Outcomes

Systems, sectors, and teacher regulatory authorities have policies, programs, and resources that reference and clearly align with the Induction Guidelines

Performance indicator

Number of systems, sectors, and teacher regulatory authorities that have induction resources clearly aligned with the Induction Guidelines

Graduate to Proficient: Australian guidelines for teacher induction into the profession was developed by AITSL and in consultation with national and international experts, key education authorities in each of the states and territories, as well as graduate teachers, educational leaders, and ITE providers.

To develop the Induction Guidelines, AITSL commissioned and developed research into effective induction approaches and conducted scans of current and innovative induction practices, both nationally and internationally.

The Induction Guidelines explore what beginning teacher induction is, why it matters, the conditions necessary for good induction, and the shared responsibility of individuals and agencies in managing and delivering induction programs. Crucially, they also set the four key focus areas for effective induction: Professional Practices, Professional Identity, Wellbeing, and Orientation.

It is important to note that implementation of the Induction Guidelines is not mandatory and that many existing policies and programs align with the core elements of the Induction Guidelines.

Outcomes

Induction experiences for new graduates are aligned with the Induction Guidelines

Performance indicator

1. Percentage of early career teachers who report experiencing a formal induction program based on the Induction Guidelines

There is currently no single data set that shows a comprehensive national picture of the induction experiences of early career teachers in Australia, and the data that is available does not specifically relate to policies aligned with the Induction Guidelines

Australian and international literature about the benefits of induction for beginning teachers is extensive. However, there has been a lack of data in Australia about the extent to which induction is offered to early career teachers. This section presents data on induction from the 2019 AITSL Stakeholder Survey of 2,975 school leaders, experienced teachers, and early career teachers.

• School leaders were significantly more likely to indicate that early career teachers had received formal induction (69%) than early career teachers themselves (40%)

• Early career teachers on a permanent contract were most likely to have received formal induction, according to both school leaders (86%) and early career teachers themselves (50%)

• Only 18% of casual-relief teachers indicated they had received formal induction.

Provision of formal induction to early career teachers by employment type, 2019

(Source: 2019 ITE Data Report, p. 102)

The Induction Guidelines set out the four key focus areas for effective induction: Professional Practices, Professional Identity, Wellbeing, and Orientation.

Baseline data on these four key focus areas, gathered through the 2019 AITSL Stakeholder Survey and reported in the ITE Data Report 2019 (p. 103), show that the level of alignment is already quite strong – but needs to be strengthened in the area of teacher wellbeing and that school leaders and early career teachers tend to report the same perceptions:

2. Induction strategies being employed in schools include strategies that align with the Induction Guidelines

Multiple strategies are identified in the Induction Guidelines as being effective in induction processes, including practice-focused mentoring, targeted professional learning, and regular interaction with leaders. 

The 2109 AITSL Stakeholder survey asked early career teachers about the strategies they participated in, and school leaders and teacher mentors about the strategies used in their school. Both groups reported that mentoring/coaching was the most common induction strategy, however, school leaders and mentors were significantly more likely to indicate that early career teachers had participated in a range of activities.

Induction strategies used in schools, 2019

(Source: 2019 ITE Data Report, p. 104)

Outcomes

Induction experiences result in a smooth transition to the classroom to increase retention of graduate teachers

Performance indicator

Reduction in the number of early career teachers who leave, or intend to leave the profession, due to lack of support

There is currently no national data set that shows a comprehensive picture of teacher attrition in Australia. The current rate of attrition of early career teachers in Australia can only be estimated and these estimates are highly variable, although a 2007 Commonwealth Parliamentary Committee inquiry into ITE suggested that up to 25% of beginning teachers may leave teaching within the first five years (What do we know about teacher attrition rates in Australia?, p. 8)

Data gathered through the 2019 AITSL Stakeholder Survey on the career intentions of early career teachers - as reported in the ITE Data Report 2019 (p. 106) - show that while nearly half of early career teachers have no immediate plans to leave classroom teaching, a large number were either undecided or likely to leave in 1-5 years:

• 44% of early career teachers responded that they are not likely to leave classroom teaching in the foreseeable future

• 20% of early career teachers responded that they are likely to leave classroom teaching in 1-5 years

• 26% of early career teachers responded that they were unsure of their intentions.

 Likelihood of early career teachers leaving classroom teaching, 2019

(Source: 2019 ITE Data Report, p. 106)

When will we know more?

This 2019 data will provide a baseline for comparison against data on the attrition of early career teachers gathered through the ATWD strategy; the first of these reports will be available in 2020.