Registration Policy | Education Council

Section One: Introduction

This section provides a summary of the transition from the New Zealand Teachers Council Te Pouherenga Kaiako o Aotearoa (the Teachers Council), an introduction to the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council) and its requirements, policies and processes relating to registration and practising certificates for teachers in New Zealand.

Introduction

This interim policy gives effect to the changes in the Education Act 1989 that passed into law as the Education Amendment Act on 12 February 2015.

The Education Council will conduct a full review of all policies and requirements relating to registration and the issue and renewal of practising certificates from 1 July 2015. A new policy outlining the standards and criteria for becoming a registered teacher, and being issued with and renewing different kinds of practising certificates will be in place within two years of the Education Council’s commencement.

Previous requirements for registration and transition arrangements

This section outlines the prior requirements for gaining and maintaining registration in different categories with the New Zealand Teachers Council Te Pouherenga Kaiako o Aotearoa (the Teachers Council). It includes a summary of how teachers registered with the Council have transitioned to the interim registration framework adopted by the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council).
Teachers registered with the Teachers Council held one of three categories of registration: provisional, full, or subject to confirmation.
The category of registration that a teacher held signalled:
1. whether the teacher was new to the New Zealand teaching profession, or if they were an experienced teacher; and
2. how recently the teacher had been assessed as meeting all of the Registered Teacher Criteria.
A practising certificate was issued at the same time a teacher successfully applied or reapplied for registration in any category.

Table 1. Teachers Council registration categories, practising certificates and expiry

Registration category	Practising certificate	Registration expiry
Provisional	Issued for three years	Two or three years¹ after the expiry date of the practising certificate
Full	Issued for three years	Five years after the expiry date of the practising certificate
Subject to confirmation	Issued for three years	On expiry of the practising certificate

Provisional registration

If a teacher held provisional registration, this signalled that:
1. they had not yet had the opportunity to demonstrate that they could meet all of the Registered Teacher Criteria; and
2. they were (usually) a newly qualified teacher; or
3. they were new to the New Zealand teaching profession; and
4. they were required to complete a broad-based programme of induction and mentoring, supported by a fully registered mentor teacher, in order to be able to be meaningfully assessed using the Registered Teacher Criteria and gain full registration.
Full registration
If a teacher held full registration, this signalled that:
1. they were an experienced teacher; and
2. they had recent teaching experience; and
3. they had recently been meaningfully assessed using and had met all of the Registered Teacher Criteria.
To renew a practising certificate with full registration, a teacher was required to complete satisfactory recent teaching experience within the previous three to five years, and to have completed satisfactory professional development within the previous three years.
Registration subject to confirmation
If a teacher held registration subject to confirmation, this signalled that:
1. they were an experienced teacher; and
2. for valid reasons they had not recently been able to be meaningfully assessed using the Registered Teacher Criteria.
Practising certificates
Practising certificates were always issued for a period of three years, and did not carry any category. A practising certificate had to show that a teacher was registered and include the category of registration held.
Some experienced teachers wished to maintain their status as a registered teacher although they did not require a practising certificate, as they moved to employment in a non-teaching role. These teachers often maintained registration in the category subject to confirmation, which did not carry any requirement for satisfactory recent teaching experience. Maintaining registration in this way required a reapplication for registration subject to confirmation and a practising certificate every three years.
Transition arrangements to the Education Council
Any teacher who successfully applies for registration with the Education Council will remain a registered teacher for life, unless their registration is cancelled.²
The categories of registration (provisional, full and subject to confirmation) transfer to the practising certificate. In the future there may be additional categories of practising certificate. The existing categories may also receive a different name to better reflect the situation of teachers who hold each type of practising certificate.
The Education Act 1989 (as amended by the Education Amendment Act 2015) allows for practising certificates to be issued for a maximum period of three years. It may be possible in the future that some categories of practising certificate will be issued for a shorter period of time.

A practising certificate can be cancelled in certain situations.³

Table 2. Education Council registration, practising certificates and expiry

Registration status	Expiry
Registered	Does not expire
Practising certificate category	Expiry under Interim Registration Policy⁴
Provisional	Three years
Full	Three years
Subject to confirmation	Three years

Teachers who were registered with the Teachers Council on the day the Education Council commenced automatically transferred as registered with the Education Council. There is no requirement for these teachers to reapply for registration in the future, unless their registration is cancelled.
Teachers who also held a practising certificate on the day the legislation passed were automatically granted a practising certificate with the same expiry date. The practising certificate carries the category of registration they held with the Council.
The Registered Teacher Criteria are now called the Practising Teacher Criteria, although the criteria and key indicators remain the same.
New standards and criteria for practising certificates are required to be established within two years of the Education Council’s commencement.⁵ This means that all practising certificates automatically granted by the Education Council expire on or before 1 July 2017. All teachers who hold a practising certificate with the Education Council are encouraged to use the online register to check when it expires. Further guidance is available on the Education Council website.
The following diagram illustrates how teachers who were registered and/or held a practising certificate with the Teachers Council were transitioned to the Education Council registration framework.
Figure 1: Transition of registration and practising certificates from the Teachers Council to the Education Council

*NB: Registration in the category subject to confirmation (STC) expired at the same time as the practising certificate. Any teacher whose STC registration and practising certificate had expired falls into the ‘unregistered’ category and will need to apply for registration with the Education Council.

Limited Authorities to Teach
Anyone who held a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) with the Teachers Council was automatically granted a LAT by the Education Council with the same terms and expiry date.
If a LAT holder wishes to seek an amendment to the terms stated in their LAT, they will be required to reapply for a new one. The interim requirements for granting a LAT are outlined in the Limited Authority to Teach Policy.
The Education Council Online Register
The online register displays all teachers who are registered with the Education Council. It also indicates whether the teacher holds a current practising certificate, or their practising certificate has expired.
The register displays live information about the current status of all teachers who are registered, and those who also hold a practising certificate.
The register includes important information about what the teacher’s status means:
1. If a teacher is registered this means, at the time registration was approved, the Education Council considered the teacher was:
  1. of good character;⁶ and
  2. fit to be a teacher; and
  3. satisfactorily trained to teach.
2. If a teacher holds a current practising certificate, the Education Council has been assured within the last three years that the teacher continues to be:
  1. of good character;⁷ and
  2. fit to be a teacher; and has either
  3. met the requirements for the issue of a practising certificate in the relevant category; or
  4. met the requirements for the renewal of their practising certificate in the relevant category.⁸
3. If a teacher holds an expired practising certificate, the Education Council has not recently been assured that the teacher meets the requirements outlined in b. above.⁹

Part A: Purposes of the Registration Policy

Registration signals that a teacher has met the initial requirements for entry to the teaching profession. In order to become registered, a teacher must demonstrate that they are of good character and fit to be a teacher, are satisfactorily trained to teach and have a satisfactory Police vet.

Registration is granted only once, and does not expire. To be lawfully employed in schools, kura, kindergartens and in most positions in early childhood education settings, teachers are required to be both registered and to hold a practising certificate.

In order to be issued with and renew a practising certificate, a teacher must demonstrate on an ongoing basis that they are of good character and fit to be a teacher and have a satisfactory Police vet. When a teacher holds a current practising certificate, employers, colleagues, learners and the wider community can be assured that a teacher has been recently assessed as being safe and competent.

The category of practising certificate indicates how recently the teacher has met all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, or whether the teacher is yet to meet them for the first time.

A practising teacher is expected to be actively engaged in the process of being issued with and renewing a practising certificate and ensuring that their employment is lawful by holding a current practising certificate when employed in a teaching position.

This document explains the rules, guidelines, policies and procedures that the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council) will use to interpret and apply the legislation in relation to registering and issuing practising certificates to teachers in New Zealand.

This policy applies to all registered teachers, practising teachers and those authorised to be employed in a teaching position in New Zealand. It explains how people can join, remain within and leave the New Zealand teaching profession.

The guidelines, policies and procedures set out in this document are underpinned by:

legislation (the Education Act 1989 and subsequent amendments)
ongoing consultation with the profession including key stakeholders
engaging with the wider community (including learners, parents and employers) to support widespread confidence in the quality of the teaching profession.

The Education Council works closely with other government agencies, in particular the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), NZ Police, the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA), the Education Review Office (ERO) and the Ministry of Education (MoE) as well as approved providers of initial teacher education programmes, to help ensure a consistent and co-ordinated approach to the policies and requirements across the education sector.

Part B: Definitions used in the Registration Policy

The following terms are applied consistently throughout this document and to all registration and practising certificate policies and guidelines.

Accreditation

This term refers to the official recognition of a course by accrediting bodies in a state or territory. It indicates that academic quality and standards have been checked and verified.

Ākonga

Ākonga are learners who may be in a range of settings, from early childhood to secondary and beyond. Throughout the Education Council policies and guidelines ‘learners’ and ‘students’ can be read interchangeably with ākonga.

Educational institution

An educational institution is an organisation outside of the general education system that is recognised by the Education Council as a setting where a teacher may complete ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ to renew their practising certificate.

An educational institution must be an accredited, registered institution or licensed learning service and employ teachers in roles that meet the Education Council’s definition of a teaching position.

Those educational institutions that wish to have approval from the Education Council as a setting where teachers can renew a full practising certificate must apply for approval from the Education Council and provide evidence of having an appraisal system that requires teachers to meet, with evidence, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, and be meaningfully appraised using the Criteria.

Experienced Teacher/Pouako (for practising certificates)

An experienced teacher is someone who has at least two years of teaching experience and has either:

demonstrated that they have met the Practising Teacher Criteria by having held full registration or a full practising certificate or its equivalent at any time in New Zealand; or
met the following requirements (usually overseas teachers):
1. has held a senior teaching position (at the level of Head of Department or higher); and
2. has more than five years of teaching experience; and
3. has undertaken professional learning and development associated with teaching and learning within the last five years; and
4. has had a professional appraisal of their teaching and learning by a supervisor within the last five years.

Experienced teachers can either hold a full practising certificate or a subject to confirmation practising certificate.

Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria

A teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria if their experience and training signals that they are likely to meet the Criteria when they can be meaningfully appraised using them. This is a factor the Education Council considers when determining whether a provisionally certificated or subject to confirmation certificated teacher has completed satisfactory recent teaching experience and satisfactory professional development.

Refer to the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy’ for more information and explanation.

Meets the Practising Teacher Criteria

A teacher has met the Practising Teacher Criteria when:

they have been appraised by their professional leader¹⁰ who most recently employed them in a teaching position for a minimum of six consecutive weeks; and
this professional leader can attest that the teacher has provided evidence of meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.

For provisionally certificated teachers or teachers certificated subject to confirmation who are applying to be issued with a full practising certificate, the most recent six week period of teaching is required to have been completed within the last six months.

Overseas teacher

A teacher who has completed their teacher education qualification outside of New Zealand.

Practising certificate

A current practising certificate allows a teacher to be lawfully employed in a teaching position in a school, kura, kindergarten, and in most positions in early childhood education settings. A practising certificate is usually issued for three years.

Having a current practising certificate signals that a teacher has recently demonstrated that they met the requirements of being of good character and fit to be a teacher.¹¹ When a teacher renews their practising certificate they are required to have completed satisfactory recent teaching experience and professional development appropriate to their category of practising certificate.

There are three categories of practising certificate: provisional, full and subject to confirmation.

The category of practising certificate is an indicator of whether a teacher has yet to meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria for the first time (provisional), has recently met the Practising Teacher Criteria (full), or has previously met the Practising Teacher Criteria but not recently (subject to confirmation).

Depending on their category of practising certificate, a teacher may be referred to as a provisionally certificated teacher, fully certificated teacher, or teacher certificated subject to confirmation.

Practising teacher

A teacher who holds a current practising certificate in any category.

Practising Teacher Criteria

Throughout the Education Council policies and guidelines the ‘Practising Teacher Criteria’ can be read to mean the Practising Teacher Criteria or, until the Education Council commenced, the Registered Teacher Criteria.

Recent teaching experience

Recent teaching experience is relevant to the definition ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ and relates to employment in a teaching position/s in the New Zealand general education system or an educational institution recognised by the Education Council. The definition of ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ varies depending on the category of practising certificate.

For a fully certificated teacher seeking renewal of their practising certificate this means either:

two years of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position completed within the last five years;¹² or
one year of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position completed within the last three years.¹³

For a provisionally certificated teacher, or teacher certificated subject to confirmation seeking renewal of their practising certificate this means the teacher has completed within the last three years:

six weeks of full time continuous teaching employment; or
80 days of teaching employment (including day relief); or
three months of full time teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council.¹⁴

If a provisionally certificated teacher or teacher certificated subject to confirmation does not meet the above, the Education Council may exercise discretion to consider any previous teaching employment completed within the previous five years.

