ST ANDREW’S INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
New Staff Induction
2010-2011
WELCOME!
If you are reading this somewhere inside your new home, you will have paused to take a breath after the
recent long-haul or short-haul journeys from your various points of origin around the globe, and you will
no doubt be exhausted and ready for some food and rest!
The purpose of this induction pack is to help you feel at ease as you become familiar with your new
surroundings. On behalf of all the staff at St Andrews, the Senior Management Team would like to wish
you well, and hope that you settle with relative ease. At some point in the not too distant future we hope
that you will feel ready to contribute to the SAIntS community in all aspects of its work, and that you will
be confident as you approach the new term, so that you can teach effectively and enjoy all aspects of your
time in Malawi.
The school will already have sent you an information guide which we hope you have found useful.
In this guide you will find more specific information on the following:
1. CONTACT DETAILS
2. PROGRAMME FOR FIRST WEEK
3. MENTORING
4. INDUCTION CHECKLISTS
5. THINGS TO DO AROUND BLANTYRE
1. Contact Details: 2011 - 2012
Gordon Benbow: Headteacher
[email protected]
01821520 / 0999333389
Dave Thompson: Deputy Head (Curriculum)
[email protected]
01821856 / 0999 610051
Maria Greaney: Deputy Head (Pastoral)
[email protected]
0993678219
Chris Scutt: Senior Teacher (Community & IT)
[email protected]
09993678336/368
Sara Mukadam: Administrator
[email protected]
01623029 / 0888 844271
Maria Kaitano: Personnel
[email protected]
0999 510 947
School information:
[email protected]
01824 628 / 01824 688
3. MENTORING
SOCIAL
SMT will be sharing the social mentoring of new teachers, until the main body of staff has returned from
their long holiday. Gordon, Dave, Maria and Chris will be available to support you.
SUBJECT
Your academic mentor will usually be your line-manager, with whom you will already have had some
contact.
SUBJECT MENTORS
Your subject mentors will provide you with general support and subject orientation.
Specifically they will help you with syllabus details, schemes of work, textbook and timetabling
information. They will use a subject induction checklist which you should complete as soon as possible.
(see checklists)
They will introduce you to the school’s practices in its use of resources, the role of technicians, recordkeeping etc.
They will also provide introductions to other colleagues, both teaching and non-teaching staff.
Support will be offered in learning about school routines, lesson preparation and planning, classroom
organization, and discipline systems.
Mentoring is not regarded as a one way process. As a new teacher to the school you will have a part to
play – by thinking ahead and asking questions – and also by reading any relevant parts of the
documentation, especially the Staff Handbook.
SAIntS teachers are very supportive in informal contexts and some of the most important mentoring will
take place as you build relationships and develop friendships.
Mobile phone.
You may have a UK mobile phone which will need to be unlocked whilst in the UK. You can purchase
mobile phones from any of the providers in Malawi.
Orientation checklists.
Use this checklist to make sure that as a new teacher to the school you are aware of the following key
people:
PERSONNEL CHECKLIST
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Social mentor
Subject mentor
HOD subject
Line Manager Curriculum
Line Manager Pastoral
House colleagues
If you are a Boarding Parent, Boarding colleagues and non-teaching staff
Senior Management Team
The Staff Representative
Reprographic staff
Reception staff and admin support
Members of the Board of governors
PTA members
Use this checklist to make sure that you have the following documents:
DOCUMENT CHECKLIST
 School term dates
 Staff handbook
 Code of Professional Conduct
 Staff telephone list
 Information on the House system
 The Role of the Form tutor
 Professional Development Portfolio
 Rewards and sanctions guidelines
 House and Club commitments and guidelines
 Staff Duty week guidelines
 The use of the library
 Homework timetable
 Assessment and marking guidelines
 Fire drill procedures
Use the following checklist to enable you to tick off with your line-manager important aspects of
your subject induction.
