Newly Qualified Teacher process for primary schools

Lambeth runs a pool recruitment process for newly-qualified nursery and primary teachers.

All applications will be assessed against the criteria in the person specification.

Dates for Newly Qualified Teacher recruitment

Please be aware the majority (around 90%) of Lambeth Newly Qualifed Teacher (NQT) recruitment is for a September start and pool interviews are held during February, March and April.

September start

We process NQT applications for a September start from Christmas of the preceding year until our deadline for applications on 31 May.

Any applications received before Christmas will be held and processed, in order of receipt, from Christmas.

In order to stand the best chance of securing a pool interview, we advise that you make your application by the end of February.

January and Easter starts

We recognise that not all NQTs qualify in the summer term; we accept applications for a January start from the last week in October of the preceding year, and for an Easter start from Christmas of the preceding year.

Again, any applications received before these dates will be held and processed in order of receipt.

Please be aware that Lambeth does not operate the pool in the same way for January and Easter starts - Lambeth receives the applications, and relevant applications will then be passed directly to schools looking for NQTs and they will carry out full interviews.

When making your application, please state clearly in your e-mail which start date you are applying from.

Interviews and the pool process

Applicants with applications meeting the person specification will be offered an interview by a panel comprising an Education Adviser, a headteacher and a human resources officer.

Once all available interviews have been offered to candidates, the details of those who submit applications meeting the person specification after this time will be added to our Primary Database.

This Database will then be used to offer interviews (should any become available due to withdrawal of applicants) on an order of application receipt basis, and accessed whenever any NQT position cannot be filled from those applicants accepted into the Primary Pool.

The interview will take place in Lambeth Education’s Professional Development Centre in Brixton, and will last for about 40 minutes. We aim to make the interviewing process as friendly and welcoming as possible.

Candidates who are successful at interview will be appointed to Lambeth’s NQT Pool, and will be notified of this within five working days of their interview.

Information on successful candidates will then be sent to schools with a vacancy which is suitable for an NQT; we will do our utmost to recommend candidates to schools where their individual qualities, qualifications and skills can be best used and developed.

The headteacher of the school will contact the candidate to arrange a school visit and an interview (usually more informal than the pool interview).

Any offer of employment will be made by the school, not the LEA. A verbal acceptance is regarded as ethically binding on all concerned.

If the process is not successful, the candidate’s details will be returned to the pool until another suitable vacancy occurs.

If you are accepted into the Primary Pool, or apply for a position with a January or Easter start, please remember to tell us if you secure a position in Lambeth or elsewhere.

Applying for jobs after pool applications have closed

Those nursery and primary NQTs who have been accepted into the Primary Pool, but have not secured a teaching position by 1 June, can have their details passed to the other members (boroughs) of the South London Group, in order that they may be able to fill positions in neighbouring boroughs.

If you wish your details to be forwarded in this way, please indicate this in the relevant section on the application form.

It is the responsibility of applicants to inform Lambeth if they wish their application to be carried forward into the next round of NQT recruitment by contacting Dave Coram - it will not normally be necessary for applicants to complete another application form.

Other ways to find your first post in Lambeth

There are likely to be around 100 vacancies suitable for NQTs in Lambeth schools at any one time, but we cannot guarantee that number, nor can we guarantee that candidates applying through Lambeth’s recruitment process will find a suitable placement.

Lambeth will be in attendance at recruitment fairs around the country (both independently and as part of the South London Group) as well as advertising in various publications such as the TES and Teaching Careers.

As well as using the primary pool, some schools also advertise vacant posts which are suitable for newly-qualified teachers.

Advertisements usually appear in the Times Educational Supplement and on the TES website. If you are interested in an advertised vacancy, you should apply directly to the school concerned.