A teacher joining an IGCSE class mid-year needs three things in their first month. They need to know where each class is in the syllabus, what the assessment data says about each student, and who to ask. A 30-day plan covers handover, orientation, board training, mentoring and a review. Early career teachers in BSO schools also get a reduced timetable.
Why is a mid-year start different?
Because the classes are already halfway through a two-year course. A September starter plans from the beginning of the syllabus. A January starter inherits students who have covered some topics well and others poorly, with mocks and entry deadlines close. Students notice the change in teacher and may lose momentum. The first month decides whether the class recovers or drifts. For continuity when teachers leave, see our Teacher Capacity hub.
What does the 30-day plan look like?
Our recommended plan, by week:
| Week | Focus | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Before day 1 | Handover | Outgoing teacher or head of department writes a class-by-class handover: topics covered, topics weak, coursework status, access arrangements, key students |
| Week 1 | Orientation | Timetable, systems, safeguarding and exam policies; meet the mentor; observe two lessons in the department; read the syllabus and its assessment objectives |
| Week 2 | Assessment data | Review each class’s last mock by topic; agree which topics to reteach before the next assessment |
| Week 3 | Board training | Book the exam board’s training; see the department’s marking in a standardisation exercise |
| Week 4 | Review | Mentor observation with feedback; check progress against the handover; agree priorities for the rest of the term |
Keep the first weeks focused. A mid-year starter does not need every school policy on day one, but must have safeguarding and exam arrangements.
What should the handover include?
Enough for the new teacher to teach tomorrow:
- Syllabus position for each class, by topic, against the scheme of work.
- Assessment data: the last mock by topic, with any predicted or forecast grades already submitted.
- Coursework and endorsements: what has been done, marked or moderated.
- Entries: tiers, options and any deadline still open.
- Students: access arrangements, EAL needs and pastoral notes.
- Resources: where the department’s shared materials and past papers live.
If the outgoing teacher has already left, the head of department writes it. For tier and entry decisions, see Core vs Extended.
What exam-board training is available quickly?
Short options from both boards. Pearson’s Getting Ready to Teach is “Free, Online (2 hour session)” for “teachers new to International GCSE or International A Level” (Pearson). Cambridge’s online courses “take place on a virtual learning platform over 3 to 5 weeks”, which fits inside the first month if booked early (Cambridge). Give the new teacher access to the board’s teacher resources in week 1. See IGCSE teacher training in 2026.
What does the evidence say about making it stick?
Use mechanisms, not information days. The EEF’s Effective Professional Development guidance groups what works into building knowledge, motivating staff, developing teaching techniques and embedding practice. It says professional development “may aspire to include a mechanism from each of these groups”. For a new teacher, that means:
| EEF group | In the 30-day plan |
|---|---|
| Build knowledge | Syllabus and assessment objectives; revisiting in week 4 |
| Motivate staff | Agreed goals with the mentor; affirmation after progress |
| Develop teaching techniques | Observing modelled lessons; rehearsal; feedback after observation |
| Embed practice | Action plan for the term; prompts and follow-up in mentor meetings |
What if the new teacher is an early career teacher?
Statutory rules apply in schools that offer induction. DfE’s induction guidance (June 2026) sets several conditions:
| Rule | DfE guidance |
|---|---|
| Minimum period that counts | ”Continuous employment equivalent to one term” |
| Reduced timetable | First year: “must not teach more than 90% of the timetable”; second year: “not more than 95%”; BSOs “must also have a reduced timetable on a comparable basis” |
| Mentoring time | ”ECT and mentor sessions are expected to be timetabled during teaching hours” |
| Framework | The Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), which “combines and replaces” the earlier ITT core content and Early Career Framework from September 2025 |
Only BSO-accredited schools that belong to a listed association can offer statutory induction. See BSO vs Ofsted. A mid-year ECT start is fine, but the post must last at least a term to count.
How should leaders judge whether onboarding worked?
At day 30, check three things with the new teacher and mentor:
- Syllabus: every class has a plan to the next assessment point.
- Students: the teacher can name the students at risk in each class and what is being done.
- Practice: one teaching priority agreed from observation feedback, with a follow-up date.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
The hardest part of a mid-year start is knowing what each class knows. AI Buddy gives a new teacher each class’s practice and mock results by topic from the first day, rather than weeks later. Students keep practising past-paper-style questions with instant marking through the changeover, so momentum is kept while the teacher settles in.
Frequently asked questions
How do you onboard a teacher who joins mid-year?
With a written handover by class, a named mentor, a week-by-week 30-day plan covering orientation, assessment data, exam-board training and observation, and a review at day 30.
How long does IGCSE teacher training take?
Pearson’s Getting Ready to Teach is a two-hour online session. Cambridge’s online courses run over 3 to 5 weeks.
Can an ECT start induction mid-year?
Yes, in schools that can offer statutory induction, but the minimum period that counts is continuous employment equivalent to one term.
Do ECTs in BSO schools get a reduced timetable?
Yes. DfE guidance says BSOs “must also have a reduced timetable on a comparable basis”: no more than 90% in the first year and 95% in the second.
Discover how AI Buddy helps schools strengthen teaching, learning and evidence-informed school improvement. Or start a short consultation with our schools team using the form below — we will get back to you directly.
Sources
- Department for Education, Induction for early career teachers (England) (June 2026) and Initial teacher training and early career framework
- Education Endowment Foundation, Effective Professional Development
- Pearson, Professional development and training; Cambridge International, Course delivery formats