Template: New Teacher Atlas Onboarding Checklist
A structured PDF checklist for getting a new teacher set up and confidently contributing in Atlas - covering account setup, orientation, first contributions, and clear boundaries around what to leave to the coordinator.
New teachers joining a school mid-year or at the start of a new academic year are often expected to contribute to curriculum maps in Atlas before they have been properly introduced to the platform. Without a structured onboarding, they either do not engage with Atlas at all or begin making changes without understanding the school's conventions - both of which create problems for the curriculum coordinator.
This checklist gives IT managers, coordinators, and admin staff a clear sequence for bringing a new teacher into Atlas properly, with defined steps for each role and a clear boundary between what the teacher should do and what belongs to the coordinator.
⚠️ Before you begin: This planner is a complimentary best practice document to help you track tasks when setting up new teacher accounts. ❌ It is not required, cannot be imported into Atlas, and does not create or update any staff records. ✅ All data must be entered directly into Atlas by your team.
From the Atlas team: The most common Atlas onboarding problem is not a lack of training - it is unclear ownership of who does what during setup. This checklist separates the IT steps, the coordinator steps, and the teacher steps so each person knows exactly what is expected of them.
What the Checklist Covers
The PDF is structured in four steps with a sign-off section:
| Step | What it covers | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 - Account Setup | Account creation, access scoping, welcome email, login test | IT Manager / Admin |
| Step 2 - Orientation | Atlas purpose, programme structure, unit template, standards framework, alignment convention, review cycle | Curriculum Coordinator |
| Step 3 - First Contributions | Reviewing existing maps, adding or updating a unit, aligning to standards, end-of-unit reflection | Teacher (with coordinator support) |
| Step 4 - Boundaries Table | Clear list of what the teacher should not action without coordinator instruction | Reference for all parties |
How to Use This Template
- Start the checklist before the teacher's first day - Step 1 (account setup) should be complete so the teacher can log in from day one
- Schedule Step 2 in the first week - the orientation session with the curriculum coordinator should happen within the first five working days, not weeks in
- Give the teacher a copy of the completed checklist - Steps 3 and 4 are as useful for the teacher as they are for the coordinator; they know what is expected and what to avoid
- Use the sign-off section as a formal handover - once Steps 1 and 2 are complete, both the coordinator and IT manager should sign off before the teacher begins making changes to live curriculum maps
Download the Template
|
Atlas New Teacher Onboarding Checklist Complete 1 per teacher joining the school |
Download PDF |
In Summary
- Complete one checklist per new teacher - it separates IT, coordinator, and teacher responsibilities clearly.
- Account setup should be done before the teacher's first day; orientation should happen in the first week.
- The boundaries table in Step 4 protects curriculum maps from well-intentioned but unintended changes by teachers who are new to Atlas.
The Atlas Support Desk can assist with account configuration and access scoping.