See the ‘Satisfactory Recent Teaching Experience Policy’ for further information and explanation.

Satisfactory professional learning and development

The Education Council considers that professional learning and development is satisfactory when the teacher has met the following key indicators from the Practising Teacher Criteria:

4. i. identified professional learning goals in consultation with colleagues
4. ii. participated responsively in professional learning opportunities within the learning community
4. iii. initiated learning opportunities to advance personal professional knowledge and skills¹⁵
5. i. actively contributed to the professional learning community.¹⁶

In addition, a teacher should demonstrate criterion 12 of the Practising Teacher Criteria and its key indicators to effectively incorporate professional learning and development within their professional practice.

A teacher is required to have met all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, including the above key indicators relating to professional learning and development, to renew a full practising certificate. A teacher is required to be likely to meet all of the Criteria, including the above key indicators, to renew a provisional practising certificate or subject to confirmation practising certificate.

When a teacher applies to renew their practising certificate the Education Council may request a list of professional learning and development activities a teacher has undertaken within the last three years.

Satisfactory recent teaching experience

This is defined in the Education Act 1989 as recent teaching experience (see earlier explanation and definition) that has been satisfactorily completed in the previous five years. The Education Council has discretion under s363 to determine whether a teacher has ‘satisfactorily completed’ their recent teaching experience.

The Education Council considers that recent teaching has been satisfactory if the teacher has met the Practising Teacher Criteria (fully certificated teachers) or is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria once they are able to be meaningfully appraised using them (provisionally certificated teachers and teachers certificated subject to confirmation).

The Education Council will consider:

the view of the teacher’s professional leader, or his or her employer if the person is a professional leader;
whether the teacher has been able to be meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria;
whether the teacher has met the Practising Teacher Criteria, or is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
any other relevant matter.

See the ‘Satisfactory Recent Teaching Experience Policy’ for more information and explanation.

Satisfactorily trained to teach

The Education Council will consider a person satisfactorily trained to teach¹⁷ if they:

have a tertiary level qualification/s that include sufficient elements of teacher education; and
can demonstrate that they meet the Graduating Teacher Standards.

The Education Council considers how recently the Graduating Teacher Standards have been met to be relevant for teachers applying for registration. Teachers applying to be registered six years or more after completing their Education Council-approved teaching qualification will be required to successfully complete the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme, unless they have also completed recent teaching employment acceptable to the Education Council.

See the ‘Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy’ for more information and explanation.

Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme

A programme of study and supervised practicum focused on the current education ‘landscape’ and changes that have occurred in education and teaching over the previous six years. TER programmes are delivered by providers approved by the Education Council and are based on a curriculum developed and owned by the Education Council.

Those provisionally certificated teachers who have made significant progress towards meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria may request a review of the requirement to undertake the TER programme. The framework for requesting a review is appended to the ‘Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy’.

Teaching position

Under s348 of the Education Act 1989, a teaching position is defined as a position in the general education system that:

requires its holder to instruct students; or
is the professional leader, deputy professional leader, or assistant principal of a school; or
is the professional leader of an early childhood service or other educational institution.

The Education Council interprets ‘instructs students’ as the person in the teaching position having responsibility for teaching and learning.

A person is considered to have responsibility for teaching and learning if their job description expects them to:

cause learning (either as an individual or a member of a teaching team) and
to act autonomously and without day to day supervision.

For clarity, the Education Council considers this:

includes positions where the teacher has responsibility for the teaching and learning of other teachers, but may not have regular contact with children or young people;
includes casual and day-relief positions;
includes positions where the teacher receives mentoring or other forms of regular support and supervision from other teachers as they still retain autonomy for their own teaching and learning and are expected to be teaching without day-to-day supervision;
excludes the position of teacher aide and other educational support staff.

“Too part time or too casual”

This is relevant to a teacher’s ability to be appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria and their eligibility to renew a full practising certificate. When used in this policy this means:

in the view of the teacher’s professional leader, the teaching position has been too casual to enable the teacher to be meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria. This might occur for example where the teaching position is casual or day relief teaching and the teacher has no consistent relationship with any one class, group of students or programme of learning within any one school, centre or kura; or
in the view of the teacher’s professional leader, the teaching position has been too part time to enable the teacher to be meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria. This might occur for example where a teaching position is for so few hours each week that their professional leader does not consider it meaningful or possible to undertake formal appraisal where the teacher can demonstrate, with evidence, meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.

The Education Council will determine in any individual situation whether the professional leader’s assessment that the position was ‘too part time or too casual’ was reasonable in the circumstances.

Part C: A Brief Overview of Teacher Registration and Practising Certificates

This part provides a brief summary of registration and practising certificates. See Section Two: Teacher Registration and Practising Certificate Framework for a detailed description of the main elements of the registration and practising certificate framework.

The importance and purpose of teacher registration and practising certificates

Being both registered and holding a current practising certificate is a signal of a teacher’s professionalism and integrity. A current practising certificate is one of the main ways that employers, colleagues, learners and the wider community can be assured that a teacher is qualified, safe and competent.
Teacher registration on its own cannot guarantee teacher quality; however registration and the issue and ongoing renewal of practising certificates to practising teachers provides a consistent and professional foundation of standards on which expectations of continual learning and improvement for practising teachers can be built.
By law, anyone employed in a teaching position in schools, kura, kindergartens and in most positions in early childhood education settings in the New Zealand general education system must hold a current practising certificate and be a registered member of the teaching profession.¹⁸ In some special circumstances people who have specialist skills but are not trained teachers may be employed with a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT), granted for a position requiring specific skills for a short period of time.
There are also teachers who choose to renew their practising certificate, even when this is not a legal requirement for their employment (for example, teachers who no longer teach in the general education system, but are employed in a teaching position in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council). Renewing a practising certificate reflects:
1. teachers’ ongoing ability to demonstrate that they are of good character and fit to be a teacher; and
2. that they have demonstrated their professional knowledge and competence by being recently employed in a teaching position; and
3. they have demonstrated that they have either met the Practising Teacher Criteria, or are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Registration indicates at the time of the decision to register the teacher, the Education Council determined the teacher was appropriately trained for the profession and of good character and fit to be a teacher. The only way up to date assurance of good character and fitness to teach can be had after that time is by the teacher holding a current practising certificate. A current practising certificate is also the only indicator that a teacher has recently been required to meet a specific set of standards relating to professional knowledge and practice.
Requirements for registration
To be granted registration a teacher must be satisfactorily trained to teach, and demonstrate that they are of good character and fit to be a teacher.
A person may not be registered if they have been convicted of a specified offence listed in the Vulnerable Children Act 2014, unless an exemption has been granted.¹⁹
Registration is granted only once and does not expire; however registration can be cancelled in certain circumstances.²⁰
As a result of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 employers are required to carry out specific safety checking processes. The Education Council requires third party verification of identity for New Zealand Police vetting purposes, but does not carry out the full safety checking process that is required by regulation under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
The Education Council conducts Police vetting for the purpose of approving teacher registration only once; as registration does not expire there is no reapplication process. Anyone employing or engaging a registered teacher in a role that does not require the teacher to hold a practising certificate must also carry out their own Police vetting to be satisfied about the teacher’s character and fitness to work with children.
The Children’s Action Plan resource Safer recruitment, Safer children: Guidelines for choosing safe people to work with children²¹ provides further guidance on checking a person’s safety for working with children.
Practising Certificates
All teachers employed in a teaching position must hold a current practising certificate.²²
Practising certificates are usually issued for a period of three years.
Having a current practising certificate signals that a teacher has recently demonstrated that they:
1. have either met the Practising Teacher Criteria recently; or
2. are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
3. have met the other requirements for certification in their category; and
4. can be lawfully employed in a teaching position.
Cancellation
A practising certificate can be cancelled in certain situations. These situations may include a failure to meet the required level of competence following investigation, or an order from the Disciplinary Tribunal for cancellation on grounds of misconduct or serious misconduct.²³
It is possible for a teacher to continue to be registered when their practising certificate has been cancelled, but only if the practising certificate was cancelled due to failure to meet the required level of competence.²⁴ The online register gives the most up to date information on the status of a teacher’s practising certificate.
When a teacher’s registration is cancelled, their practising certificate is also cancelled.²⁵
A teacher may apply again for registration and/or a practising certificate.²⁶
Categories of practising certificate
There are three different categories of practising certificate: provisional, full and subject to confirmation.
The different categories of practising certificate indicate a stage in a teacher’s development. They are not a signal of how good a teacher is at their job.
The category of practising certificate that a teacher has signals:
1. whether the teacher is new to the New Zealand teaching profession or if they are an experienced teacher; and
2. how recently the teacher has been assessed as meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Regardless of their category, all teachers who wish to hold a current practising certificate are required to be competent and engaged in on-going professional development and learning to continually improve the quality of their teaching.
The Education Council expects that all certificated teachers will retain and reflect on evidence of their professional practice by maintaining a portfolio of evidence
If a teacher is provisionally certificated this signals that:
1. they have not yet had the opportunity to demonstrate that they meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
2. they are (usually) a newly qualified teacher; or
3. they may be new to the New Zealand teaching profession; and
4. they will need to be completing a broad-based programme of induction and mentoring, supported by a fully certificated mentor teacher, in order to be able to be meaningfully assessed using the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Once provisionally certificated teachers have been assessed as meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, the Education Council expects that they will apply for a full practising certificate.
The Education Council expects that provisionally certificated teachers will become fully certificated within three years of being issued with their provisional practising certificate, but they may renew their provisional practising certificate when there are valid reasons for doing so.
The Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme is a requirement for any teacher who has not been issued with a full practising certificate and who needs to be issued with or renew their provisional practising certificate six years or more after becoming registered.
If a teacher is fully certificated this signals that:
1. they are an experienced teacher; and
2. they have recent teaching experience; and
3. they have recently been meaningfully appraised using, and have met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
If a teacher is certificated subject to confirmation this signals that:
1. they are an experienced teacher; and
2. for valid reasons they have not been able to be meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria within the last five years.
When teachers certificated subject to confirmation have met the teaching service requirement and have been able to be meaningfully appraised using and meet the Practising Teacher Criteria they are expected to apply for a full practising certificate.
Teachers retain registration when their practising certificate expires and has not been renewed, which may be because the teacher has retired, chosen to leave the teaching profession or has sought employment outside of the general education system or an educational institution recognised by the Education Council.
Teachers may voluntarily deregister (if they write to the Education Council and ask to be taken off the register).
The Education Council may cancel a teacher’s registration in certain circumstances (such as for issues of conduct or failure to meet the requirements to be registered).²⁷

Section Two: Teacher Registration and Practising Certificate Framework

This section provides a detailed description of each of the main elements of the framework – how they work and why.

Part A: Joining the New Zealand Teaching Profession

Qualifying as a teacher in New Zealand
Overseas teachers
Requirements for becoming a registered teacher

Part B: Categories of Practising Certificate:

Provisional Practising Certificate
Full Practising Certificate
Subject to Confirmation Practising Certificate

Part C: Pathway to being issued with a Full Practising Certificate

For information on the formal policies that underpin this framework, see Section Three: Policy Documents.

