Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Catholic Education Office

Induction of Early Career Teachers

Related Policies:

Induction of Staff

Purpose:

This policy aims to ensure high quality and consistent support of early career teachers through system and school based support programs.

Policy:

The Principal has the responsibility to provide continual assistance, supervision and review for all teachers. There is a particular responsibility to ensure that teachers beginning their teaching career are encouraged and supported both professionally and personally.

Each school will develop orientation and mentoring procedures which meet the needs of the local school community and of teachers who are commencing work with that school community.

Principals provide early career teachers with a program of assistance and supervision which is frequently reviewed with consideration given to:

• the skills, experience and needs of the early career teacher; and
• the Early Career Teachers Induction Program offered by the Catholic Education Office.

Principals are able to apply each year for an additional staffing allocation of 0.1 FTE to support the early career teacher program for each teacher in the first and second year of service. It is not intended that this 0.1 allocation be considered as part of the school's general staffing. It must be used to directly support the early career teacher, for example, by providing release time for the early career teacher's mentor.

The Catholic Education Office organises three professional development days for early career teachers over their two-year induction period to augment and support school based programs. The first of these days is held in Term 1 of the early career teacher's first year.

The Catholic Education Office prepares and publishes an Early Career Teachers Handbook at the commencement of each school year. The Handbook provides resources to support school based induction programs.

During the final term of the first year of appointment, Principals and Mentors prepare a report on the newly appointed teacher for the purpose of providing formal feedback to the teacher and for reporting to the Director of Catholic Education. The format for reporting follows the proforma in the Early Career Teacher's Handbook.

Definitions:

Early Career Teacher - A teacher who is in either their first or second year of teaching.

Procedures:

1. The Principal and School executive members develop appropriate orientation and induction procedures for early career teachers appointed to their school community.

2. The Principal makes application to the Catholic Education Office for 0.1 FTE allocation to support the early career teacher.

2.1 Applications should outline how the allocation will be used, for example, release.
2.2 Applications must name the teacher who will be employed on a regular basis to supply relief for the early career teacher and / or mentor.

3. The Catholic Education Office prepares and distributes the Early Career Teacher's Handbook.

4. The Catholic Education Office organises three professional development days for early career teachers during their first two years of appointment.

5. Principals/Mentors and early career teachers determine focus areas for the Early Career Teacher's Induction Program.

6. Schools encourage and assist early career teachers to network with their peers in neighbouring schools. The Human Resources Division of the Catholic Education Office assists schools by identifying early career teachers and their schools and publishing this data .

References:

Early Career Teachers Handbook

Forms:

Early Career Teachers Induction/Development Program Application for 0.1 FTE Allocation.

Program Outline – Focus Areas.

Approval – 0.1 Allocation for Early Career Teachers.

Report on Newly Appointed Teachers.

Last updated on December 2, 2006