The role of the mentor

‘Mentor’ was the name of a character from Homer’s Odyssey. He was required to care for Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, and provide him with wisdom and personal investment. These are the key features of an effective relationship between a mentor and an NQT. The mentor is probably the most important person in the NQT’s professional life, and having a good mentor is undoubtedly crucial to their future success. Yet, until recently, there was no formal system for mentoring new staff in most schools and, at best, the job was tagged onto the long list given over to the head of department.

In the case of NQT induction, a mentor is someone who supports the NQT in their professional development at close hand. They will carry out the following duties:

• observing lessons and giving structured feedback
• organising regular professional reviews of progress
• negotiating action plans and targets
• advising on the production of a professional portfolio.

The mentoring process is so central to induction that it needs to be planned carefully. The key lies with the professional relationship between the people involved, which should be neither cosy nor confrontational. If an NQT is mentored well, it is rare that they will fail.