On supporting new staff: Sure, you've done an induction day and INSET, and may have checked in a few times. But don't forget: the real work of supporting and integrating new staff starts today.
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Couldn’t agree more. Surely induction should last the first term. INSET days don’t show where on the school drive the resources are. How to manage your duty properly. How to fix the photocopier. Little things that can snowball very easily.
Hit the corridors hard
Loiter at starts
Ask for a quick thumbs up/down
Check in before end of day
Ask if there were any problems
See if they're ready for tomorrow
Congratulate them
Remind them how excited you are to have them on the team
Etc
This is one of those below the radar things for lots of slt because it's departments who do this and usually really really well. It's actually remarkable how fast lots of new starters fit in and it's because of the support of the colleagues closest to them..
..it's actually a really interesting thing to think about because it's here they find out what's A Thing and what Isn't A Thing in regards to expectations and how things are done. "Oh the seating plans? Yeah they should look like this but nobody ever checks.."
Literally this is me currently. I went to a briefing about something then found someone who has been doing it before to find out what I *actually* need to do.
Comments
Loiter at starts
Ask for a quick thumbs up/down
Check in before end of day
Ask if there were any problems
See if they're ready for tomorrow
Congratulate them
Remind them how excited you are to have them on the team
Etc