In the context of models of teacher education in Europe (Eurydice 2002), this paper focuses on the early professional development of primary and secondary teachers who started teacher education as mature entrants through internship models. In particular, patterns of professional development will be explored, factors affecting the progress of early career teachers, for instance levels of support provided by the schools and types of professional learning, such as learning from experienced practitioners. Mature entrants to teaching often bring a multiplicity of organisational, work and personal skills which are valuable in the classroom, as well as enabling them to progress more quickly in school than younger beginning teachers (Quintrell and Maguire 2000). Issues of class and ethnicity also affect individual experience, as well as situational factors in the university or school context. Studies of mature entrants to teaching largely focus on women students' experiences in teacher education and early teaching careers (Maguire 2001), demonstrating a mixture of difficulties, such as juggling family responsibilities with studies or work. Studies also note the positive qualities which mature women bring to teaching and stress the benefits to women undertaking teacher education, including growth in confidence and other changes in identity (George 1998). In the light of these previous findings, the key research questions for this study include: • What are the main characteristics of mature entrants to teacher education? • Why have they decided to change career direction and what kinds of prior experience do they bring to teaching? • What patterns of professional development can be identified in their a) initial training and b) post-qualifying stages? • How important are mentors, other colleagues and senior management in facilitating or hindering mature entry teachers' professional learning? • What implications are there for teacher education and the further professional development of teachers? Models of teachers' professional development form the conceptual and theoretical framework for the study. These range from linear models, such as Fuller's study of novice teachers in the USA (1970), which identifies six stages of development from early survival stages to greater emphasis on pupils' learning, to life cycle approaches (e.g. Huberman 1993) and career cycle models which integrate personal with contextual and social factors (e.g. Fessler and Christensen 1992). The latter are characterised by a cyclical rather than purely linear approach to professional development. For example, Fessler and Christensen (1992) identify eight phases from pre-service to career exit, but presented in a circular model influenced by personal and organisational factors in a complex and dynamic process. The framework for analysis used here is a model of professional learning developed in recent research on beginning primary teachers (Jacklin et al 2006), which contains linear and cyclical elements and enables differential progress within teaching and other professional areas to be mapped separately. The model is also useful as a way of tracking progress over time and enables comparisons between teachers to be made.

A case study approach (Cohen et al 2000) will be adopted within a qualitative, interpretive framework, in order to identify the distinctive nature of early career teachers' experiences, as well as patterns of professional development. Two main methods of data collection will be used to study 45-50 early career teachers' professional development. Firstly, questionnaires sent to primary and secondary teachers in their first to third years of teaching will explore the teachers' school experiences, areas of development, types of support and any problems they have faced. Secondly, in-depth interviews will be carried out, representing a range of gender, age, number of years' teaching experience, phase, subject and training provider. These will explore the same areas in greater depth and follow up any individual issues arising from the questionnaires.

Findings are expected to include the benefits of entering teaching later in terms of beginning teachers' relatively fast professional development, personal resilience and commitment, as well as the importance of prior experience. It is expected that the role of the mentor will be particularly significant in the teachers' early development and that they learn most effectively by working alongside more experienced colleagues. Implications for teacher education are likely to include the importance of rigorous training of initial and induction mentors, appropriate to the needs of older beginning teachers, as well as the need for strong, structured support from headteachers and senior teachers.