Part A: Joining the New Zealand Teaching Profession

The two key requirements for becoming a registered member of the New Zealand teaching profession and being issued with a practising certificate are that a person is:
1. satisfactorily trained to teach; and
2. of good character and fit to be a teacher, including having a satisfactory Police vet.
A teacher may be lawfully employed in a teaching position (in a school, kura, kindergartens and in most positions in an early childhood education setting) only if they are both registered and hold a current practising certificate.
A teacher may call themselves a registered teacher when the Education Council has granted them registration in accordance with s353 of the Education Act 1989. It is an offence to use the term ‘registered teacher’ if a person is not registered.²⁸
Qualifying as a teacher in New Zealand
S354 of the Education Act 1989 enables the Education Council to determine whether a teacher is satisfactorily trained to teach.
Qualified teachers have studied pedagogy – the process of teaching and learning – including how children/students/young people learn, how contextual factors influence teaching and learning, curricula, planning, assessment, evaluation and strategies for engaging diverse learners. Qualified teachers are also often able and expected to specialise in more than one curriculum area.
People wishing to join the New Zealand teaching profession must successfully graduate from an approved initial teacher education (ITE) programme to meet the registration requirement of being satisfactorily trained to teach.
The Education Council has the responsibility to approve ITE programmes and to set standards for graduates from the programmes.²⁹
Approved ITE programmes comprise a mix of curriculum, learning and pedagogical theory, professional studies, practicum experiences, and cultural studies that prepare people to teach in the complex and challenging education environment in Aotearoa New Zealand.
There are three main types of approved ITE programme:
1. an undergraduate degree of three or four years’ length; and
2. a graduate diploma of one (to one and a third) year’s length; and
3. a master’s degree of one year’s length.
In order to be considered satisfactorily trained to teach a person who completes a one year graduate diploma or master’s programme must demonstrate that they have met the required academic entry standards, including the required level of English and/or te reo Māori language proficiency, as well as successfully completing the programme. This means having an entry qualification that meets the Education Council’s requirements, set out in the ‘Entry to Graduate Diploma Programmes for Initial Teacher Education Policy’.
All Education Council-approved ITE programmes are at Level 7 or above on the NZQF.
A current list of all approved ITE programmes can be found on the Education Council’s website.
The Graduating Teacher Standards have been developed by the Education Council to ensure that all graduates entering the profession:
1. understand the critical role teachers play in enabling the education achievement of all ākonga; and
2. have up-to-date content knowledge (i.e. they know what to teach); and
3. have up-to-date pedagogical knowledge (i.e. they know how to teach).
By successfully graduating from an approved ITE programme a person demonstrates that they meet the Graduating Teacher Standards.³⁰
The Education Council also considers the recency of a teacher’s qualification to be relevant to whether they are satisfactorily trained to teach.
In order to become registered, a person is required to have completed an approved ITE qualification within the previous six years. If their ITE qualification was granted six years ago (or more), they are required to complete the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme to ensure that their knowledge and skills are sufficiently up to date for them to teach effectively in the current New Zealand education environment.
Overseas teachers
Any person who has trained as a teacher outside of New Zealand and wishes to become registered in New Zealand is required to demonstrate that they have a comparable level of qualifications and teacher education to be considered satisfactorily trained to teach by the Education Council.
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has expertise in the assessment of international qualifications against New Zealand benchmarks. The Education Council requires any overseas teacher to provide an international qualifications assessment report from NZQA that has been completed and issued by NZQA within the previous five years. This provides the Education Council both with assurance that the awarding body has accreditation and with essential information about the content, depth of study and levelling of the person’s international qualifications against the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.
If NZQA assesses a person’s overseas qualifications as comparable or holding the core components of an approved New Zealand teaching qualification, and they were awarded within the previous six years, they will generally be considered to be satisfactorily trained to teach in New Zealand.³¹
The Education Council may also accept as satisfactorily trained to teach overseas teachers who have a qualification that is assessed by NZQA as not comparable to a New Zealand ITE qualification. In those situations where an overseas teacher has significant teaching experience, the Education Council will consider as a whole package their qualifications including tertiary level teaching qualifications, teaching experience and evidence of ongoing professional development to determine whether they are considered satisfactorily trained to teach. More information on this discretionary pathway can be found in the ‘Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy’.
Teaching experience on its own will not be sufficient for becoming registered in New Zealand. To be registered as a teacher a person needs to have a tertiary level qualification that includes sufficient elements of teacher education and pedagogical study.
As well as being satisfactorily trained to teach it is important for all overseas teachers to have specific guidance and support in understanding the needs of diverse learners and the unique bicultural context for teaching in New Zealand.
In order to ensure that teachers are satisfactorily trained to teach the Education Council will be increasingly focusing on ensuring that the knowledge and understanding of overseas teachers is comparable to graduates of approved ITE programmes with regards to their cultural competencies.³²
For this reason, it is unlikely that an overseas teacher (with the exception of some States/ Territories in Australia, as outlined in paragraph 26) would be eligible to gain a full practising certificate on their first application.
All overseas teachers will need to undertake teaching with induction and mentoring provided by a fully certificated mentor teacher prior to being eligible to apply for a full practising certificate. The induction and mentoring programme will be particularly focused on supporting overseas teachers with teaching effectively in the New Zealand context.
Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition
Teachers who are lawfully eligible to practice in one of the recognised States or Territories in Australia (this may be in the form of registration, membership or accreditation depending on the jurisdiction) may be eligible to be considered for registration and a practising certificate under the provisions of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997.³³
Teachers eligible to apply under this provision are not required to obtain an international qualifications assessment report from NZQA for their registration application.³⁴ They will need to provide evidence of holding current registration in the relevant category with an approved State/Territory with their application.
Being of good character and fit to be a teacher
In order to both become a registered teacher and be issued with a practising certificate a person is required to also meet the following requirements:³⁵
1. be of good character and fit to be a teacher (which includes having a satisfactory Police vet); and
2. be proficient in English and/or te reo Māori.

A person may not become a registered teacher if they have been convicted of a specified offence, unless an exemption has been sought and granted.³⁶

Table 1. Requirements for becoming a registered teacher

Requirement	The Education Council considers that this means	Evidence required
Satisfactorily trained to teach³⁷	The person: has a tertiary qualification/s that includes sufficient elements of teacher education; and can demonstrate that they have met the Graduating Teacher Standards (or equivalent).	The person has: graduated from an Education Council-approved initial teacher education (ITE) programme (including meeting the entry requirements and any other specific standards outlined in the Education Council’s Approval, Review and Monitoring Processes and Requirements for Initial Teacher Education Programmes); or an overseas teaching qualification assessed by NZQA³⁸ as comparable to a New Zealand Education Council-approved ITE programme; or an overseas teaching qualification assessed by NZQA³⁹ as having the core components of a New Zealand Education Council-approved ITE programme; or provided evidence of a package of qualifications, experience and training that the Education Council deems to be comparable under the discretionary pathway (described in the ‘Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy’); and if their Education Council-approved ITE qualification was granted six years ago (or more), has successfully completed the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme.⁴⁰
Of good character and fit to be a teacher⁴¹	The teacher has had a satisfactory Police vet within the past three years.	The teacher has: had a Police vet completed by the Vetting and Validation section of the NZ Police; and provided a Police vet from the national Police service of any country in which the teacher has spent 12 months or more within the last 10 years.
	The teacher has qualities and attributes⁴² that mean they are likely to uphold the public and professional reputation of NZ teachers and promote the safety of ākonga.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they: have been dismissed from a teaching position in any country; and have had teacher registration refused or cancelled in any country; and are under investigation for any matters that may call into question their character or fitness to teach.
	The teacher does not have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.
Proficient in English and/or te reo Māori	The person meets the minimum level language proficiency requirements.	The person has: evidence of completing an Education Council-approved ITE programme in New Zealand, including meeting the entry requirements; or provided a certified copy of results from an approved English language test or approved Māori language test showing that the relevant minimum score has been attained in each component of the test;⁴³ or (if English or Māori is their first language), provided a statutory declaration attesting that their first language is English or Māori; AND statements from schools and education providers confirming the language of instruction for all schooling and school qualifications was English or Māori.⁴⁴

Relevant policies

This section of the Framework should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Graduating Teacher Standards

Part B: Categories of Practising Certificate

Provisional Practising Certificate

This section provides information about the requirements and processes that apply when a provisional practising certificate is issued and renewed.

The requirements for being issued with a full practising certificate are set out in Part C: ‘Pathway to being issued with a Full Practising Certificate’.

Introduction

A teacher is usually issued with a provisional practising certificate when they first become registered.
It is a requirement that a teacher hold a current practising certificate in order to be lawfully employed in a teaching position in a school, kura, kindergarten and in most teaching positions in early childhood education settings.
Teachers who hold a provisional practising certificate are usually newly qualified teachers. Provisional certification provides them with an opportunity to:
1. make the transition from being a student teacher to being a confident and effective teacher; and
2. become accomplished and effective teachers who can improve the learning outcomes of diverse ākonga; and
3. progressively demonstrate that they meet the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
4. build a strong foundation of self-reflection and ongoing professional learning.
Provisional certification signals to employers and the profession that the teacher has limited or no teaching experience and requires support through a high quality induction and mentoring programme to:
1. enable them to demonstrate that they know how to teach effectively in New Zealand; and
2. show, over time, that they meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
3. understand how to demonstrate the Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako in their practice; and
4. become part of a learning community where they can both bring new knowledge to the profession and learn from more experienced teachers around them.
The Education Council considers the Practising Teacher Criteria paramount in defining the teaching benchmark for practising certificate purposes.
The Education Council expects teachers to hold a provisional practising certificate for a minimum of two years and then be ready to be recommended by their professional leader and mentor teacher for a full practising certificate.
After three years a teacher may apply again for a provisional practising certificate, if the Education Council considers that the teacher meets the requirements and has valid reasons for not yet being able to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria and be issued with a full practising certificate.
The Education Council requires teachers to complete the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme if they have not met the teaching service requirements to be issued with a full practising certificate six years or more after first becoming registered.
Requirements
In order to be issued with a provisional practising certificate a person must be:
1. a registered teacher; and
2. up to date in terms of their professional knowledge and practice; and
3. of good character and fit to be a teacher; and
4. proficient in English and/or te reo Māori; and
5. committed to upholding the Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako.

To renew a provisional practising certificate a teacher must meet all of the above requirements, and:

have completed satisfactory recent teaching experience; and
have completed satisfactory professional development within the past three years.

Table 1: Requirements for the issue and renewal of provisional practising certificates

Requirement	The Education Council considers that this means	Evidence required
*For the issue of a provisional practising certificate*
The teacher’s professional knowledge and practice is up to date	Within the last six years the teacher has either: completed an approved initial teacher education (ITE) qualification; or successfully completed the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme.	A certified copy of: the ITE qualification or statement confirming eligibility to graduate from the ITE provider; or a statement of completion from the TER provider.
Of good character and fit to be a teacher⁴⁵	The teacher has had a satisfactory Police vet within the past three years.	The teacher has: had a Police vet completed by the Vetting and Validation section of the NZ Police; and provided a Police vet from the national Police service of any country in which the teacher has spent 12 months or more within the last 10 years.
	The teacher has qualities and attributes⁴⁶ that mean they are likely to uphold the public and professional reputation of NZ teachers and promote the safety of ākonga.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they: have been dismissed from a teaching position in any country; and have had teacher registration refused or cancelled in any country; and are under investigation for any matters that may call into question their character or fitness to teach.
	The teacher does not have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.
Proficient in English and/or te reo Māori	The teacher meets the minimum level language proficiency requirements.	Language proficiency is relevant to a teacher’s fitness to teach. Registered teachers will have been required to demonstrate that they are language proficient when applying for registration.⁴⁷
Committed to upholding the Code of Ethics	The teacher confirms they are committed to upholding the Code of Ethics.	On each application, a teacher must sign a declaration that they are committed to upholding the Code of Ethics.
*Additional requirements for the renewal of a provisional practising certificate*
Satisfactory recent teaching experience⁴⁸	‘Satisfactory’ means that the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria once they have the opportunity to be meaningfully assessed using them. ‘Recent’ means within the last three to five years.	Within the last three years the teacher has completed at least: six weeks of full time continuous teaching employment in the general education system; or 80 days of teaching employment in the general education system (including day relief); or three months of full time teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council. If the teacher does not meet one of the above, the Education Council will exercise discretion to consider any teaching employment completed in the general education system or a recognised educational institution within the previous five years. When considering whether the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, the Education Council will take into account the views of the professional leader/s who employed the teacher by requesting a testimonial.⁴⁹
Satisfactory professional development during the past three years	The teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, including criteria 4 (i), (ii), (iii), 5(i) and 12.	A testimonial from the professional leader/s who employed the teacher attesting they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria. The Education Council may also request a list of professional learning and development activities undertaken within the previous three years.

Expectations

The Education Council has the following expectations of provisionally certificated teachers.
Graduates are expected to become registered and provisionally certificated promptly after completing the requirements to graduate from their initial teacher education (ITE) qualification.⁵⁰ Those who completed their ITE qualification six years ago (or more) are required to complete the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme before applying for registration and being issued with a provisional practising certificate.⁵¹
Provisionally certificated teachers are expected to meet the requirements to be issued with a full practising certificate within three years. However the Education Council recognises that, for valid reasons, this is not always possible. These reasons may include:
1. not yet being able to demonstrate meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, but their professional leader can provide assurance that:
  1. satisfactory progress towards meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria is being made; and
  2. there will be continuing support for the teacher in order for them to be able to demonstrate that they do meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria within the next three years; or
2. the teacher being absent on parental leave; or
3. ill health (of the teacher or a close relative) that precludes a teacher from working; or
4. the teacher living overseas; or
5. the teacher being unable to secure a 0.5 FTTE teaching position; or
6. the teacher being employed in a setting where it is not possible for the teacher to participate in a two year, broad-based induction and mentoring programme while being mentored by a fully certificated teacher.
Provisionally certificated teachers are expected to access and fully engage in a high quality induction and mentoring programme that is comprehensive, educative and evaluative.⁵² The Education Council advises provisionally certificated teachers to ascertain that their employer can provide an induction and mentoring programme before accepting an offer of employment in a teaching position. Both the provisionally certificated teacher and employer are required by the Education Council to keep records of the induction and mentoring programme, and of the teacher meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Relevant Policies
This section of the Framework should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Practising Teacher Criteria
- Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako
- Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers

Appendix: Application of Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme to registration and practising certificates

Full Practising Certificate

This section provides information about the requirements and processes that apply to renewing a full practising certificate.

