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Training and Induction of This year sees the introduction of a guaranteed induction training post for new teachers in Scotland. All eligible* students will be offered a funded one-year training post with a Scottish authority. Successful completion of the training year will complete the probationary period and qualify new teachers for full registration with the GTCS (General Teaching Council for Scotland), and enable them to apply for permanent positions. This change in probation arrangements was brought in as a result of the McCrone agreement for the teaching profession in Scotland. It is to address the difficulties encountered previously by some teachers in Scotland of trying to complete their probation period (which was 2 years of service) via temporary positions and the supply route. This process took on average 3.5 years, and in some cases, much longer. The induction post has a 70% teaching commitment, and 30% professional development, with support from an induction tutor (a nominated teacher in the school) for 10% of the time. The salary for this year is 16,600, rising to 17000+ next year. Allocation of induction posts will be done in a similar way to the system used to allocate medics to hospitals. Students state their preference of LEA (they have 5 choices), LEAs state their needs, and a matching process ensues. As with all new systems, there will be refinements to the process over the next few years. * For more details of this scheme (and a definition of 'eligible'), and other changes to the teaching profession in Scotland, see the website www.teachinginscotland.com |