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FAQ
What is Teacher Registration?
1) My registration has lapsed. What do I do?
1) My registration has lapsed. What do I do?If your 'Provisional' or 'Subject to Confirmation' (STC) registration has lapsed you will need to reapply on a TC1 form.
If only your Practising Certificate has expired and you hold full registration, you will need to complete a TC3 application form in order to renew your practising certificate and maintain full registration. In order to renew your practising certificate you must have taught in New Zealand for two of the past five years in the general education system, or have moved to full registration in the last three years.
2) I haven't received my registration yet and I have now almost taught for 10 days in the calendar year. What do I do?Your school Principal or senior teacher, if at a kindergarten, needs to send a written request to the Council requesting an extension of employment. A written request can be made by fax to (04) 471 0870 or by email to inquiries@teacherscouncil.govt.nz. If the extension date passes and your registration and practising certificate has still not been received, a further written request can be made to the Council including the reason for the delay if you are awaiting information, ie an overseas police check.
Please note that from 1 January 2005 the requirements for registration in the ECE sector only applies to teachers who hold the position of 'person responsible' in an early childhood centre. Please refer to the Ministry of Education website www.minedu.govt.nz for the Strategic Plan for ECE Pathways to the Future for more information on the registration requirements for this sector.
3) Can my application be fast-tracked?
No. However if you are applying from overseas and have a written job offer the NZ Teachers Council will provide you with a letter of acknowledgement that your application has been received and is being processed which you can show to NZ Immigration.
4) I've read that I have to work a minimum of 12.5 hours per week to qualify for full registration. I only work .3 but have done for years. Is there a way around the 12.5 hours?12.5 hours per week is the required minimum. It equates to .5 of a full time position in the primary and secondary system. This amount is also required in the ECE sector.
5) I applied some weeks ago. How long should it take before I receive my registration?For all applications an acknowledgement note is sent.
You should allow 4-6 weeks for your application to be processed. If you have not provided all the requested information, or have completed the application form incorrectly, you will receive a letter when your application's processing begins.
6) I've retired and didn't think I would teach again so am no longer registered. I've been offered some relieving work. Do I need to be registered?You must hold a Practising Certificate to teach or relieve for more than 10 full days (20 half days) in any one year. If you intend to teach for more than 10 full days (20 half days) you will need to reapply for registration on a TC1 form. If you are still eligible to renew your practising certificate please apply using a TC3 form. Please refer to the TC3 application form for more information on the criteria for renewing your practising certificate.
Click here for registration application forms
7) I work 12.5 hours per week but between two schools. Can I combine my hours for the purposes of moving to full registration?
Yes, providing you are completing an advice and guidance programme under the supervision of a fully registered teacher and you need to keep the documentation associated with this.
8) I hold full registration but I'm heading overseas for a few years. Will I still be registered when I get back?It depends how long you are away. If your Practising Certificate comes due for renewal while you are away and you have taught in NZ for two of the past five years you can apply for renewal as if you were in NZ. Otherwise contact the Teachers Council on your return to determine your current status. Please be aware that policies relating to registration do change and it is important to read the website to check on new developments which may occur while you are overseas. Your full registration lapses 5 years after the expiry date of your practising certificate card.
9) I'm provisionally registered. How do I get full registration?You need to:
10) I taught overseas for several years. Can my overseas teaching service count towards Full registration?Up to a maximum of one year of overseas teaching may be counted, provided you were employed in a learning centre recognised by the education authority of that state or country. You will need to provide a statement on letterhead from the learning centre were you were employed, outlining the system of professional support, guidance and appraisal involving a mentor teacher provided for the whole of that period of employment. You cannot gain full registration while teaching overseas. At least one full year of supervised teaching must be completed in New Zealand and you must be teaching in this country when the recommendation for full registration is made.
(For Australian teachers, please refer to Information for Overseas Applicants)
11) I have a beginning teacher on my staff who is employed in a 0.3 position, but who is also employed 0.5 in a cluster of 3 schools in our area as an educational assistant. Can she be recommended for full registration?
No. He/she must be in a recognised .5 teaching position (12.5 hours per week). An educational assistant is not a teaching position.
12) What is defined as a 'teaching position'?A teaching position is defined as one in which the teacher is solely responsible for advancing the learning of (the 'instruction' of ) a group of students/learners through planning, implementing, monitoring, assessing and evaluating sequential learning. In meeting the requirements to move to fulll registration a teacher must be employed for a minimum of 12.5 hours per week. All teachers must undergo regular (at least annually) appraisals and engage in ongoing professional development.
