Council reviews induction process of newly qualified teachers

The Teaching Council issued directions to newly qualified teachers to complete any outstanding time left of their induction process, called ‘Droichead’, once they secure 'eligible employment'.

The Teaching Council is reviewing how newly qualified teachers (NQTs) can show they have completed a quality induction process while teaching remotely.

The move by the professional standards body comes after it issued directions to NQTs to complete any outstanding time left of their induction process, called ‘Droichead’, once they secure "eligible employment".

However, many NQTs have remained teaching students remotely and working with schools since the school building closures were issued back in March.

An online petition set up in recent days has gained almost 3,000 signatures, calling on the Teaching Council to overturn its recent direction. Student teachers were signed off from their final inspections, the petition states.

“Yet teachers who have been employed and have been working tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic and continue to do so have been told that these days count for nothing in regards their probation [sic].”

With Droichead being the induction phase of a teacher's career, primary school teachers are required to carry out 60 days to complete the process. Secondary school teachers are required to carry out 200 hours.

The process involves mentoring from more experienced colleagues within a school, referred to as the professional support team (PST).

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) also called for a more “flexible approach” from the Teaching Council, asking that it take into account the ongoing work of NQTs, as well as their PSTs.

In a statement, the Teaching Council said it is keen to ensure that NQTs receive the full benefits of their inductions. "At the same time, we must all acknowledge that this is an unprecedented crisis, and everybody is doing their best to respond to circumstances that continue to evolve from week to week."

Significant concessions have been made for NQTs who had not completed Droichead by March 12, it added. This includes recognition of all elements of the process including additional professional learning activities, and professional conversations.

The process is not simply about teaching time, according to the Teaching Council, as it requires the agreement between the teacher and the support team that a quality induction process occurred. Many teachers and schools have responded with the utmost professionalism to a rapidly changing landscape, the statement added.

"It is our intention to review how the PSTs and any NQTs who may be potentially affected can verify that a quality induction process has occurred throughout this time in the context of remote teaching and learning and will communicate further within two weeks."

The Teaching Council will work with the Department of Education and the National Induction Programme for Teachers on this review, the statement added.