NEW MEMBERS OF STAFF: SUBJECT INDUCTION CHECKLIST
Tick off with your line-manager those aspects of the department’s administration procedures and curriculum
information which you will need before you begin your teaching career at St. Andrews.
In your induction period before term begins you should be given the following by your subject mentor.
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A copy of your timetable
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A job description
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A copy of the school handbook
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A copy of the department handbook
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Copies of the relevant exam specifications for the teaching groups on your timetable
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Copies of the schemes of work which your department will be delivering
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Sample of marked work across the key stages so that you can see the department’s marking policy in action
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Class lists
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List of departmental resources
Your line- manager should take you on an orientation walk, but also make sure that you have physically been
shown the following:
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Your teaching room, with appropriate keys to classroom doors and cupboards
The location of your departments’ resources and procedures for use
Procedures for reprographics and an introduction to Mr. Sandye
Completed: Date__________________________
Please hand this form in to Mr. D. Thompson.
A COPY OF THIS CHECKLIST WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER DOING ONCE YOU HAVE SETTLED IN………
Overnight stays
Majete National Park: Staying overnight is lovely whether in chalet accommodation or camping. (Thwale or Ngona )
Plenty of elephant.
Lengwe National Park: Also an hour and a half away in the Lower Shire. Really nice chalets to stay overnight (AC).
No elephant but buffalo, impala, nyala etc. Food lovely.
Nyala Park: Also an hour and a half away! a fantastic little National park with giraffes (only place in Malawi) and
zebra - guaranteed viewing all through the year but no food - so bring your picnic!
Game Haven: (half an hour away) - self drive game park, no big game but very charming, nice cake in the restaurant
but the meals are quite pricey. You can stay here overnight.
Mvuu Camp (Liwonde National Park): has to be an overnight stay. Can drive the whole way (3-4 hours total) or pick
up transport by river from Liwonde. Fantastic tented accommodation, lovely food and small swimming pool.
Campsite also available (much cheaper option). Good game – lots of hippo, elephant, crocs etc
For walking ….
Zomba (one hour)
- many walks available - you can take a guide or in most cases self guide
- you can drive around many of the tracks in the dry season if you don't want to walk!
- have a drink in the gardens of KuChawe (Sunbird) hotel - fantastic views
- go to the KuChawe Sunbird) hotel for Sunday lunch - an all you can eat extravaganza
- horseriding on Zomba Plateau,
- stay overnight in the romantic Zomba Forest Lodge, - botanical gardens
Chilwa Pillars (one and a bit hours) - very strange rock formations - which look like a combination of a huge organ
made of stone or a very small grand canyon near to Lake Chilwa.
Mulanje (one and a half hours)
- Climb the mountain! You probably need to stay overnight at the top unless you're REALLY fast!
- Go to the rock pools and paddle - have a picnic too?
- Go to the pizza restaurant and have a nice pizza!
- Buy some cedar boxes to take home
- Walk to the waterfalls and admire (and jump in?)
- Play golf at Mulanje club - with a fantastic view of the mountain
Michiru Nature Reserve (20 minutes) - four very clearly marked walks - one of which goes to the peak for fantastic
views, a really lovely spot!
For snacks.....
La Caverna (Mandala's café)- in Blantyre – good lunches, great coffee and cake, but it shuts from 1pm on Saturday
and all of Sunday. Very nice shop attached.
Chez Maky - in Blantyre – Casual venue, great view & hot chocolate
Fisherman's Rest (half an hour away) - fantastic view over the escarpment, nice walking area where you can see safe
animals (like antelope!)
Shakes and scoops - in Blantyre - for very good ice cream
Meals…………
21 Grill (part of Ryall’s Hotel) – probably the best eating place. Good variety – can be a bit pricey.
Hong Kong Chinese – have to pick and choose your meals but basically quite good
Merriman’s (Chinese) – everyone has their favourites. This one more basic.
