The Impact of a Teacher Induction Programme on the Retention of Teachers: A Study in a Private School in Abu Dhabi

Abstract

Retaining teachers has become one of the greatest challenges in the educational sector worldwide. The reasons behind teachers' increasing rates of turnovers can be related to many key factors such as work conditions and teacher morale. This study aimed from the beginning, to analyse the teacher induction process of a 2600 pupil secondary school in the Middle East. This professional challenge was to understand how new teacher's (NT's) can be helped to settle into their new work environment, especially during their first year. This study used mixed methods of research to analyse how the induction programme could be improved and made more fit for purpose. This mixed methods research includes an interview and questionnaire study of teachers and the leadership team followed by the triangulation of information obtained. The key professional challenge in this study is to identify weaknesses in the induction programme and modify it so that it is fit for purpose. The goal after achieving these improvements is to increase teacher morale and improve retention rates in the school bringing about a positive effect on teaching and learning in this school. This research used both questionnaires and interviews to gain information which was then used to analyse and form conclusions. The key findings identified further areas that need to be modified in the programme, including subject-specific training, a greater emphasis on the mentor system and greater levels of support from the leadership team. This study was limited in its scope because of the Covid19 pandemic, and all research had to be done electronically. This also reduced the number of participants in the study. Following the research process, it was concluded that further changes were necessary to be implemented in the induction programme. These were to include more subject-specific training into the first weeks of induction. This would mean that returning teachers would be more involved in the first week of induction. The findings will be used in the planning process for next year's induction programme. The current induction programme, while having improved over the previous number of years, will be further modified and improved.