The requirements for a provisionally certificated teacher or teacher certificated subject to confirmation to be issued with a full practising certificate are set out in Part C: ‘Pathway to being issued with a Full Practising Certificate’.

Introduction

A full practising certificate can be renewed by experienced teachers who can demonstrate that they have recent satisfactory teaching experience and have recently been appraised using, and have met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
The Education Council considers the Practising Teacher Criteria paramount in defining the teaching benchmark for practising certificate purposes.
The majority of practising teachers in New Zealand hold a full practising certificate.
Full certification is an indicator that the teacher:
1. has had at least two years of teaching experience; and
2. has been inducted into the teaching profession by successfully completing a two year programme of induction and mentoring that is comprehensive, educative and evaluative;⁵³ and
3. has been endorsed as being appraised using and as having met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria within the last three to five years.
A current practising certificate is a requirement to be lawfully employed in a teaching position in a school, kura, kindergarten and in most teaching positions in early childhood education settings.
Requirements

To renew a full practising certificate, a teacher is required to:

be of good character and fit to be a teacher, which includes having a satisfactory Police vet; and
be proficient in English and/or te reo Māori
have completed satisfactory recent teaching experience; and
have completed satisfactory professional development during the last three years; and
be committed to upholding the Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako.

Table 1: Requirements for renewing a full practising certificate

Requirement	The Education Council considers that this means	Evidence required
Of good character and fit to be a teacher⁵⁴	The teacher has had a satisfactory Police vet within the past three years.	The teacher has: had a Police vet completed by the Vetting and Validation section of the NZ Police; and provided a Police vet from the national Police service of any country in which the teacher has spent 12 months or more within the last 10 years.
	The teacher has qualities and attributes⁵⁵ that mean they are likely to uphold the public and professional reputation of NZ teachers and promote the safety of ākonga.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they: have been dismissed from a teaching position in any country; and have had teacher registration refused or cancelled in any country; and are under investigation for any matters that may call into question their character or fitness to teach.
	The teacher does not have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.
Proficient in English and/or te reo Māori	The teacher meets the minimum level language proficiency requirements.	Language proficiency is relevant to a teacher’s fitness to teach. Registered teachers will have been required to demonstrate they are language proficient. The professional leader who completes the endorsement for renewal of a full practising certificate is required to endorse that the teacher has met the Practising Teacher Criteria, including effectively communicating in English and/or te reo Māori.
Satisfactorily completed teaching experience⁵⁶	The teacher has recently been meaningfully appraised using, and has met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria while holding a practising certificate.	The professional leader who last employed the teacher in New Zealand in a continuous teaching position for at least six weeks has provided an endorsement that: the teacher has provided the professional leader with evidence of meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria; and in the judgement of the professional leader the teacher, has demonstrated that they have met all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Recent teaching experience	The teacher has completed within the general education system or a setting approved by the Education Council: two years⁵⁷ of teaching experience completed within the last five years; or one year⁵⁸ of teaching experience within the last three years.	The teacher has provided a completed list of teaching service.
Satisfactory professional development during the past three years	The teacher has completed sufficient professional development for their professional leader to be assured that they meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, including criteria 4 (i)(ii)(iii),5 (i) and 12.	The professional leader has signed an endorsement that the teacher has been appraised using, and has met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Committed to upholding the Code of Ethics	The teacher confirms they are committed to upholding the Code of Ethics.	On each application, a teacher must sign a declaration that they are committed to upholding the Code of Ethics.

The Education Council’s expectations

The Education Council expects experienced teachers who are employed in teaching positions to be regularly appraised using, and demonstrate that they meet, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
The Education Council expects teachers to have evidence of having engaged with and met each of the Practising Teacher Criteria through the course of their daily teaching practice and as part of their setting’s appraisal process.
The Education Council expects this evidence to be used by professional leaders as the basis for making their decision as to whether a teacher has recently met all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.⁵⁹
To renew a full practising certificate, the Education Council does not require a teacher to be employed for a specific amount of teaching per week, but it will require that their teaching service has been sufficient (i.e. neither too part-time nor too casual)⁶⁰ as well as meeting the requirement of being recent to enable their professional leader to undertake meaningful appraisal using the Practising Teacher Criteria.
The Education Council may ask to see copies of the evidence of engaging with and meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, but will not do so as a matter of course. The Education Council will only request this information when it can provide a reason for doing so.
Evidence of appraisal
Generally, the Education Council considers that successful appraisal using the Practising Teacher Criteria would include:
1. a process by which success criteria are agreed; and
2. goal setting; and
3. indicators of success; and
4. identification of timeframes and actions
5. identification of support that will be required for the teacher to be successful; and
6. evidence that ākonga achievement and learning are at the centre of the process and the teacher’s professional practice.
Evidence of high quality appraisal will generally include a learning portfolio comprising:
1. teaching as inquiry; and
2. observations/feedback; and
3. evidence of learning; and
4. student voice; and
5. informal feedback; and
6. contribution to the wider school/centre (including feedback from other staff).
The Appraisal Conceptual Framework sets out the elements for quality appraisal for teachers.
Figure 1: Appraisal Conceptual Framework

Relevant policies
This section of the Registration Framework should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Satisfactory Recent Teaching Experience Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Practising Teacher Criteria
- Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako

Subject to Confirmation Practising Certificate

This section provides information about the requirements and processes that apply to the issue and renewal of a practising certificate in the category subject to confirmation.

The requirements for being issued with a full practising certificate are set out in Part C: ‘Pathway to being issued with a Full Practising Certificate’.

Introduction

A practising certificate in the category subject to confirmation is for experienced teachers who have previously met the Practising Teacher Criteria.
A subject to confirmation practising certificate signals that the teacher:
1. has had at least two years of teaching experience; and
2. has in the past been inducted into the teaching profession by successfully completing a two year programme of induction and mentoring (or its equivalent) that is comprehensive, educative and evaluative;⁶¹ but
3. for valid reasons has not recently been able to be meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria.
It is a requirement that a teacher hold a current practising certificate in order to be lawfully employed in a teaching position in a school, kura, kindergarten and in most teaching positions in early childhood education settings.
The most common reasons for teachers being certificated subject to confirmation are:
1. they have recently been employed in teaching positions that are too part-time or too casual to enable the teacher to be meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria (they do not meet the criteria to be issued with or renew a full practising certificate); or
2. they are returning to teaching after having been employed overseas or having taken a break from the profession for personal or career reasons; or
3. they are an experienced overseas teacher.⁶²
The Education Council considers the Practising Teacher Criteria paramount in defining the teaching benchmark for holding a practising certificate.
A subject to confirmation practising certificate does not signal that the teacher cannot meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, nor does it signal that there are any competence or conduct issues associated with a teacher.
Instead this category of practising certificate signals that a teacher’s experience and qualifications mean that they are likely to be able to meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, but that they have not recently had the opportunity to demonstrate the Criteria in their practice. When they do again have the opportunity to be meaningfully assessed and meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, they are expected to again apply to be issued with a full practising certificate.
Requirements
In order to be issued with a subject to confirmation practising certificate a teacher is required to be:
1. a registered teacher; and
2. of good character and fit to be a teacher; and
3. proficient in English and/or te reo Māori; and
4. an experienced teacher; and
5. committed to upholding the Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako.

To renew a subject to confirmation practising certificate a teacher must meet all of the above requirements, and:

have completed satisfactory recent teaching as appropriate for this category of practising certificate; and
have completed satisfactory professional development in the past three years.

Table 1: Requirements for the issue and renewal of a subject to confirmation practising certificate

Requirement	The Education Council considers that this means	Evidence required
*For the issue of a subject to confirmation practising certificate*
Of good character and fit to be a teacher⁶³	The teacher has had a satisfactory Police vet within the past three years.	The teacher has: had a Police vet completed by the Vetting and Validation section of the NZ Police; and provided a Police vet from the national Police service of any country in which the teacher has spent 12 months or more within the last 10 years.
	The teacher has qualities and attributes⁶⁴ that mean they are likely to uphold the public and professional reputation of NZ teachers and promote the safety of ākonga.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they: have been dismissed from a teaching position in any country; and have had teacher registration refused or cancelled in any country; and are under investigation for any matters that may call into question their character or fitness to teach.
	The teacher does not have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.
Proficient in English and/or te reo Māori	The teacher meets the minimum level language proficiency requirements.	Language proficiency is relevant to a teacher’s fitness to teach. Registered teachers will have been required to demonstrate that they are language proficient when applying for registration.⁶⁵
Is an experienced teacher	Has either: demonstrated that they have met the Practising Teacher Criteria by having held a full practising certificate or its equivalent in the past; or held a senior teaching position; and: more than five years of teaching experience; and undertaken professional learning and development associated with teaching and learning within the last five years; and had a professional appraisal of their teaching by a supervisor within the last five years.	The Education Council will have a record of the types of practising certificate and/or registration the teacher held with the Teachers Council or the Education Council in the past. Teachers may be asked to provide: a copy of their Curriculum Vitae; and statements on letterhead from relevant schools/centres confirming details of their employment; and testimonials on school/centre letterhead from professional leaders who have employed them; and a list of their recent professional learning and development; and evidence of their recent appraisal.
Committed to upholding the Code of Ethics	The teacher confirms they are committed to upholding the Code of Ethics.	On each application, a teacher must sign a declaration that they are committed to upholding the Code of Ethics
*Additional requirements for the renewal of a subject to confirmation practising certificate*
Satisfactory recent teaching experience⁶⁶	‘Satisfactory’ means that the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria once they have the opportunity to be meaningfully appraised using them. ‘Recent’ means within the last three to five years.⁶⁷	Within the last three years the teacher has completed at least: six weeks of full time continuous teaching employment in the general education system; or 80 days of teaching employment in the general education system (including day relief); or three months of full time teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council. If the teacher does not meet one of the above, the Education Council will exercise discretion to consider any teaching employment completed in the general education system or an educational institution recognised by the Education Council within the previous five years. When considering whether the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, the Education Council will take into account the views of the professional leader/s who employed the teacher by requesting a testimonial.
Satisfactory professional development during the past three years	The teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, including criteria 4 (i), (ii), (iii), 5(i) and 12.	A testimonial from the professional leader/s who employed the teacher attesting they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria. The Education Council may also request a list of professional learning and development activities undertaken within the previous three years.

The Education Council’s expectations

Teachers who are certificated subject to confirmation are expected to gain a full practising certificate within one to three years. The Education Council expects that most teachers certificated in this category who are employed in a teaching position will be meaningfully appraised using, and meet, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria within one to three years. The Education Council considers that the only valid reasons that the teacher has not been meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria would be that the teacher‘s employment has been (in the judgement of their employing professional leader) too part-time or too casual for meaningful appraisal using the Practising Teacher Criteria.
The Education Council will determine in any individual situation whether the professional leader’s assessment that the position was ‘too part time or too casual’ was reasonable in the circumstances.
Relevant policies
This section of the Framework should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Graduating Teacher Standards
- Practising Teacher Criteria
- Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako
- Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers

Part C: Pathway to being issued with a Full Practising Certificate

This section provides information about the requirements and processes that apply when a teacher who holds either a provisional or subject to confirmation practising certificate seeks to be issued with a full practising certificate.

