People remember how they have been ‘welcomed’ into a new school. Inductions are memorable events. That is why a supportive induction process is crucial for the recruitment and retention of staff. How do we ensure that our induction process makes people feel welcome and ‘at home’ as opposed to feeling isolated and unsure of their place?

• Put someone in charge of welcoming new staff. Give that person time and resources. The induction lead may not be a teacher, for example, it may be a member of HR, but there must be coordination and every department must have an induction champion. If the person taking the lead on induction is not a member of the senior leadership team, they must be supported by and accountable to a member of the SLT to give the required level of authority.
• Induction policy which outlines the programme that is used at your school to welcome any newly appointed staff (both teaching and non-teaching) and governors. The Induction Programme for newly appointed staff is the first part of the School’s Staff Development Programme, which involves all staff – both teaching and non-teaching. Staff are our most expensive resource and form a large part of the investment of the school and therefore the induction programme is planned for in the School Development Plan.
• Provide a comprehensive orientation: Schedule a comprehensive orientation program that covers everything from the school's mission and values to specific policies and procedures.
• Induction programme: Ideally this starts straight after the recruitment process ends. Provide new staff with ways of getting to know about the school ahead of them arriving – this could be through providing them with an induction pack and providing them with a member of staff to be in contact with (e.g., a buddy system – please see below). Arrange a pre-start visit – ideally before they start working in the school. This is an opportunity for them to get to know the facilities and the context of the school. What about providing them with a professional guide to the town / city they are going to be working in – this will excite them and give them an understanding of the context of the school? Give new staff extra time to get settled – this could be through a specific induction programme prior to term starting (but also remember that not all members of staff begin at the beginning of a school year – and they also need time to feel at home). Make sure they have a practical guide – someone who will help them, e.g., open a bank account, find the nearest doctor / pharmacist etc. It also involves familiarisation with IT systems and providing additional support if needed. Introduce new staff to each other so they know someone else who is new to the school. That way, they know they are not the only “new fish”. Consider a few social events to introduce them to key people they need to know in an informal setting. Let them see all aspects of the school – one way of doing this is providing the opportunity for new staff to track a student for a day to see how the school operates from a student’s point of view.
• Make it individual. Find out about your new staff, and tailor your induction programme to the individual. It is important to know their experiences, expectations, and preferences. You could do this by asking them to complete a questionnaire and then follow this up with an informal post-recruitment conversation which asks how we can support them to settle into the school. Each member of staff comes with their own rich experiences and aspirations for their future.
• Appreciative inquiry: Adopt an appreciative inquiry stance. Starting a new job is not about starting from scratch but continuing their learning journey. They have much to contribute. It is supportive to find out about their experiences as well as expectations. How do they wish to develop, and what plan can be put in place to help them? What aspects of the school will be new to them – it could be curriculum programmes, assessment procedures etc.
• Be welcoming: Be intentional about making new staff feel welcome – making sure that all staff look out for them.
• Buddy: There are pros and cons of giving new staff a buddy. They need to be well-matched. A good buddy is someone who has been at the school for a few years, so they know how things work and can assuage any doubts a new starter may have - not least by talking about their own experiences. If you are going to provide members of staff with a buddy avoid having that person as their line manager, someone they are accountable to. Train up your buddies in how they contribute to the induction programme.
• Encourage ongoing feedback: Encourage ongoing feedback from the new teacher, including regular check-ins and feedback opportunities. This will help identify any areas where they may need additional support.
• Don't rush it: people take different amounts of time to feel at home in a new context. Induction has several stages: first hours and days, the first term, the first year.
• Celebrate achievements: Celebrate the new teacher's achievements to help build confidence and encourage continued growth.

Ayisat Fashola, Why induction for new starters is so crucial in schools. TES, May 2022. An experienced leader from multiple sectors explains why the induction of new staff is critical to a school’s smooth operation – and offers ideas to make sure you welcome new staff in the best way possible.