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The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, today welcomed the publication of the ESRI report: Review of the Droichead Teacher Induction Pilot Programme which was commissioned by the Teaching Council. The executive summary is available here: http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Education-Reports/Review-of-the-Droichead-Teacher-Induction-Pilot-Programme-Executive-Summary.pdf

The report aims to assess the Droichead pilot programme and thus to inform the model of teacher induction which will be used in Irish primary and post-primary schools in the future.

The Minister acknowledged the work and cooperation of all the partners in the Droichead process and looked forward to further consultation during the growth phase of Droichead from September 2016.

Minister O’Sullivan said, “Droichead is an important element in the continuum of professional development in the Irish primary and post-primary school context. The Department will continue to engage with the Teaching Council with regard to the report and the implications for the education system as it develops its procedures for the induction of newly qualified teachers.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

ESRI report

The ESRI was commissioned by the Teaching Council to undertake a review of the Droichead Pilot Programme. The review aims to assess the Droichead pilot programme and thus to inform the model of teacher induction which will be used in Irish primary and post-primary schools in the future.

The Council has informed the DES that it has noted the ESRI report and accepts it in full.

The following key points from the report were noted by the Council;

· There were high levels of satisfaction with the Droichead process for both NQTs and PSTs.
· Principals of Droichead schools reported greater levels of improvement among their NQTs than those matched in the non-Droichead schools. NQTs in Droichead schools also reported lower levels of stress than those in non-Droichead schools.
· Principals were positive about the extent to which ITE prepared student teachers for teaching methodology, curriculum, planning and assessment. They were more critical about preparation for diversity i.e., students with SEN, and from multicultural or disadvantaged backgrounds.
· Over half of the schools who participated in Droichead as a pilot, had a mentoring and induction structure in place beforehand.
· Over half of primary principals felt that the minimum number of 50 days required for the process was too short.
· The challenge of time for the process was cited by the majority of schools. However, half of the Droichead schools had not drawn down the full amount of release time for the process.
· There was a difference in the number of meetings and observations as part of the process in primary and post-primary sectors. A number of meetings were held outside of school time.
· School leadership and context shaped the initial engagement and implementation of the Droichead process at school level. PST members adopted different roles and responsibilities for the process.
· Further clarity was required in relation to the use of portfolios as part of the Droichead process.
· The purpose and integration of induction workshops needs to be considered.

Background

Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015, the Council is responsible for establishing the procedures for Induction and the procedures and criteria for Probation, having regard to the national policy framework established by the Minister for Education and Skills. A reconceptualised model of induction and probation named Droichead is currently being piloted.

The Droichead Pilot Programme commenced in September 2013 with 12 Primary and 40 Post Primary schools participating by February 2014. 332 schools have now registered for Droichead (180 primary and 152 post primary). This Droichead programme is overseen by a Steering Committee established by the Teaching Council on which DES/TES has two representatives. Participating schools receive support from the National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT) and the Inspectorate.

Objective

The main objective of the Droichead/Induction programme in the Irish primary and post-primary school context is towards supporting the personal, professional and pedagogical development of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) by way of systematic support in that initial period of teaching, thus laying the foundations for subsequent growth and development.

The Droichead programme

The Droichead programme, which will enter a growth phase in September 2016, is designed to provide whole-school support for teacher induction. The programme is innovative in being led at school level, by a Professional Support Team (PST) consisting of the principal, mentor(s) and other member(s). Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) in Droichead schools have support from a mentor and other members of the PST in the identification of their professional learning needs and in planning opportunities to address these needs, including opportunities to observe and be observed by other teachers. At the end of the process, the PST may make a recommendation to the Teaching Council that the Droichead condition be removed from a teacher’s registration. Emphasis is placed on the progress made by the teacher in terms of his or her professional learning and practice, as appropriate to his or her career phase (that is, induction).

Droichead reflects a wider trend internationally toward the design of more systematic, integrated and intensive programmes to support induction and probation.