Introduction

Being issued with a full practising certificate is a significant step in a teacher’s career. The key requirement for a full practising certificate that differs from the other two categories of practising certificate is that the teacher must be able to satisfy the Education Council that they have recently met all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
A teacher will only transition to a full practising certificate from a provisional practising certificate once in their teaching career. The other pathway to full certification is from certification subject to confirmation, which may apply to teachers new to New Zealand but with overseas experience, or to teachers who have previously held a full practising certificate in New Zealand. It is possible that a teacher may progress to full certification from certification subject to confirmation more than once in their teaching career, depending on their professional and life choices.
Teachers with a provisional practising certificate or a subject to confirmation practising certificate are entitled to receive specific support from their employing school or centre, in the form of an induction and mentoring programme to assist them with meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria.
For a teacher to gain a full practising certificate from a provisional practising certificate the Education Council will require confirmation that the teacher has recently completed an appropriate two year induction and mentoring programme while employed in a teaching role of at least 0.5 FTTE.
For a teacher to gain a full practising certificate from a subject to confirmation practising certificate the Education Council will require confirmation that the teacher has recently completed an adequate mentoring programme for an experienced teacher while employed in a teaching role which is sufficient for meaningful appraisal to have taken place over at least one year.
When a teacher’s application for a full practising certificate is approved by the Education Council their provisional or subject to confirmation practising certificate will be replaced by a full practising certificate. The full practising certificate will expire after three years.
In order to be issued with a full practising certificate a teacher must have sufficient teaching service to have enabled an induction and mentoring programme to have been implemented, as approved by the Education Council. The teaching employment is required to have been completed within the general education system.
Provisionally certificated teachers
Provisionally certificated teachers are likely to be newly qualified teachers who require an intensive and sustained period of induction and mentoring to embed the theory learned in their initial teacher education (ITE) programme and to apply this in practice. Teachers certificated subject to confirmation are experienced teachers who have met the Practising Teacher Criteria in the past.
Provisionally certificated teachers are teachers who are yet to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria for the first time. During their induction into the teaching profession, they will be required to document both the process of induction and mentoring they have undertaken over at least two years and maintain a folio of evidence that will enable their mentor teacher and professional leader to confirm to the Education Council that the provisionally certificated teacher has met all of the Criteria.
Documenting their induction programme requires the teacher and mentor to record activities such as:
1. evidence informed reflection completed by the teacher on their developing professional relationships, values and knowledge informed practice (framed by the Practising Teacher Criteria), and linking reflection to evidence of student achievement;
2. teaching observations;
3. meetings to set goals, follow up on goals previously set, review teaching observations completed by the mentor and regularly evaluate the structure and content of the induction programme;
4. written formative and summative feedback provided to the teacher by their mentor on progress towards meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria;
5. evidence of engagement in, and reflection on professional learning and development opportunities.
The portfolio of evidence for meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria must be sufficient to enable the mentor teacher and professional leader to make an appropriate judgement about whether or not the teacher has met the Criteria.
Teachers certificated subject to confirmation
Experienced teachers who are certificated subject to confirmation do require mentoring but are unlikely to require the same intensive mentoring as newly qualified teachers. While the elements described in paragraph 10 above are still required they would be undertaken as appropriate for the individual experienced teacher.
Requirements to be issued with a full practising certificate

In order to be issued with a full practising certificate, a provisionally certificated teacher or teacher certificated subject to confirmation is required to:

be a registered teacher; and
be of good character and fit to be a teacher; and
be proficient in English and/or te reo Māori; and
have completed either:
1. two years of employment in a teaching position of at least 0.5 FTTE within the general education system within the last five years (provisionally certificated teachers); or
2. one year of employment in a teaching position⁶⁸ within the general education system within the last three years (teachers certificated subject to confirmation); and
have completed an induction and mentoring programme appropriate to the category of practising certificate they hold, and that allows:
1. for meaningful appraisal using the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
2. the teacher to meet, with evidence, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.

Table 1: Requirements for the issue of a full practising certificate

Requirement	The Education Council considers this means	Evidence required
Of good character and fit to be a teacher⁶⁹	The teacher has had a satisfactory police vet within the past three years.	The teacher has: had a Police vet completed by the Vetting and Validation section of the NZ Police; and provided a Police vet from the national Police service of any country in which the teacher has spent 12 months or more within the last 10 years.
	The teacher has qualities and attributes that mean they are likely to uphold the public and professional reputation of NZ teachers and promote the safety of ākonga.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they: have been dismissed from a teaching position in any country; and have had teacher registration refused or cancelled in any country; and are under investigation for any matters that may call into question their character or fitness to teach.
	The teacher does not have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.	The teacher has made a declaration about whether or not they have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.
Proficient in English and/or te reo Māori	The teacher meets the minimum level language proficiency requirements.	Language proficiency is relevant to a teacher’s fitness to teach. Registered teachers will have been required to demonstrate that they are language proficient. The mentor teacher and professional leader who complete the recommendation and endorsement for a full practising certificate to be issued are required to confirm that the teacher has met the Practising Teacher Criteria, including effectively communicating in English and/or te reo Māori.
Employment in a teaching position/s in the general education system in New Zealand or a setting approved by the Education Council.⁷⁰	Provisionally certificated teachers: two years⁷¹ of teaching employment in a position of at least 0.5 FTTE⁷² completed within the last five years. Teachers certificated subject to confirmation: one year of teaching employment completed within the last three years.	The teacher provides details of their teaching service, including the: position held; and the setting/s where the teacher has been employed.
*Induction and mentoring programme*
Meaningfully assessed using the Practising Teacher Criteria	Provisionally certificated teachers have completed an appropriate induction and mentoring programme, which has: been supervised by a mentor who is fully certificated; and been of at least two years duration; and been in the New Zealand general education system; and provided a broad range of teaching experiences; and been in line with the Education Council’s Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers. One year of supervised teaching service completed overseas may be considered, provided that the teaching was completed in a school or setting recognised by the education authority of the relevant state or country, and an appropriate system of support and mentoring was provided.	Provisionally certificated teachers must provide: the dates of the induction and mentoring programme; and the name and registration number of the mentor teacher/s; and the mentor teacher’s recommendation that the teacher be issued with a full practising certificate; and the professional leader’s endorsement of the mentor teacher’s recommendation; and evidence of completing an induction and mentoring programme over at least two years while provisionally certificated (upon request from the Education Council). If a provisionally certificated teacher has completed supervised teaching overseas, a signed statement on letterhead from the overseas professional leader will be required, outlining the content and structure of the induction programme.
	Teachers certificated subject to confirmation have: been employed in a teaching position which is sufficient to enable meaningful assessment using the Practising Teacher Criteria; and completed an appropriate mentoring programme over at least one year which has been supervised by a fully certificated teacher. The mentoring programme should emphasise recent changes in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. For overseas trained teachers, induction to the cultural context of teaching in New Zealand will also be important.	Teachers certificated subject to confirmation must provide: the dates of the mentoring programme; and the name and registration number of the mentor teacher/s; and the mentor teacher’s recommendation that the teacher be issued with a full practising certificate; and the professional leader’s endorsement of the mentor teacher’s recommendation; and evidence of completing a mentoring programme of at least one year while certificated subject to confirmation (upon request from the Education Council).
Meets the Practising Teacher Criteria	A teacher has met the Practising Teacher Criteria when: they have been appraised by their professional leader who most recently employed them in a teaching position for a minimum of six consecutive weeks; and the six week period of teaching has been completed within the last six months; and their professional leader can attest that the teacher has provided evidence of meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.	The endorsement of the professional leader who most recently employed them in a teaching position for a minimum of six consecutive weeks within the last six months.

Expectations

Provisionally certificated teachers need to ensure that they gain the teaching experience and support they will need to be able to gain a full practising certificate within two to three years of being issued with their first provisional practising certificate.
The Education Council expects provisionally certificated teachers to access and fully engage in a high quality induction and mentoring programme that is comprehensive, educative and evaluative.⁷³ Provisionally certificated teachers should ascertain that the employer can provide such an induction and mentoring programme before accepting an offer of employment in a teaching position.
The responsibility for ensuring the induction programme is implemented and that records are kept of the provisionally certificated teacher meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria is shared between the teacher and their professional leader.
The Education Council expects that teachers certificated subject to confirmation will meet the requirements to gain a full practising certificate within one to three years (but can renew a subject to confirmation practising certificate if they meet the satisfactory recent teaching requirements for that category, and they are employed in a teaching position that is too part time or too casual to enable meaningful appraisal using the Practising Teacher Criteria).
The Practising Teacher Criteria define what the Education Council considers to be satisfactory teaching for a practising teacher to meet. Therefore in order to be issued with a full practising certificate, a teacher certificated subject to confirmation must have a sufficiently diverse range of teaching opportunities in their practice to be meaningfully assessed using and meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Relevant policies
This section of the Framework should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Practising Teacher Criteria
- Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako
- Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers

Appendix: Education Council Appraisal Conceptual Framework

Section Three: Policy Documents

This section sets out each of the formal policies that underpin all registration, practising certificate and Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) processes.

These policies are:

Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy
Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
Language competency for teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy
Satisfactory Recent Teaching Experience Policy
Policy on the Approval of Settings for Renewing a Full Practising Certificate Outside of the General Education System
Limited Authority to Teach Policy

For information on how these policies work together to create the rules and guidelines that are applied to registration and each category of practising certificate, see Section Two: Teacher Registration and Practising Certificate Framework.

Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set out how the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council) will interpret and apply the legislative requirement for all registered teachers to be ‘satisfactorily trained to teach’.
Rationale
The Education Act 1989 requires all teachers to be ‘satisfactorily trained to teach’, as determined by the Education Council in order to become registered.⁷⁴
Teaching is a complex and demanding profession and the knowledge, skills and qualities that a teacher brings to their work plays a critical role in enabling the educational achievement of all learners.
Teacher qualifications and training (including formal study, experience, and professional development) are important indicators of teacher quality, safety and competence.
The Education Council has developed the Graduating Teacher Standards to define what is expected of trained and qualified teachers for the purposes of registration.
This policy seeks to ensure that there is a clear and consistent interpretation and application of what is required for a teacher to be deemed to be satisfactorily trained to teach for registration purposes.
The Education Council also wants to ensure that the knowledge that teachers have is current. For this reason, the Education Council considers that the recency of teachers’ qualifications and of teaching experience is relevant when assessing whether teachers can be considered ‘satisfactorily trained to teach’.'
Legislative Context
The principal sections of the Education Act 1989 applicable to this policy are sections 353 and 354.
Definition
For registration purposes the Education Council considers a person satisfactorily trained to teach if they:
1. have a tertiary level qualification/s that includes sufficient elements of teacher education; and
2. can demonstrate that they meet the Graduating Teacher Standards or their equivalent.
The Education Council considers how recently the Graduating Teacher Standards were met to be relevant. An initial teacher education (ITE) qualification approved by the Education Council is considered sufficiently recent if it was awarded within the previous six years.
In exceptional circumstances only, the Education Council may consider that a person who does not meet the requirements set out in paragraph 9 above may be satisfactorily trained to teach. These exceptional circumstances and the process for making discretionary decisions are set out in paragraphs 18-20.
The Education Council works closely with tertiary providers of teaching qualifications in New Zealand. This helps to ensure that any graduate of a New Zealand ITE programme that has been approved by the Education Council has demonstrated that they meet the Graduating Teacher Standards and will be able to be considered by the Education Council as satisfactorily trained to teach when they apply for registration. The Education Council may also seek assurance from any provider of an approved ITE programme that course requirements have been met by graduates, including (but not limited to) entry requirements and language proficiency.
Registration Requirements
When making an application to be a registered teacher the applicant is required to provide evidence of being satisfactorily trained to teach by:
1. having evidence of graduating, or being eligible to graduate, from an Education Council-approved ITE programme in New Zealand (in the form of a certified copy of their qualification/s, including entry level qualifications for graduate diploma programmes); or
2. having evidence of holding an overseas teaching qualification that has been recognised by NZQA as comparable to an Education Council-approved ITE programme (in the form of an International Qualifications Assessment report completed and issued by NZQA within the last five years); or
3. having evidence of holding an overseas teaching qualification that has been recognised by NZQA as having the core components of an Education Council-approved ITE programme (in the form of an International Qualifications Assessment report completed and issued by NZQA within the last five years); or
4. providing sufficient information to enable the Education Council to consider making a discretionary decision (discussed further at paragraph 20 below) that the applicant is satisfactorily trained to teach.
The Education Council also requires that a person applying for registration provides evidence that:
1. the Education Council-approved teaching qualification has been awarded within the previous six years; or
2. (for experienced teachers or teachers who have taught overseas) an Education Council-approved teaching qualification was awarded six years ago (or more), and they have recent teaching experience that is acceptable to the Education Council.⁷⁵
If an applicant has a teaching qualification that was awarded six years ago or more, and they do not have recent teaching experience acceptable to the Education Council, the teacher is required to successfully complete the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme to demonstrate that their professional knowledge and skills are up to date before they can be considered satisfactorily trained to teach.
The criteria and elements the Education Council will consider when determining whether a teacher has recent acceptable teaching experience are outlined in paragraphs 23-25.
Transition arrangements from the Teachers Council
Applicants who have previously been registered with the Teachers Council but did not have current registration on the date the Education Council came into operation will need to apply again to be registered. The Education Council will require evidence that a teacher previously registered with the Teachers Council meets the requirements of being satisfactorily trained to teach if the Education Council:
1. does not have a record of that evidence;⁷⁶ or
2. has a good reason for checking that any evidence previously supplied is full and accurate.⁷⁷
The Education Council’s discretion to determine whether an applicant is satisfactorily trained to teach
The Education Council will ensure that its decision-making process is fair, transparent and consistent.
The Education Council will use the following criteria for making decisions as to whether an applicant is satisfactorily trained to teach in circumstances when they cannot provide either:
1. evidence of having graduated from an Education Council-approved ITE programme in New Zealand; or
2. evidence of holding an overseas teaching qualification that has been recognised by NZQA as comparable or having the core components of an Education Council-approved ITE qualification.
Criteria for decision making
In determining whether or not training is satisfactory the Education Council will:
1. Take account of evidence that the person can provide of:
  1. their tertiary qualifications from accredited institutions (e.g. certified copies of all qualifications and official course transcripts); and
  2. their total teaching experience in New Zealand and overseas; and
  3. professional development that is related to teaching and learning; and
  4. testimonials from previous employers (with particular weight being given to any testimonials provided by people who are currently fully certificated New Zealand teachers); and
  5. appraisal information and documentation; and
  6. information about professional registration or accreditation status in any countries where they have taught; and
  7. any other relevant factor.
2. Consider the applicant’s analysis of how their teaching experience and training demonstrates that they could meet all of the Graduating Teacher Standards.
3. Take account of the expectation of the teaching profession that all registered teachers are qualified and trained teachers and that this means having a tertiary qualification awarded by an institution that has accreditation, and that includes sufficient elements of teacher education. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the Education Council will not consider it sufficient for a person to hold any other type of tertiary level qualification or qualifications with minimal pedagogical and teacher education content.
4. Review the total package of evidence provided above and consider whether the Education Council is assured that the person can be considered satisfactorily trained to teach.
Recent teaching acceptable to the Education Council
The Education Council recognises that some applicants who are applying to become registered and have completed their ITE qualification six years ago or more will have completed recent teaching and therefore their professional knowledge and practice will be sufficiently up to date that they would not benefit from completing the TER programme.
Usually these will be overseas teachers because teachers already practising in New Zealand are required to be registered and hold a practising certificate to be lawfully employed in a teaching position in the compulsory education sector.
The elements that the Education Council will take into account when considering whether a teacher has completed recent acceptable teaching are:
1. the amount and recency of teaching employment;
2. whether the teaching employment was in the general education system of the country where it was completed, or an accredited institution;
3. the views of the professional leader/s who employed the teacher;
4. any evidence that can be provided of recent appraisal and professional development.
Criteria and evidence
Usually, a teacher will be required to have completed at least two years of teaching employment within the last six years.
Teachers will be expected to provide a copy of their Curriculum vitae and may also be asked to provide:
1. testimonials from professional leaders who have employed them within the last six years;
2. evidence of appraisals carried out of their teaching within the last six years;
3. evidence of professional development completed within the last six years.
Related Policy References
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Graduating Teacher Standards
- Practising Teacher Criteria
- Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako
- Approval, Review and Monitoring Processes for Initial Teacher Education Programmes

Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy

Introduction

The Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council) provides leadership in teaching, enhances the status of teachers and education leaders and ensures safe and high quality leadership, teaching and learning for children and young people.
The Education Council has a statutory responsibility under the Education Act 1989 to register, issue and renew practising certificates to suitable applicants to the teaching profession. To fulfil this obligation the Education Council must be satisfied that an applicant for registration and any type of practising certificate or a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) is of good character and fit to be a teacher.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to:
1. explain the criteria that will be used by the Education Council for determining good character and fitness to be a teacher;
2. set out the processes used by the Education Council for determining teachers’ good character and fitness to be a teacher for all parts of the registration and practising certificate application processes, and processes for granting a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT);
3. give public and professional confidence in the registration, practising certificate and LAT processes, by maintaining high standards when registering and issuing practising certificates to teachers and granting LATs.
Legislative Context
The principal sections of the Education Act 1989 applicable to this policy are sections 282, 353, 355, 357, 361, 362, 366, 367, and 368.
The Vulnerable Children Act 2014 is also applicable to this policy. S28 of this Act prevents core workers⁷⁸ who have been convicted of a specified offence⁷⁹ from being employed or engaged to work with children, unless they have been granted an exemption.⁸⁰ The Children’s Action Plan also establishes the expectation that children’s workers will meet a set of core competencies in relation to working with vulnerable children. Practising teachers are required to either meet, or be likely to meet, the Practising Teacher Criteria and are required to commit to upholding the Code of Ethics, so are required to be practising within parameters that set high expectations for the provision of safe and high quality care and education of children and young people.
Before the Education Council can register an applicant or grant a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) the Education Act 1989 requires the Education Council to be satisfied that the applicant:
1. is of good character; and
2. is fit to be a teacher.
The Education Council also requires, as additional criteria for the issue and renewal of all categories of practising certificate, that teachers demonstrate they are of good character and fit to be a teacher.⁸¹
In deciding whether or not an applicant meets those criteria, sections 355 and 368 of the Education Act 1989 require the Education Council to obtain a Police vet of the applicant. The Education Council will take the Police vet into account in making its decision, as well as any other matters that are relevant in the circumstances.
Other relevant legislation
The Education Council is aware of the responsibilities within this policy to comply with other legislation including the Vulnerable Children Act 2014, Bill of Rights Act 1990, Human Rights Act 1993, Privacy Act 1993, Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004, Official Information Act 1982 and the Children, Young Persons & their Families Act 1989.
Ethical context
The Education Council’s Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers/Ngā Tikanga Matatika applies to all teachers who hold a practising certificate, and to those persons who are granted a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT).
Definition of ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher’
The Education Council will take the following matters into account in deciding whether an applicant is of good character and is fit to be a teacher. The applicant:
1. has a Police vet satisfactory to the Education Council;
2. displays respect for persons, for cultural and social values of Aotearoa New Zealand, for the law and for the views of others;
3. upholds the public and professional reputation of teachers;
4. promotes and nurtures the safety of learners within his or her care;
5. is reliable and trustworthy in carrying out duties;
6. is mentally and physically fit to carry out the teaching role safely and satisfactorily.⁸²
The Education Council may also take into account any other matters that it considers relevant in the circumstances.
Principles
The Education Council will observe the following key principles in determining whether an applicant is of good character and is fit to be a teacher:
1. natural justice: the Education Council will give an applicant an opportunity to be heard before it decides not to register, issue or renew a practising certificate or LAT to that applicant on the grounds of character or fitness to be a teacher;
2. transparency: the Education Council will:
  1. endeavour to make clear its processes for deciding whether an applicant is of good character and is fit to be a teacher; and
  2. provide reasons if it decides that an applicant does not meet those criteria;
3. consistency: the Education Council will have regard to prior decisions where relevant;
4. reliability: the Education Council will ensure that its decisions about applicants’ character and fitness to be a teacher are based on comprehensive and quality information.
Evidence
The Education Council will ensure that decisions are based on comprehensive and quality information. The onus is on the applicant to provide this information, and the Education Council will make decisions on the basis of the information provided.
The evidence required by the Education Council when it determines the good character of an applicant will include a Police vet satisfactory to the Education Council.
The current criteria used for assessing “good character through a Police vet satisfactory to the Education Council” include reference to:
1. severity;
2. recency;
3. age at offending; and
4. pattern of offending.
The evidence required by the Education Council when it determines that an applicant is fit to be a teacher shall be:
1. For an applicant for a Limited Authority to Teach:
  1. satisfactory Police vet;
  2. applicant declaration, and any relevant supporting information about matters declared;
  3. testimonial;
  4. employer endorsement, when applicable;
  5. support endorsements – for itinerant positions only.
2. For an applicant for teacher registration and any category of practising certificate:⁸³
  1. satisfactory Police vet;
  2. applicant declaration, and any relevant supporting information about matters declared;
  3. testimonial;
  4. recommendation;
  5. endorsement.
Determination
Points at which the Education Council will require evidence of good character and fitness to be a teacher are:
1. Registration, practising certificates and application for Limited Authority to Teach (LAT):
  1. by Education Council staff at the point of application;
  2. by the Application Review Committee (a staff committee) when further consideration of an application is required;
  3. by the Registration Panel (comprising experienced senior teachers) as a result of notification of misconduct, conviction or other consideration;
2. When applications for registration/LATs are being processed and there is one of the following:
  1. a complaint about competence or conduct; or
  2. a conviction; or
  3. a mandatory report.
When there is a complaint, conviction or mandatory report the appropriate Education Council processes for those circumstances will be followed. Once resolution of those issues is finalised then the registration, practising certificate or LAT process will continue for that applicant with regard to the outcome of the Education Council’s processes.
Appeals
Any applicant who is not satisfied with a Council decision about his or her application may appeal that decision to the District Court within 28 days (or any longer period that the Court allows) of receiving notice of the decision.
Policy Review
This policy may be reviewed and consulted on as necessary by the Education Council.
Related Policy References
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies:
- Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy
- Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy
- Satisfactory Recent Teaching Experience Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Limited Authority to Teach Policy

Appendix One: Procedure for undertaking Police vetting and identity verification

The Education Council requires that anyone applying to be registered, issued with or renew a practising certificate, and those applying for a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) are of good character and fit to be a teacher.

The Education Act 1989 requires the Education Council to obtain a Police vet when determining whether a person is of good character and fit to be a teacher.

New Zealand Police vetting

When applying for registration, a practising certificate or LAT the applicant gives permission through the applicant declaration section of the relevant form for the Education Council to disclose information provided in the application to NZ Police for the purpose of obtaining a Police vet. As the request for the vet is made to the Police by the Education Council, there is a process in place to ensure safe and appropriate handling of sensitive information:

An applicant’s information can only be sent to NZ Police by certain designated staff members from a computer in a secure area.
nformation is shared electronically and is classified under the Government Security Classification ‘In Confidence’.
NZ Police are required to return the result of the vet within a specified timeframe to ensure completion of the process in a timely manner.

Identity verification for New Zealand Police vetting

The Education Council also needs to be assured of the identity of an applicant to ensure the vetting process is carried out for the correct person. Due to the size and geographic spread of the profession the Education Council is not able to verify a teachers’ identity without relying on a third party who can sight appropriate identity documents (including photographic documentation) and confirm the person presenting them is the same person.

The Education Council’s process for identity verification applies to all applications for registration, practising certificates and LATs received on or after 1 July 2015, and requires a person authorised by the Education Council to:

sight a category A form of identity document; and
sight a category B form of identity document; and
sign a statutory declaration to confirm:
1. the person who provided the documentation is the same person shown in the photographic identification document; and
2. is the person named in the registration, practising certificate or LAT application form.

Category A and B forms of identity documentation are listed below.

For New Zealand applicants:

Category A	Category B
New Zealand Passport	New Zealand Driver License
A New Zealand Certificate of Identity issued under the Passports Act 1992 to non-New Zealand citizens who cannot obtain a passport from their country of origin	18+ card (must be current)
New Zealand certificate of identity (issued to people who have refugee status)	Community Services Card
New Zealand Refugee Travel Document	SuperGold Card
Emergency Travel Document	Veteran SuperGold Card
New Zealand Firearms License	Inland Revenue Number
Overseas passport (with New Zealand immigration visa/permit)	Electoral Roll Records
New Zealand Full Birth Certificate
New Zealand Citizenship Certificate

For overseas applicants

Category A	Category B
New Zealand Passport	New Zealand Driver License
Overseas passport (with New Zealand immigration visa/permit)	Overseas Driver’s License
	National Police Certificate issued in the last 6 months by the Country the applicant has been residing in for more than 6 months

Overseas police vetting

Applicants for registration, a practising certificate or LAT are required to provide a police clearance from the national Police service of any country in which they have spent 12 months or more within the previous 10 years. The applicant is required to obtain this and provide the original certificate or an appropriately certified photocopy with their application. The vet must be completed and dated after the applicant left the country, or, if the applicant still resides overseas, have been completed and dated within the last six months.

