Title: TDA sponsored NQT Quality improvement study
1TDA sponsoredNQT Quality improvement study
- Escalate May 2008
- Tricia Young
2- Aims of project
- Literature survey
- Methods
- Findings
- Discussion of findings
3Aims of the project
- To identify
- the factors that impact on recruitment and
retention of NQTs - SLTs' needs
- how far NQTs meet these needs
- how schools measure the performance and progress
of NQTs.
4Literature findings
- What are the issues?
- recruitment to ITT
- the adequacy of preparation
- recruitment of NQTs
- induction and further support
- retention
- leavers and returners
5The project at a glance
Group 1 - 50 case study schools, involving
face-to-face interviews Group 2 - 250 schools,
involving telephone interviews Group 3 - 1,000
schools, involving questionnaires
Questionnaires (Part 1) inform interviews, which
in turn inform telephone interviews and
questionnaires in Part 2.
6Part 1 survey
- Sampling
- - sent to sample of 4089 schools, including 9
independent schools - - 706 responded
- (70) primary
- (27) secondary
- (3) both primary and secondary
- 95 state, 5 independent
7Survey findings
272 NQT responses were received 62.3
primary 37.7 secondary 93 state 7 independent
8Factors that attract NQTs to apply for teaching
posts
Geographical location
Reputation of school
Your perception of the Headteacher/Senior Leadership Team
Latest Ofsted report
Potential for promotion
School type
Salary offered
Size of department
School exam results
League table position
If the school is situated in an area of deprivation
If the school has a highly diverse ethnic mix of pupils
If the school has a high number of pupils entitled to free school meals
9Evaluation by SLTs of quality of NQTs
Commitment to children
Team-working skills with teaching colleagues
Meets the QTS/core professional standards for teachers
Lesson planning
Awareness of what the job entails
Ability to deal with children
Subject/specialism knowledge
Working with a full class/in charge of a whole class
Contribution to the whole school
Stamina/resilience
Team-working skills with support staff colleagues
Awareness of future professional standards for teachers
Commitment to parents
Administrative work
Pupil assessment/assessment for learning
Team-working skills with non school colleagues
Ability to deal with parents
10What helps/ hinders in the recruitment processes
(SLTs)?
- Excellent links with training providers and
willingness to provide placements for
trainee/associate teachers. We provide teaching
practice placements for at least one trainee each
semester and have recruited several excellent
NQTs through this route. - Timing of the school calendar. So many
applications for one post, difficult to give time
to shortlisting, so many applications are the
same. - We are a school in a deprived area with
challenging children. The friendly atmosphere and
supportive ethos of the school attracts some
individuals.
11Written applications and performance at
interviews (SLTs)
- Complaints by SLT respondents about poor quality
written applications included - poor writing style (e.g. too informal)
- incorrect name of school or head-teacher
- clearly in a standard format used for multiple
applications - no individuality demonstrated
- no reference to the person specification/job
description and skills required for the post - applicants who do not have the requirements
specified.
12other comments....
- the standard of applications was disappointing
because they lack flair - to get to interview they need to stand out above
the other 50-100 applicants. They must tailor
their letter to the school and job advertised,
and show an awareness of the school they are
applying to work at. Also , what else have they
done/do they do that is different - in teaching
and also in home life. - In one primary and one secondary school, lack of
suitable references was an issue. For example,
the majority of applicants' references come from
college tutors, and some head-teachers thought
they did not know the student well enough and
that references from the applicants' placement
school would be more reliable.
13Retention issues
- 'We do not have any problems retaining NQTs in
this school. I think that it is because we make
it challenging for them in a positive way, and we
also allow them time for training and visits to
other schools.' (Primary Head) - 'Training has an impact on the retention of
teachers. Schools have increasing responsibility
in the process of teacher training, and have
little knowledge of how to train teachers and in
many cases little understanding of the skills
that they use in a classroom and how to develop
these.' (Secondary Head)
14Issues for ITE
- Quality
- working with non-teaching colleagues
- dealing with parents
- admin
- assessment for learning
- opportunities to take responsibilities for whole
class teaching - Recruitment
- appropriate vacancy sources
- expression of individuality
- use of language
- what NQTs need to look out for
- others?
15- For further information
- http//www.nqtstudy.info/