I am an NQT. My Induction tutor (Deputy Head) and The Assistnat Deputy Head had a meeting and filled in my form without consulting me. When the form was sent to me for comment I was asked to write how I had felt the term had gone. I wrote 6 lines, 5 positive and one negative and all hell broke loose. The Deputy Head, having read that I felt unsupported when moving classes with new pupils and having to set up my classroom single handily, then refused to send the form and we had an argument. I have only one target on the form and now very damaged relationships with the SMT. What shall I do?
10/1/2013
Your assessment is a chance to show that you’ve addressed any problems and are meeting core standards
Sapna Choudrie, a new teacher at Whitehall Primary School in Bristol, made sure her first formal assessment went well by monitoring her performance and addressing concerns in the time leading up to it.
“I’m quite a proactive person, so I knew what I had to work on from my action plan. I also knew what progress I had made by regular conversations with other staff members,” she says.
Knowing that one of her targets was to improve her behaviour management skills, she liaised with external agencies as well as her special educational needs co-ordinator for support and asked them to comment on her progress. This provided her with something to take to her assessment meeting as proof that she had addressed the concerns. “I got the opportunity to discuss my progress and the additional steps I had taken to make sure I pass my induction,” Sapna says.
Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) should have three formal assessment meetings with their induction tutor or headteacher during the induction period.
The meetings provide an opportunity to identify areas where further support might be needed to ensure the 41 core standards, covering skills, attributes and knowledge and understanding, are met by the end of the induction period.
It’s a good idea to prepare for the meetings by producing a self assessment to take along. The report should include the three core standards headings or five themes: skills; developing practice; working within the law; developing professional and constructive relationships with pupils, parents and colleagues; and professional knowledge and understanding.
Sapna agrees that the key to a successful assessment is to know what to expect beforehand: “I found the assessment meeting useful in terms of confirming what standards I’ve met so far and what I should focus on for the next assessment. And it was interesting to read what my induction tutor said about me.
“But you shouldn’t really have to wait until your assessment to find out if you’re failing. You should be talking regularly to your tutor to find that out.” She adds: “My advice is to be proactive, know what you want, when you want to achieve it and why you want to achieve it and discuss with your tutor how you can achieve it.”
Each assessment should be informed by written reports from at least two lesson observations and two progress review meetings. Further sources of evidence could include lesson plans, records and evaluations; pupils’ assessment records such as test results; information about discussions with others, such as colleagues and parents; and the NQT’s record of professional development. Induction tutors may want to collect more evidence in areas where there are concerns.
An assessment form should be completed and signed by the induction tutor or head recording what is covered in the meeting. Model assessment forms are available to download from Department for Education (see downloads on right hand side). The NQT should be invited to make comments on the form and sign it before it is sent to the appropriate body - either the local authority or the Independent Schools Council teacher induction panel - within 10 working days of the assessment meeting.
The assessment may suggest areas for improvement, or indicate where NQTs might need further support. As well as those that have been involved in the assessment, local authority induction co-ordinators should be on hand to discuss any problems and identify support strategies. Other NQTs are also a good source for advice.
The third assessment meeting, likely to be held in July, will form the basis of the head’s recommendation to the appropriate body on whether the NQT has passed their induction.
The challenge for new teachers following their second assessment will therefore be to establish clear objectives for the summer term and to cover the core standards they have not yet achieved, as well as continuing to demonstrate those they already have.
Assessment - what you need to know
- Check progress against the core standards now, ahead of the assessment meeting.
- Produce a self assessment to take to the assessment meeting.
- Make sure the resulting report is fair.
- Don’t panic if the next assessment doesn’t go well. Identify areas to work on and do so before the final assessment.
- The headteacher should observe the NQT before the final assessment as it will be their recommendation that is sent to the appropriate body.
- You can download the NQT assessment forms from the DfE website
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