Policy on the settings for gaining full registration
1.0 Purpose
1.1 This policy is underpinned by the principle of enhancing both the quality of teaching and learning and the status of the profession. It aims to do this by helping to ensure that provisionally registered teachers and teachers registered 'subject to confirmation' are supported with appropriate resources, supervision, and advice and guidance to enable them to move to full registration and meet the demands of teaching in the general education system of Aotearoa New Zealand.
1.2 The policy aims to ensure that teachers seeking to gain full registration are working in settings that enable them to adequately demonstrate all of the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions, and will be supported to do so within those settings.
2.0 Legislative Context
2.1 Full registration is granted according to the criteria in the Education Act 1989 under sections 122,123(3) (when the applicant is provisionally registered), and under section 124(3) (when the applicant is registered subject to confirmation). These sections require the Council to be satisfied that a teacher has satisfactory recent experience and has demonstrated that they are a satisfactory teacher eligible for full registration. They also include criteria of training, good character and fitness to teach.
2.2 Section 120 of the Act defines "satisfactory recent teaching experience" as
"(a) an uninterrupted period of employment of 2 years (or some shorter period approved by the NZ Teachers Council for the person), in a teaching position or teaching positions in the general education system; or
(b) a period of employment of 2 years (or some shorter period or periods approved by the NZ Teachers Council for the person), in a position (or positions) that (or each of which) was in the NZ Teachers Council's opinion equivalent to a teaching position, in an educational institution in New Zealand approved by the NZ Teachers Council (for the purposes of this part of this Act) satisfactorily completed by the person during the five years before that time"
2.3 The general education system as referred to in 2.2 (a) above, is defined in section 120 of the Act as;
(a) registered schools (as defined in section 2); and
(b) early childhood services; and
(c) other educational institutions and services established or deemed to have been established, or provided, under this Act or the Education Act 1964
2.4 The NZ Teachers Council has recognised employment in the general education system in New Zealand as being within a state, integrated or private school (including kura kaupapa maori), kindergarten, early childhood service (including home based care services), kohanga reo, polytechnic, college of education or private teacher education provider, university or wananga. Institutions may provide evidence that they meet the statutory definition of the general education system if they are not included in the preceding list.
2.5 The authority to grant an approval or re-approval of an organisation or institution for the purposes of teacher registration lies with the Director of the NZ Teachers Council.
3.0 The Policy
3.1 Full registration is granted to teachers when they have completed an appropriate advice and guidance programme under the supervision of a fully registered teacher (the programme must be at least 2 years duration for provisionally registered teachers and at least 3 months for teachers registered subject to confirmation).
3.2 Full registration may only be gained by working in a teaching position within;
- the general education system as described in paragraphs 2.3 and 2.4 above, or
- an educational institution that has been approved by the NZ Teachers Council for this purpose.
3.3 Institutions outside of the general education system will only be approved as settings in which teachers may gain full registration if they can clearly demonstrate;
- that the teaching roles within the institution will enable teachers to meet the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions,
- that the organisation can provide a satisfactory Programme of Advice and Guidance,
- that the teaching role within the institution involves holding a prime responsibility for the planning, implementation, assessment, evaluation and reporting of a sequential programme of at least ten weeks duration. This ten week duration requirement may be waived in exceptional circumstances.
3.4 Institutions outside of the general education system should apply in writing to the New Zealand NZ Teachers Council for approval as a setting in which teachers may gain full registration. The application should be supported by evidence as set out below. Evidence provided will be assessed together as a package. (The onus is on applying institutions to provide evidence that approval should be granted. It is not the NZ Teachers Council's responsibility to 'discover' the suitability of an institution for the purposes of registration.)
3.5 Approvals may be granted for up to three years. A letter confirming approval and the expiry date of the approval will be sent to the applying institution. At the end of the term of approval a full application must be submitted for approval to be granted for a further term. It is the responsibility of each institution to monitor its own approval term and make a further application for approval, if required, at the expiration of that term.
3.6 The NZ Teachers Council will maintain a data base of all institutions holding a current approval.
4.0 Information requirements
4.1 Learning institutions need to complete information requirements (as outlined in appendix one), providing evidence of and addressing such questions as:
- Are registered teachers employed?
- How do those teachers keep up to date with knowledge of curriculum in order to advance the learning of students?
- Is the institution subject to external review by a recognised body?
- What is the nature of the education programmes being provided by teachers?
- Is there appropriate professional development for teaching and adequate provision for supervision? and
4.2 Any other information that may help the Teachers Council make a decision
5.0 Transition Arrangements
5.1 It is recognised that some institutions were unable to reapply for approval
following the expiry of their previous approval whilst the moratorium took effect from 1 July 2002 and ended at the effective date for this policy.
5.2 Due to the extended period of the moratorium on the granting of approval to institutions for the purposes of registration, the Teachers Council will put in place the following transition arrangements:
For institutions whose approval expired either;
- Within the 6 months prior to 1 July 2002, or
- Between 1 July 2002 and 1 January 2004.
any subsequently granted approval will take effect from the expiry date of the applying institutions most recent previous approval.
