This paper reports on a small-scale case study of five newly qualified teachers in one school. The aim of the study was to identify the context and learning factors that enable and constrain the professional growth of new teachers, and to locate the place of formal induction arrangements within the broader experiences of the first year in teaching. The research adopts a narrative-biographical approach, combined with a micro-political perspective, and draws on the findings reported by Michael Eraut concerning the learning and context factors that affect professional growth in other domains. The findings suggest that more attention to these factors could inform the implementation of formal induction procedures and make the process more meaningful for beginning teachers.