We provide learning and development opportunities for people who work in schools and other education settings.
All members of a school's workforce contribute to the achievements of their pupils. So we make sure that school support staff have the same support as teaching staff. If you work in a support role in one of our schools, a vocational qualification will help you develop your knowledge and skills.
Online training
Online training courses can be booked by the learner on our POD system. Before booking any training please view our guides below.
Employee guides
These show learners how to book on a course, cancel a place, etc.
Manager guides
These show managers how to approve or reject their team member booking requests.
More information
Read our frequently asked questions for more details about using POD. If you have any other queries please contact us by emailing pod@barnsley.gov.uk
If you're a governor you can ask your school to book a course by email for you.
Newly qualified teachers (NQTs)
When NQTs start their teaching career, we make sure they have all the support they need. To become a fully qualified teacher in England, you must, by law, complete an induction period to a set standard.
The induction has to be quality assured by an appropriate body. In Barnsley, this is the council. We act as this body for all of our maintained schools. We're also willing to work with non-maintained schools and colleges within or outside South Yorkshire.
We have a number of statutory functions that we have to fulfil. These are listed in Section 5 (paragraphs 5.7 to 5.10) of the Induction for NQTs (England).
Before you employ an NQT
Before you employ a NQT you must:
- make sure that they have qualified teacher status (QTS)
- make sure that the post is suitable for induction
- provide us with a named mentor contact
Once you've employed an NQT
Registering your NQT
You must register the new NQT with us straight away. This is a legal requirement of the National College of Teaching and Leadership. Any delay may result in the NQT needing a longer induction period. You can't register an NQT prior to the current date.
Assessing your NQT
You need to complete a termly assessment of your NQT. Please send these back to us on a termly basis (for full time NQTs).
If your NQT leaves the school before the end of their induction, you must complete an interim assessment. This is to make sure that their induction can be continued in any subsequent post.
Documents to use during a NQT induction
- Teachers' standards
- Teachers' standards overview
- Teachers' standards: how they should be used
- Flowchart showing who is responsible
- Teachers' standards tracker
- Example lesson observations: primary
- Example lesson observations: secondary
- Mapping of new teachers' standards against old
- Progress review and tracking tool
- NQT observation lesson tool and action points
- Statutory guidance on induction for NQTs
- Induction arrangements for school teachers
- Cause for concern checklist
- Induction appeals procedures
- NQT lesson observation record
- Teachers' standards (early years)
- Teachers' standards (early years) tracker
Higher level teaching assistants (HLTA)
If you're a teaching assistant, the HLTA programme is an great development opportunity for you.
The programme will help you to build a portfolio to show you're meeting the standards. It's important to note that you should already be meeting these when you apply.
Useful documents
- Teacher's standards. These set the minimum requirements for teachers’ practice and conduct.
- National occupational standards for supporting teaching learning. These apply to anyone who provides direct support for teaching and learning in any type of school.