The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (England) Regulations 1999

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations require persons qualifying as teachers to complete successfully an induction period before taking up employment at a “relevant school” in England. By virtue of section 43(2) of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, this includes engagement otherwise than under a contract of employment at such a school.

“Relevant school” is defined in section 19(10)(b) of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, and includes schools maintained by local education authorities, grant-maintained schools and special schools not maintained by local education authorities. The definition is prospectively amended so as to remove the reference to grant-maintained schools by the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to take account of the new framework for schools taking effect on 1st September 1999.

An induction period may be served in a relevant school, or an independent school the curriculum of which meets certain requirements of the National Curriculum. It may not be served in a pupil referral unit or a school in “special measures”, unless the person in question is completing an induction period already started at the school or one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools in England certifies that the school is fit to provide induction.

The length of an induction period is generally three school terms for a full-time teacher and its equivalent for a teacher working part-time.

The requirement to serve an induction period is subject to exceptions: the main exceptions are for teachers who qualified before the Regulations come into force, teachers excepted from the requirement to be qualified teachers, teachers who have successfully completed induction periods in other parts of the United Kingdom, and teachers to whom Article 3 of Council Directive 89/48 EEC on a general system for the recognition of higher-education diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training of at least three years' duration applies.

The Regulations provide for the Secretary of State to give guidance against which teachers serving induction periods are to be assessed for the purpose of determining whether they have completed their induction periods successfully.

At the end of the induction period the head teacher of the school at which the teacher is employed makes a recommendation to the body which assesses teachers undergoing induction, in most cases the local education authority, and they decide whether the teacher has successfully completed induction, should have his induction period extended or whether he has failed to complete his induction satisfactorily. There is provision for a person having his induction period extended or failing to complete his induction satisfactorily to appeal to the Secretary of State.