Bombay Palace (Indian) – very good Indian cuisine
Deli Da Ba – opposite the IT centre past Mount Soche – service slow but cheaper than Bombay
Green’s Restaurant - family meals. Swimming pool for kids
L’Hostaria – Italian. Good food.
Casa Mia - very nice near 7th day Adventist hospital. Giving Ryalls a run for its money.
Jungle Pepper Pizza, Hungry Lion, Curry Corner, Café Rouge, – all at Chichiri Mall shopping centre
Debonair’s Pizza on Hannover road – same road as Ryall’s Hotel
Steers – for burgers etc – next to Debonairs
Out for a wee drink ….
Mustang Sally’s (in town) - karaoke on Wednesday nights. Newest night club – not just for the young ones. Worth a
visit – serves food.
Doogles Bar - Upmarket backpackers’ lodge. Busy bar after work – near the school (by the bus station). Quite good
food too.
TJ’s - bar and food opposite College of medicine Sports Complex
The Blue Elephant (Kidney crescent) – good food, eat inside or out. Entertainment sometimes.
Twiga Lounge – opposite L’Hostaria. Popular with the young crowd. Music most nights.
Kaya Lounge – usually starts getting busy quite late
The Block – kid friendly. Bar and restaurant.
Veg Delight – delicious vegetarian food on right before you get to Mount Soche, opposite FMB bank.
Other things.....
Sucoma Sugar Estate (one and a half hours) - to get away from it all - usually hot and sunny, has a swimming pool,
bar, tennis courts, golf course and very subsidized food (you need to pay an entrance fee - last time 1750MK pp). You
can also stay there in nice air-conditioned chalets - for a very reasonable price.
Satemwa Tea Estate (one hour) - journey really nice to get there - very pretty - take a picnic and go to the picnic site
for fantastic view. There is also a shop with homemade produce to buy! You can stay here if you have a group of
people - hiring out the houses on the estate. Expensive so share out accommodation and costs.
Second hand clothes market - outskirts of Blantyre - charity bags come in Friday and you can get everything from a
bridesmaid’s dress to a tee-shirt for 300MK!!
Mua Mission (two hours) - cultural museum & wood carving centre - you can stay here too.
Blantyre cinema (Chichiri Shopping Centre) - at last after a number of years a cinema which is air conditioned (bring
your coat) and shows films when there is electricity!
French Cultural Centre (Towards Limbe – near Chichiri Shopping Centre) - has lots shows/events plus library of DVDs,
books and magazines
Chigumula paint ball - about 30 minutes away ...
Wildlife Club – interesting talks at Blantyre Sports Club
Mountain Club – regular guided walks
Sport …..
Blantyre Sports Club – restaurant and bar, golf course, swimming pool, gym, squash, tennis, children’s play area etc
Country Club Limbe – just been revamped. Nice course, new bar and kitchen have been overhauled. Food - good
quality. If you join Blantyre club you are then a reciprocal member of all other clubs in Malawi.
Medical College Sports Centre – good gym, large games hall, good squash. Building swimming pool and tennis
courts. Bar and snack food.
Hash House Harrier’s – meet every Monday at 5 o’ clock
School Campus – swimming pool (newly constructed), tennis, squash, playing fields
Horse Riding – Plateau stable Zomba, Cathy Paul- Blantyre, Debbie Murphy -Blantyre.
If you have more than a day to spare then there are lots of other activities on offer. The lake is fantastic – many lodges or
private cottages to stay. SAIntS colleagues will be happy to recommend a variety of places, and the Eye magazine provided in
your welcome pack will also give you an idea of what to expect.
And finally……….for peace of mind: make sure you know where your mentors are, and their contact details should you have
any problems. You have a starter phone pack provided for you or another option is to buy a local phone and SIM card
available at Airtel, Access mobile or TNM – both at Chichiri Shopping Mall (where Shoprite and Game are….) WE ARE ONLYA
PHONE CALL OR SHORT WALK WAY!