6.0 Review
6.1 This policy may be reviewed at any time at the discretion of the NZ Teachers Council and applicants can view current policy on the website.
7.0 Related Policy References
7.1 This policy can be read in conjunction with the following policies;
- Gaining Full Teacher Registration
- Maintaining Teacher Registration/Renewal of a Practising Certificate
- Settings for Maintaining Full Teacher Registration
- Language Proficiency
Effective Date: November 2003
Appendix One
The information requirements for seeking NZ Teachers Council approval as a Setting for Gaining Full Teacher Registration are set out below.
Complete all numbered items 1 - 15 and provide supporting documentation
Please forward your application and cover letter to
Manager, Policy and Strategic Development
NZ Teachers Council
PO Box 5326
Wellington
Attention: Application for Approved Settings |
1. What is the purpose and nature of your setting?
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Settings for teacher registration are expected to have a purpose of education and to be delivering curriculum according to the national early childhood, primary or secondary curriculum
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2. Is your setting registered / accredited with NZQA as a Private Training Establishment? If so, please give details of the date of registration and the latest audit
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Settings are expected to have appropriate recognition for their operation as an education setting
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3. If you are a 'Learning Outside the Classroom' setting, please give brief details about your Ministry of Education contract
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4. Are the education programmes in your setting subject to approval or external review by any other body? If so, please give details of
a) the terms of reference
b) membership of any advisory committee
c) the frequency of meetings, and
d) the process by which programmes are approved and reviewed
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Settings are expected to have an educational programme which is subject to approval or external review by an authorised body on such matters
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5. What is the
a) nature of the education programmes being provided by teachers?
b) range of ages and approximate number of students taught by your setting?
c) usual attendance hours of students?
d) length of the programme for each student
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Education programmes being provided by teachers, are expected to cover explicitly a particular range of age and number of students, hours of attendance and length of programme for students, to enable the curriculum to be delivered effectively
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6. In what ways do the teachers provide a sequential programme of teaching that involves
a) planning, implementation, assessment and reporting of individual students' learning
b) review and evaluation of the programme
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The programme of teaching is expected to be sequential and involve planning, implementation, assessment and reporting of individual students learning, and review and evaluation of the programme
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7. If you have different groups of teachers in relation to teaching roles, please differentiate between these groups and provide information about each group
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The roles of teachers are expected to be explicitly identified, where different groups of teachers are responsible for different areas of delivery of education
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8. In what way do you provide
a) an ongoing process of supervision and appraisal for teachers?
b) a supervision and appraisal system to ensure teachers are demonstrating the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions?
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Registration specifications require that teachers receive an ongoing process of supervision and appraisal and that the system used ensures that teachers are demonstrating the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions
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9. In what ways do your teachers keep up to date with knowledge of curriculum in order to advance the learning of students?
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Registration specifications require that teachers are supported to keep up to date with knowledge of the curriculum
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10. What professional development opportunities do your teachers participate in?
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Registration specifications require that teachers are provided with appropriate professional development opportunities
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11. What resources do you provide to support teachers (eg access to research and information), to support their teaching skills, knowledge and practice?
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Registration specifications require that resources are provided to support teachers in terms of skills, knowledge and practice.
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12. How do you monitor the way in which teachers use the professional development opportunities and resources you provide to enhance the learning of students?
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Registration specifications require that teachers usage of professional development and resources, is monitored effectively and appropriately to support individual teachers
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13. In what ways do your performance management system ensure teachers are accountable, and to whom are they accountable?
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Registration specifications require that performance management systems are in place and used effectively for teachers accountability
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14. Please provide evidence of
a) your programme of advice and guidance for teachers gaining registration to meet the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions
b) special reference to particular needs, support and appraisal for the beginning teacher to meet the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions
c) note here, if your setting chooses to be approved ONLY for maintaining registration
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Registration specifications require that a programme of advice and guidance is provided for teachers to meet the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions in order to gain registration. In particular, support for and appraisal of, the beginning teacher needs to be explicitly planned for and implemented
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15. Describe your settings process for supporting the gaining of full registration of those provisionally registered teachers and those teachers registered 'subject to confirmation', through
a) hours of employment per week and the blocks of weeks available to teachers
b) teachers having prime responsibility for planning, teaching, assessing and reporting on individual student learning
c) programme evaluation and review
d) a comprehensive and appropriate advice and guidance programme
e) note here if your setting chooses to be approved ONLY for maintaining registration
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Registration specifications require that for example, a provisionally registered teacher seeking full registration is required to complete two years teaching service, teach a minimum of 12.5 hours per week, and do this in minimum blocks of 10 weeks at a time. It is expected that the teacher will have prime responsibility for planning, implementation, assessment and reporting of individual student and group learning and programme evaluation through sequential programmes. It is expected that the teacher will be supported by the setting through this period by a planned and appropriate programme of advice and guidance.
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Note: Teachers in settings which do not have approval as settings for gaining or maintaining full teacher registration, may still apply for registration which is Provisional or Subject to Confirmation
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