13) What is a Limited Authority to Teach?A LAT enables a person who is unregisterable to be authorised to teach for a certain time period. A professional leader supports and recommends a person for a LAT. A LAT is given for a specific school for a specific person for a specific time period for a specific role. The professional leader of a learning centre must complete the requirements of 3.3 of the LAT policy. It is expected that the aim of learning centres is to staff teaching positions with registered teachers. Those on a LAT should be looking at Teacher Education options if they wish to remain in teaching positions.
14) I'm a relieving teacher. How do I move to full registration?You can only move from provisional registration to full registration if you relieve in a teaching position for blocks of at least 10 weeks with a minimum of 12.5 hours per week, totalling 8 blocks within the last 5 years.
If you are registered Subject to Confirmation you will need to complete 3 months supervised teaching. An Advice and Guidance programme must be completed for both categories. (refer to Categories of Teacher Registration)
15) Who can be registered Subject to Confirmation?
Any teacher who has previously been registered Subject to Confirmation can apply to be registered again using a TC1 form OR any teacher who holds a New Zealand Trained Teachers Certificate, OR any teacher with considerable amount of teaching experience who can provide evidence of support and appraisal, professional development and holding position(s) of responsibility within a learning centre for a length of time can be considered on a first time application basis.
16) I don't want to teach for the next five years. Should I keep up my registration?
If fully registered, once you have been out of teaching for more than three years you will not be able to renew your full registration as you will not meet the requirement of teaching two of the previous five years. This means you will need to apply for subject to confirmation registration. Those who already hold subject to confirmation or provisional registration are able to renew their practising certificates under their respective categories.
17) Can an overseas school provide a testimonial when reapplying for registration, or complete the school section on the Practising Certificate Renewal form?
Testimonials from overseas schools can be accepted when reapplying for registration. However the learning centre section of the Practising Certificate Renewal form must be completed by your last New Zealand professional leader. If that professional leader has left, the form can be signed by the new principal and a fully registered teacher who worked with you.
18) Do I need to provide transcripts of my qualifications or just copies of the certificates?
Certified copies of your NZ qualification certificates are all that is required. A transcript can be provided for NZ qualifications if your certificate has not been issued yet but the transcript must show that the qualification has been both completed and awarded. Alternatively, a Statement of Completion from the Provider can be given.
19) How long can I stay as Subject to Confirmation?
Up to three years, and you can then reapply on a TC1 form.
20) What service counts towards renewal of my Practising Certificate?All full time, part time, and long term relief (in minimum blocks of 10 weeks) counts towards the service requirement. Day relief cannot be counted as there is no accountability through appraisal. Day relief teachers are usually not responsible for a group of students across the whole teaching and learning continuum . If you have a mixture of these types of service please contact the Council for clarification. Overseas service does not count.
21) I'm a teacher at a school where my partner/spouse is the principal. Can he/she sign my Practising Certificate application form?
Yes, if your partner/spouse is a fully registered teacher, however the Board of Trustees Chairperson should also countersign the form.
22) I'm a Principal and wish to renew my Practising Certificate. My partner/spouse is principal of another school. Can he/she attest for me?
Yes, if your partner/spouse is a fully registered teacher, however your Board of Trustees Chairperson should countersign the form.
23) I'm not currently teaching but am eligible to renew my Practising Certificate. Who signs the professional leader section of my form?
The form needs to be signed by your most recent NZ learning centre. If your former professional leader is no longer at the learning centre then the form can be signed by the current professional leader together with a fully registered teacher who worked with you and is still at the learning centre.
24) My Practising Certificate is due to expire. Why haven't I received a renewal form?
Reminder letters that Practising Certificates are due for renewal are automatically sent out 6-8 weeks before certificates expire. We are reliant on teachers keeping us informed when their address changes. However it is also an individual teacher's responsibility to know their expiry date and ensure that if they are in a teaching position they have a current practising certificate.
25) Why did you send me a letter to renew my Practising Certificate when I haven't been teaching for a number of years?
Renewal reminder letters are sent automatically when expiry dates are approaching. The Council does not have access to records of your teaching service so we have no way of knowing if you would be eligible or not.
26) Can I get written evidence of my registration to take overseas?
You can take your Practising Certificate card. Check the requirements of the country you are intending to work in before you go. Some countries, ie Canada, require a Statement of Professional Standing which the Teachers Council can issue.
27) Statement of Professional Standing
What do I need to do to get a certificate that states that my registration has not been suspended or revoked?
The Council can provide this information to the teaching authority of the country you are about to teach in and a copy of the document will be forwarded to you.
28) Certificate of Service
I am traveling overseas and I need to produce a history of the schools I have taught in and the number of years I have been teaching.You need to contact Payserve by email payserve@datacom.co.nz or their website www.payroll-serv.co.nz - forms - statement of service request. There is a fee for this service.
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