Funding is released after the end of each academic term (or sooner if the teacher’s employment ends). Funding will only be released after we have recevied the induction funding claim form in line with the timescales set out below.

More information is available in Induction - funding, tracking and recording arrangements .

Timetable

Below you will find details of important dates for the submission of paperwork to us for school teachers undertaking Induction.

Summer term 2024