All newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who gained Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) on or from 1 April 2003 onwards are required to complete a statutory induction period in Wales. The induction period is a supportive process which gives NQTs opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge which they will build upon for the duration of their teaching career. During the induction period, NQTs are required to show how their teaching practice meets the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership.

Induction requirements

To undertake induction in Wales, NQTs must hold QTS, and must be registered with us in the category of school teacher. This includes teachers doing ad hoc short term supply work. Any periods of employment done before registering in the correct category cannot count towards induction. Work undertaken as a school learning support worker, or cover supervisor 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 doing induction via short term supply work 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.

All periods of employment as a qualified teacher of one school session or more in a relevant setting, must count towards induction, and must be recorded with us. There is no flexibility and NQTs, schools, or pupil referral units cannot request that a period of employment does not count towards induction. Short term supply work done before September 2012 cannot count towards induction.

For more information on doing induction in Wales, please refer to the Welsh Government guidance document Induction for newly qualified teachers in Wales.

Timescales for completing 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 a NQT is unable to complete induction within the required timescales, the AB does have discretion to extend the time limit for the completion of induction for those who have, and haven’t started 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, and therefore unable to be employed as a teacher in a maintained school, or pupil referral unit in Wales.

Our role in the induction process

On behalf of Welsh Government, we are responsible for a number of administrative activities associated with the induction programme including:

• maintaining a central source of data for teachers undertaking induction, including employment details as they progress through induction, a record of their induction mentor (IM), external mentor (EM), and external verifier (EV) and a record of the induction sessions completed
• sharing this information with others parties involved in the provision of the induction programme (these include the NQT, IM, EV and the induction coordinator at the LA as the AB in induction)
• administering induction funding to schools
• hosting and providing access to the online statutory induction profile within the Professional Learning Passport
• issuing induction certificates based upon induction results provided by the AB
• hearing induction appeals - guidance on the hearing of induction appeals can be found in the fitness to practise section of this website