Appendix Two: Evidence of an Applicant's Good Character and Fitness to be a Teacher

Element	Used in application forms	Evidence required
Applicant declaration	EC10 EC15 EC20 EC21 EC30 EC40 EC80 EC90	The applicant is required to: declare any physical or mental health condition that may affect the applicant’s ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily; and declare whether or not they have been dismissed from a teaching position in any country; and declare whether or not they are under investigation for any matters that may call into question their character or fitness to teach; and complete and sign the section to declare all information within the application is correct.
Testimonial	EC80 EC90	The professional leader who has employed the teacher within the last three to five years is required to attest that the applicant is of good character and fit to be a teacher.
Endorsement	EC20 EC21 EC30 EC40	The professional leader who employed the teacher within the last three to five years is required to endorse that the teacher is of good character and fit to be a teacher. If the professional leader is not a fully certificated teacher, a second endorsement is required from a fully certificated teacher.
Police vet	EC10 EC15 EC20 EC21 EC30 EC40 EC80 EC90	The applicant has a Police vet completed by the Vetting and Validation section of the NZ Police that the Education Council determines is satisfactory; and the applicant is also required to provide a Police vet from the national Police service of any country in which they have spent 12 months or more within the last 10 years.

Language Competency for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand

Why we have language competency requirements

Teaching is a linguistically demanding profession. High-quality teaching demands command of a wide range of language skills. These include establishing and maintaining rapport, providing effective feedback, listening, prompting, evaluating, responding, reinforcing, giving praise, eliciting comments and providing instructions[1].

Teachers need to be highly flexible with these skills, modifying their approach to suit individual needs as they arise; and need to be able to use these behaviours to establish strong, collaborative relationships with whānau.

These skills require a high level of language competency in speaking, writing, reading and listening. Every child is entitled to high quality teaching and learning, therefore every member of the teaching profession must be competent in the one of languages of New Zealand’s national curricula - English or te reo Māori.

Our Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession capture the importance of language and communication for high-quality teaching. Through the Code and Standards, teachers commit to engage in positive, collaborative relationships, to communicate effectively with others, to engage in problem-solving, to communicate clear and accurate assessment information and to seek and respond to feedback from learners. Once a teacher has registered and has received their practising certificate they agree to work to our Code and Standards.

Our approach
From 1 January 2019

The Council focuses on evidence of a teacher’s language competency. Many people seeking to register as teachers speak a number of languages. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our profession. We recognise this in our approach to language competency by providing opportunities for candidates to demonstrate their competency in English or te reo Māori, rather than focusing on whether English or te reo Māori are additional languages. We accept a broad range of specified evidence, informed by the requirements of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and Immigration New Zealand.

Please note that we may still ask for additional information such as results from one of our approved language tests if there are concerns, including about language competency or about the documentation provided.

[1] Freeman; D, Katz; A, Garcia Gomez; P & Burns; P. (2015). English-for-teaching: Rethinking teacher proficiency in the classroom. ELT journal. Published online. Hollo; A & Wehby: J. (1998). Teacher talk in general and special education elementary classrooms. ELT Journal. ( Volume 52, Issue 3), 179–187.

Our requirements: English Language
From 1 January 2019

These requirements are for Initial Teacher Education and Registration.

One of the following types of evidence must be provided to demonstrate English language competency:

The New Zealand University Entrance literacy credits at either NCEA level 2 or 3 OR
New Zealand University Entrance OR
New Zealand tertiary entrance qualification gained on completing senior secondary school prior to the introduction of current University Entrance OR
International Baccalaureate full diploma in English medium (24 points minimum) OR
Cambridge International Examinations minimum 120 points on the UCAS Tariff plus meeting the CIE literacy requirements OR
All primary schooling and at least three years secondary schooling completed in the English language and while living in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America or South Africa* (*Candidates from South Africa must also provide South African Matriculation Certificate Minimum D pass/level 5 in English OR South African Senior Certificate Minimum D pass/level 5 in English) OR
Six years of education comprising secondary schooling to at least year 12 and at least two years of successful tertiary education, taught in English as the primary language of instruction and through face-to-face learning and assessment such as tutorials and labs completed in the English language and while living in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America or South Africa* (*Candidates from South Africa must also provide South African Matriculation Certificate Minimum D pass/level 5 in English OR South African Senior Certificate Minimum D pass /level 5 in English) OR
Awarded a Bachelor’s degree (with or without Honours), Master’s degree or other qualification at NZQF level 7 or above which took two or more years of full-time study to complete and
- Was taught in English as the primary language of instruction and through face-to-face learning and assessment such as tutorials, presentations, seminars, and supervisory meetings and
- Was gained while living in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States or South Africa* (*Candidates from South Africa must also provide South African Matriculation Certificate Minimum D pass/level 5 in English OR South African Senior Certificate Minimum D pass/level 5 in English).
OR
Awarded Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) OR
Awarded Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL) OR
Achieved an outcome in one of the approved tests which is equivalent to or better than those specified (see table) within the past two years:

Test	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking	Overall Mark (in one test)
Cambridge English exams C2 Proficiency (CPE) or C1 Advanced (CAE) or Cambridge English exams B2 First (FCE)	minimum of 185	minimum of 185	minimum of 185	minimum of 185	minimum of 185
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic	7.0	7.0	7.0	7.0	7.0
International Second Language Proficiency Ratings (ISLPR)	4	4	4	4	4
Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic	65	65	65	65	65
TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT)	24	24	27	23	minimum of 94
Trinity ISE III (3)	Pass with Merit	Pass with Merit	Pass with Merit	Pass with Merit	Pass with Merit
LanguageCert C2 Mastery IESOL LanguageCert C1 Expert IESOL	Pass High pass	Pass High pass	Pass High pass	Pass High pass	Pass High pass

Our requirements: Te Reo Māori

One of the following types of evidence must be provided to demonstrate te reo Māori competency:

Achieved Whakamātauria Tō Reo Māori Level 3 (National Māori Language Proficiency Examinations) OR
All primary schooling and at least three years secondary schooling in te reo Māori OR
Five years of secondary schooling in te reo Māori

Exceptional cases for English language

The Council considers exceptional cases where the specified evidence cannot be provided but there is other evidence of a high standard of English language competency. We consider exceptional cases to ensure we accommodate high-quality applicants with the right level of competency. We will consider other evidence on a case by case basis. Exemptions requests for Initial Teacher Education must be made by the provider. Please email exemptions@educationcouncil.org.nz in the first instance.

Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy

Purpose

The Education Act 1989 requires the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council) to establish and maintain criteria for practising certificates of different kinds.⁸⁵
The Practising Teacher Criteria define what constitutes satisfactory teaching for the purpose of being issued with and renewing a full practising certificate.
The Education Council requires teachers renewing a provisional or subject to confirmation practising certificate to be likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria. A teacher’s likeliness to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria is a factor the Education Council considers relevant when determining whether a provisionally certificated teacher or teacher certificated subject to confirmation has completed satisfactory recent teaching experience.
This policy only applies when a teacher is renewing a provisional or subject to confirmation practising certificate and has insufficient recent teaching experience to be meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria⁸⁶ to be issued with a full practising certificate. This means:
1. the teacher has not completed sufficient teaching experience to meet the induction and mentoring requirements to be issued with a full practising certificate; or
2. in the judgement of the professional leader who has most recently employed the teacher, the recent teaching position/s they have held are too part-time or too casual to allow for meaningful appraisal using the Practising Teacher Criteria; or
3. any other situation where the Education Council accepts that meaningful assessment using the Practising Teacher Criteria has not been possible.
Unless these conditions are met, the Education Council expects a teacher to be appraised using, and to meet, the Practising Teacher Criteria.⁸⁷
The purpose of this policy is to set out the requirements and evidence for teachers to demonstrate they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Rationale
A practising certificate is a signal of teachers’ professionalism, integrity and assured recent capability. A current practising certificate is one of the main ways that employers, colleagues, learners and the wider community can be assured that a teacher is qualified, safe and competent.
Meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, or being likely to be able to meet the Criteria, are key indicators of professional competence.
The Education Council expects teachers who are currently employed in a teaching position to demonstrate that they are a satisfactory teacher by making satisfactory progress towards meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
The Education Council recognises that provisionally certificated teachers need time to undertake an induction and mentoring programme to progressively demonstrate that they are able to meet all of the Criteria.
Teachers certificated subject to confirmation, although experienced teachers, may be employed in teaching positions that are too part time or too casual to enable them to meet all of the Criteria.
For these reasons the Education Council does not require provisionally certificated teachers or teachers certificated subject to confirmation to have sufficient evidence to be able to meet all of the Criteria, but does require assurance that their recent training and experience signals they are likely to be able to, once they are employed in a teaching position that enables meaningful appraisal using the Criteria.
This policy seeks to ensure that there is a clear and consistent definition of what the Education Council considers is required to determine that a teacher is ‘likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria’ for the purpose of renewing a provisional or subject to confirmation practising certificate.
This policy should be viewed in the context of the Education Council’s wider work within the teaching profession which aims to support all teachers to not only endeavour to be satisfactory, but to continually strive for excellence by reflecting, learning and developing their practice as high quality capable and professional teachers.
Legislative Context
The principal sections of the Education Act 1989 applicable to this policy are sections 361(6) and 382(1)(h).
Definition
The Education Council considers a teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria if there are no ongoing issues of competency or conduct, and their recent experience and training signals that they are likely to meet the Criteria when they are employed in a teaching position that enables meaningful appraisal using them.
Provisional practising certificate renewal
In considering whether a provisionally certificated teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria the Education Council will take into account the views of the professional leader/s who employed the teacher within the last three to five years by requiring a testimonial.⁸⁸
The Education Council also requires that, within the last six years a teacher applying to renew their provisional practising certificate has:
1. been awarded an approved initial teacher education qualification; or
2. successfully completed the TER programme; or
3. completed sufficient satisfactory recent teaching for the Education Council to approve a request for review of the requirement to complete the TER programme.⁸⁹
Subject to confirmation practising certificate renewal
Teachers renewing a practising certificate in the category subject to confirmation can demonstrate they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria if they can provide a testimonial from a professional leader who employed them within the last three to five years, attesting that they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.
If a teacher certificated subject to confirmation has completed so little recent teaching within the past five years that a professional leader is unable to attest that they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, the Education Council may require the teacher to prepare and submit a ‘return to practice’ plan before issuing the teacher with another practising certificate.⁹⁰
The Education Council’s expectations of provisionally certificated teachers and teachers certificated subject to confirmation
The Education Council expects teachers who are employed in teaching positions in New Zealand and to be actively working towards demonstrating that they are a satisfactory teacher by meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria and becoming fully certificated.
The Education Council will carefully consider renewal applications for provisional and subject to confirmation practising certificates to ensure the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria and therefore has satisfactory recent teaching experience. The Education Council also needs to be satisfied that all the other criteria for renewal of a practising certificate have been met.
A provisional practising certificate is usually granted for three years. The Education Council expects provisionally certificated teachers to complete the induction and mentoring requirements to be issued with a full practising certificate within that time but accepts this may not be possible and some teachers will have a valid reason for renewing their provisional practising certificate.
The Education Council considers that valid reasons for renewing a provisional practising certificate are:
1. the teacher is not yet able to demonstrate that they meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria, but their professional leader can provide their assurance that:
  1. satisfactory progress towards meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria is being made and
  2. there will be continuing support for the teacher in order for them to be able to demonstrate that they do meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria within the next three years;
2. being on parental leave;
3. having ill health (of the teacher or a close relative) that excludes a teacher from working;
4. living overseas;
5. being unable to secure a 0.5 FTTE teaching position;
6. being employed in a setting where the teacher cannot participate in a two year, broad-based induction and mentoring programme while being mentored by a fully certificated teacher.
When a teacher renews their provisional practising certificate the Education Council will communicate with the teacher to ensure they understand the Education Council’s expectations in terms of progressing from a provisional practising certificate to full certification within the next three years.
The Education Council considers that valid reasons for renewing a subject to confirmation practising certificate would include being employed in a teaching position that, in the judgement of their professional leader, has been either too part-time or too casual for the teacher to be meaningfully appraised using the Practising Teacher Criteria.
The Education Council generally considers there should be no restriction on the number of times a teacher can renew a subject to confirmation practising certificate.
Information required about the valid reason for renewing
The Education Council will require those applicants renewing a provisional or subject to confirmation practising certificate to provide a personal attestation (in the form of a signed statement) as to the valid reasons they have for not meeting the requirements to be issued with a full practising certificate, and requiring renewal in their existing category instead. This will be required to be endorsed by the applicant’s professional leader when applicable.
In all situations, by signing the applicant declaration section of the application forms, the applicant gives the Education Council permission to contact the Ministry of Education and their pay agents, and any individual or institution named in the application to verify the details of teaching service.
The Education Council is authorised under section 360 of the Education Act 1989 to match information about the teaching service of those currently employed in a teaching position in state and integrated schools to the Education Council’s records of certificated and/or authorised teachers.
In considering their application, the Council may ask applicants to provide evidence of the reason they are seeking renewal. The Education Council will only ask for this additional information when there is reason/s to do so in order to be confident that the requirements of this policy are being met.
Related Policy References
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Practising Teacher Criteria
- Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako
- Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers

Appendix: Framework for review of the TER programme requirement

This framework is applied when the Education Council considers a request for review of the requirement to undertake the TER programme from a provisionally certificated teacher. All elements are considered in combination; however failure to meet one element does not necessarily mean that a review will be unsuccessful.

