Keyword: school leaders

ABSTRACT: This article addresses the area of mentoring of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) from a school administrator’s perspective. The research underpinning this study demonstrates the pivotal role that school administrators can play in supporting the induction and possible retention of NQTs from quitting the profession if they engage more directly in the induction and mentoring process. This introductory study on the role that Maltese school administrators play in the induction phase helps to highlight the tensions that exist between policy and practice, between the belief that Maltese school administrators hold in being there to support NQTs and what actually happens in reality. The findings demonstrate how school administrators can enhance the program of support that NQTs are currently receiving, namely, by providing more structured time dedicated to being with the NQTs and teachers, helping in establishing and retaining stronger professional relationships with teachers throughout their careers, and working to strengthen the interconnectedness between initial teacher education, induction, and ongoing professional learning.