National Survey of Teachers in Their First Year of Service, 1966-1967; Head Teacher Questionnaire

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p>The purpose of this study was to collect information about the conditions, opportunities, problems and needs of teachers at the beginning of their career and to assist in the development of services to them.<br> <i>National Survey of Teachers in Their First Year of Service, 1966-1967</i> (SN:66031,66032,66033,67032,67033)<br> This group of surveys serves both as a demographic study of probationary teachers and as a longitudinal study in which characteristics of the teachers at the beginning and at the end of the year were related to each other and to characteristics of the school and of the employing authority. It covers seven main areas: probationary background and training; their distribution; appointment and placement; in-service guidance; probationers in the classroom; in the school community; outside school; and career intentions.<br> Arising from findings of this group of surveys, a further research and development project was undertaken by the University of Bristol to investigate the needs, problems, and advantages associated with the mounting of in-service courses for probationers. The data from this project are held as SN:14 <i>Probationary Teachers, 1968-1969</i> and SN:15 <i>Probationary Teachers, 1969-1970</i>.<br> The phasing of the enquiry followed the timetable:<br> Spring 1966: Survey of Directors of Education in the 162 LEA's in England and Wales (SN:66031)<br> June 1966: Survey of Head Teachers (SN:66032)<br> Sept 1966: First survey of probationers (SN:66033)<br> March 1967: Oral interviews with sub-sample of probationers (SN:67032)<br> May 1967: Follow-up questionnaire to probationers who responded to first questionnaire (SN:67033)<br> <br> SN:14 includes two questionnaires (A1 and B1) distributed to probationers in one rural and three urban areas in July 1969. These probationers had completed their probationary year and had experienced only traditional forms of in-service guidance; they formed a control group for the project.<br> SN:15 includes nine questionnaires, distributed between September 1969 and July 1970 in conjunction with a series of project-organized induction courses and discussion meetings. The questionnaires were administered according to the following timetable:<br> Sept 1969: Questionnaire A2 and B2 to all probationers<br> Sept-Oct 1969: Questionnaire C1 to those attending induction conference<br> Oct-Dec 1969: Questionnaire C2 to those attending discussion meetings<br> Jan-June 1970: Questionnaire C3 to those at optional topics courses<br> July 1970: Questionnaire C4 to those at overview conference<br> July 1970: Questionnaire C5 to all probationers<br> July 1970: Questionnaire A3 to all probationers<br> (Questionnaire A1, A2 and A3 were essentially identical, B1, B2 and B3 completely identical.)<br> The questionnaires therefore measured both response to various course programmes and discussion meetings, and the overall effect of such courses on the professional judgements, opinions and actions of probationary teachers.<B>Main Topics</B>:<br> Variables<br> Headteachers of selected schools were asked for information in three general categories:<br> 1. School: Name of LEA; type of school (infant, infant/junior, junior, secondary modern, etc.); school address; whether school is county, voluntary controlled, voluntary aided, special agreement, or other; number of pupils on roll; whether most classes are co-educational; whether any children are boarders; by how many teachers school is below establishment; number of expected teaching vacancies by year's end; number of teaching hours Head carries out; existence of Deputy Head and number of teaching hours he/she carries out; date of school building construction; existence of separate Head's, Deputy Head's and staff rooms; number of children affected by over-crowding in schoolroom; location of school playing fields, if any; whether school has PTA or other organised parents group; visual aids available for use in school; whether school has special classes for backward children or an organised unit for ascertained ESN children; whether school suspends or alters normal time-table for internal examinations; proportion of fathers of children who are employed in non-manual occupations and proportion of children from 'difficult' neighbourhoods.<br> Secondary school Head teachers are asked, further, whether school possesses separate and purpose-built rooms for specialist classes such as science laboratories and gymnasiums, whether teaching groups exist as form classes, subject sets, house or tutor groupings or other groupings, what types of examinations are taken by children in schools (vocational guidance, CSE, GCE etc.).<br> Primary school Heads are asked whether most teaching classes in school comprise children in one, two, three, four, or five age groups, whether nature of age-grouping is result of deliberate policy or forced on headteacher by school conditions, whether children are grouped according to ability and whether children in school take any standardised 11+ selection tests.<br> 2. Staff: Concerning the headteacher: age; sex; qualifications; teaching experience; number of years as Head at present school or in previous schools; and likelihood of continuation in present position. Concerning the school as a whole: approximate composition of staff by age and sex; number of probationary teachers on staff at present; number of unqualified teachers; number of teaching units per week carried out by part-time staff; proportion of long-term staff (over 5 years at present school).<br> 3. Appointment and Placement of Probationary Teachers: latest date by which names of new probationers for September appointment known by Head; whether probationers apply directly to school or to LEA; whether candidates are interviewed by Head and successful candidate meets any member of staff before beginning of September term and, if so, which member or members; date by which new probationers would be notified of age and ability groups they are expected to teach and would be sent the syllabus or scheme of work they would be expected to teach from; Head's attitude toward supervision of probationer's work and amount of control they exercise; intervals at which probationer submits reports to Head; whether report is received from training institutions on each probationer and the relative importance attached to various kinds of information in such reports; number of students carrying out full-time teaching practice at school during previous year, and where responsibility for welfare of probationers lies besides with Head. A series of questions at the end of the survey attempt to establish the Head's opinion as to most prevalent problems probationers face in terms of teaching, school community life and personal life. A final question asks for means Head uses to advise and assess probationary teachers during first teaching term