A Warm Highland Welcome For Probationer Teachers

15th August 2022

The Highland Council warmly welcomed this year's new cohort of probationer teachers to the Highlands at Millburn Academy in Inverness. Highland's newly qualified teachers started work today (Monday 15 August 2022) in schools across the region.

The probationer teachers' induction event is the first of a wide range of professional learning events which run across the year, to support the needs of beginning teachers and their ongoing professional learning.

Welcoming the probationers, Nicky Grant, Executive Chief Officer for Education and Learning said: "This has been an exciting week for all in Education across The Highland Council, starting with the improvements in our exam results across many measures and culminating in us welcoming our new probationers to their school communities.

"Providing the best start in life for all of our children and young people is a priority for our service. I will be following each of their careers with interest and hope to visit many of them in their school settings as the year progresses. At a time where Education is returning to a sense of new beginnings, it’s wonderful to welcome these new teachers into our authority. Investing in the future, supporting and learning from our probationers, as they join us fresh from their studies is hugely significant in our advancing education system."

Cllr John Finlayson, Chair of Education Committee added: "This is an exciting day for all of our new probationers, and it is also an exciting day for The Highland Council as we welcome new teachers into our authority. Each and every one will be an asset to our Highland communities, and to the schools, children, and families they will be working with over the next year. I am confident that they will enjoy working in their new schools, and I hope that they take advantage of the unique opportunities that await them, and they choose to continue working in the Highlands for many years to come."

In Highland, probationary teachers will play a key role in supporting children and young people in their return to schools. Teachers in Highland are committed to building positive relationships with their learners, providing relevant, engaging, and exciting learning experiences while at the same time supporting their health and wellbeing.

We have 61 Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) probationers starting in August this year - 26 secondary and 35 primary. We will also have a number of new Flexible Route probationers starting in Term 1 and a number of these are attending the Induction Event. Our Flexible Route probationers are working in both Primary and Secondary sectors.

Our 35 TIS primary probationers have been allocated to our educational areas as follows - 4 North, 10 Mid, 16 South and 5 West. The 26 TIS secondary probationers have been allocated to our educational areas as follows: 4 North, 8 Mid, 10 South and 4 West.

The 26 TIS secondary school probationers will be working in the following subjects areas: Art and Design (1), Biology (2), Business Education (2); Chemistry (4); English (3), Home Economics (4); History (1); Mathematics (1); Music (1); Physical Education (3), Physics (1); and Technological Education (3).

We have 1 preference waiver in Secondary and 4 in Primary (teachers who have opted to be placed anywhere in Scotland). These probationers will be relocating to the Highlands from different parts of Scotland and we wish them all the very best as the integrate with their new community; build new friendships and enjoy all that is positive about living in the Highlands! All our other TIS probationers are ‘locals’ and will bring much to the learning experiences of children and young people in their known home context.