The Education Council exercises its discretion when considering all requests.

Element	Explanation	Threshold
Recency of initial teacher education qualification	Generally, the more recently an approved ITE programme has been completed the greater assurance the Education Council can have about recency of demonstrated practice via supervised practicum in relation to the Graduating Teacher Standards.	Normally awarded within the last 7 years.
Length of time provisionally certificated	Repeated applications for a provisional practising certificate in the past indicates the teacher has remained within the profession but has been unable or unwilling to complete induction and mentoring process to be issued with a full practising certificate.	Three provisional practising certificates (or less).
Type of teaching completed	Generally, greater weight will be placed on extended and continuous teaching employment as the teacher has had more opportunities to demonstrate their professional knowledge and practice is up to date.	Normally at least: four long term blocks⁹¹ of teaching completed since the teacher became registered; and two years of continuous regular teaching. This may include part time positions of less than 0.5 FTTE but does not include day relief.
Amount of teaching completed	As above; teaching over 0.5 FTTE will have provided more opportunities to demonstrate their professional knowledge and practice is up to date.	A teaching position of at least 0.5 FTTE⁹² or more has been held for at least one long term block of 6-10 weeks since the teacher became registered.
Professional development relevant to the TER Curriculum	Demonstrates understanding of and exposure to the current education ‘landscape’.	Professional development has been completed in relation to at least one of the three Curriculum strands within the last 6 years.
A self-reflection completed by the teacher, commenting on how they have made significant progress towards meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria.	Provides an opportunity for the teacher to indicate, in their own words, that their professional knowledge and practice is up to date.	Self-reflection includes analysis of teaching and how theory has translated into practice. Includes commentary on use of student achievement data in relation to improving teaching practice.
Testimonial from the teacher’s professional leader	Provides an independent voice and analysis of teacher’s knowledge and practice from an experienced teacher who is currently teaching within the New Zealand general education system.	The professional leader can attest that the teacher’s observed professional practice and knowledge demonstrates satisfactory performance against the TER Curriculum, that the teacher has made progress towards meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria. Must be completed by a professional leader who employed the teacher within the last three years.
Evidenced advice and guidance or induction and mentoring programme	Provides the Education Council with an opportunity to give detailed advice about next steps for being issued with a full practising certificate. May also form the basis for an RPL assessment by the TER provider if the review is unsuccessful.	May be partially or fully complete, and undertaken after the teacher was registered. Evidence required will be consistent with that set out in the Registration Policy, i.e.: Evidence informed reflection on developing professional relationships, values and knowledge informed practice (framed by the Practising Teacher Criteria), and linking reflection to evidence of student achievement; Teaching observations; Meetings to set goals, follow up on goals previously set, review teaching observations completed by the mentor and regularly evaluate the structure and content of the induction programme; Written formative and summative feedback provided to the teacher by their mentor on progress towards meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria; Evidence of engagement in, and reflection on professional learning and development opportunities.

Satisfactory Recent Teaching Experience Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set out how the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council) will interpret and apply the legislative requirement for all teachers renewing a practising certificate to have ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’.⁹³
Rationale
Registration is granted to a teacher only once, and does not expire. The renewal process for all types of practising certificate provides an opportunity for the Education Council to be assured that a registered teacher is appropriately experienced, safe and competent to be a practising teacher.
There are three categories of practising certificate: full, provisional and subject to confirmation.
If a teacher does not hold a practising certificate, there has been no recent assurance about their recent teaching practice, competence or safety.
While all practising certificates carry a requirement for the holder to have completed satisfactory recent teaching experience, the Education Council acknowledges that teachers are employed in a range of roles and settings. Some teachers choose to be employed in casual or part time positions, while others may seek to return to teaching after a break from the profession.
The Education Council’s interpretation and application of the term ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ is therefore different for each type of practising certificate, to cater for teachers in diverse employment situations.
This policy has been designed to ensure that the Council has a clear and consistent statement of interpretation and application of what the Education Council require for a teacher to be considered to have satisfactory recent teaching experience for practising certificates to be renewed in all categories.
In doing so, this policy also seeks to emphasise the fact that holding a full practising certificate is the only signal to members of the profession and the public that a teacher has recently been appraised using, and has met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Teachers who hold a provisional practising certificate or subject to confirmation practising certificate are either in the progress of demonstrating that they meet the Practising Teacher Criteria by undertaking an induction and mentoring programme , or are employed in a teaching position that does not provide sufficient opportunity for them to be meaningfully appraised using all of the Practising Teacher Criteria . For this reason a teacher who is provisionally certificated or certificated subject to confirm ation has completed ‘satisfactory’ teaching experience when they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.
This policy should be viewed in the context of the Education Council’s wider work within the teaching profession which aims to provide leadership in teaching, enhance the status of teachers and education leaders and ensure safe and high quality leadership, teaching and learning for children and young people.⁹⁴
Legislative Context
The principal sections of the Education Act 1989 applicable to this policy are sections 348, 361 and 363.
Definition
Under the Education Act 1989 , satisfactory recent teaching experience is defined as two years of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position satisfactorily completed within the last five years in New Zealand.⁹⁵ This teaching employment must have been completed either within the general education system or an educational institution approved by the Education Council.
The Act also allows the Education Council to accept shorter periods of time.
The Education Council interprets the definition of satisfactory and recent teaching differently for each category of practising certificate, as set out below.
Full practising certificate renewal

Definition of satisfactory teaching experience
The Practising Teacher Criteria define what constitutes satisfactory teaching for the purpose of being issued with and renewing a full practising certificate.
In order for teaching service to be considered to be ‘satisfactory’ for the purpose of renewing a full practising certificate, a teacher is required to have been meaningfully appraised using, and to have met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria within the last five years. Usually, this will not have been possible if the teacher did not hold a practising certificate during the time of the teaching service being considered. While there may be exceptional circumstances, generally employment in a teaching position while the teacher was not certificated will not be considered ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’⁹⁶ for the purpose of renewing a full practising certificate.
The Education Council has the discretion to determine whether employment has been satisfactorily completed⁹⁷ and may require evidence of meaningful appraisal using the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Meaningfully appraised
The Education Council considers that a teacher must have had sufficient teaching service in order to be meaningfully appraised.
Sufficient teaching service means that the position/s held have been neither too part-time nor too casual in the judgement of the professional leader⁹⁸ to enable meaningful appraisal to be undertaken using the Practising Teacher Criteria, and to enable the teacher to have evidence of their practice.
Meets the Practising Teacher Criteria
A teacher has met the Practising Teacher Criteria when:
1. they have been appraised by their professional leader who most recently employed them in a teaching position for at least six consecutive weeks; and
2. this professional leader can attest that the teacher has provided evidence of meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria
Usually there are only two reasons why a professional leader may not be able to make a judgement that a teacher seeking renewal of their full practising certificate meets all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
1. Competency or conduct concerns. If a professional leader is not confident or satisfied about the competence or conduct of the teacher, then the professional leader should access support from the Education Council (including information provided on the Education Council website) to ensure that these issues are appropriately addressed.
2. Lack of evidence. Where a person has sufficient teaching the onus is on both the applicant and their employer to ensure that evidence of meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria is kept and can be provided to their endorsing professional leader. If appropriate records or evidence have not been kept, a professional leader may recommend that the applicant is considered likely to be satisfactory but that the professional leader does not have sufficient evidence to make a judgement that the applicant is satisfactory.
Definition of recent teaching experience
Recent experience relates to employment in a teaching position/s in the New Zealand general education system or educational institution approved by the Education Council, and means either:
1. two years⁹⁹ of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position completed within the last five years; or
2. one year¹⁰⁰ of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position completed within the last three years.
Provisional and subject to confirmation practising certificate renewal

Definition of satisfactory teaching experience
Provisionally certificated teachers are required to undertake a two year induction and mentoring programme under the supervision of a fully certificated teacher prior to being able to apply for a full practising certificate.
The induction and mentoring programme is the pathway by which teachers make the transition from being a student teacher to being a confident and effective teacher who can improve the learning outcomes of diverse ākonga.
The Education Council expects that provisionally certificated teachers will meet the requirements to complete the induction and mentoring programme and be issued with a full practising certificate within the first three years of holding a provisional practising certificate, but accepts this may not be possible and some teachers will need to renew their provisional practising certificate.¹⁰¹
Teachers who are certificated subject to confirmation are experienced teachers who have previously held a full practising certificate, but have not completed sufficient recent teaching employment to be able to demonstrate that they meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria. This may be because their recent teaching employment has been too part time or too casual to enable their professional leader to undertake meaningful appraisal of their teaching.
For these reasons teachers can renew their provisional or subject to confirmation practising certificate when they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.
When deciding whether a provisionally certificated teacher or teacher certificated subject to confirmation is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, the Education Council will take into account the views of the professional leader/s who employed the teacher by requesting a testimonial.¹⁰²
Definition of recent teaching experience
The Education Council will consider that a teacher’s employment has been sufficiently recent if the teacher has completed:
1. Within the last three years, at least:
  1. six weeks of full time continuous teaching employment in the general education system; or
  2. 80 days of teaching employment in the general education system (including day relief); or
  3. three months of full time teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council.
2. If the teacher does not meet one of the above, the Education Council will exercise discretion to consider any teaching employment completed in the general education system or an educational institution recognised by the Education Council within the previous five years.
If a teacher applying to renew their subject to confirmation practising certificate has not completed any teaching employment within the previous five years, the Education Council may issue the teacher with a subject to confirmation practising certificate but will require a ‘return to practice’ plan.¹⁰³
Teaching employment outside of the general education system
Teaching employment in an educational institution relates to employment within the wider education sector, but outside of the general education system. It may also include teaching employment completed overseas.
The Education Council recognises that some experienced teachers who wish to return to teaching will have relevant expertise that will mean they are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.¹⁰⁴ Registered teachers in this situation are unlikely to require a practising certificate to be employed in their role, but may want to hold a subject to confirmation practising certificate to indicate there has been recent assurance from the Education Council that they are a capable and professional teacher, and are likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.
For the Education Council to consider teaching employment in an educational institution the teacher needs to have been employed:
1. by an accredited or registered institution, or licensed learning service; and
2. in a teaching position that meets the Education Council’s definition of a teaching position,¹⁰⁵ evidenced by their job description.
Process and evidence required for certification
When making an application to renew a practising certificate, an applicant is required to provide evidence of completing satisfactory recent teaching service in the form of:
1. a completed list of teaching service; and
2. an endorsement from the appropriate professional leader¹⁰⁶ that:
  1. (for teachers renewing a full practising certificate) the applicant has evidence of having met all of the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
  2. in the judgement of the professional leader the applicant has demonstrated that they have met all of the Practising Teacher Criteria; or
  3. (for teachers renewing a provisional or subject to confirmation practising certificate) in the judgement of the professional leader the applicant has demonstrated that they are likely to meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
By signing the applicant declaration section of the application forms, the applicant gives the Education Council permission to contact the Ministry of Education and its pay agents, and any individual or institution named in the application to verify details, including of teaching service.
The Education Council is authorised under section 360 of the Education Act 1989 to match information about the teaching service of those currently employed in a teaching position in state and integrated schools to the Education Council’s records of registered, certificated and/or authorised teachers.
In considering an application for renewal of a full practising certificate, the Education Council may ask applicants to:
1. provide evidence of their recent appraisal; and
2. provide copies/summaries of the evidence used by their professional leader to assess them using the Practising Teacher Criteria.
The Education Council will only ask for this additional information when there is a genuine reason for doing so.
Discretionary decision making - renewal of a full practising certificate
The Education Council will use the following criteria for considering whether a teacher has satisfactory recent teaching experience ONLY when a professional leader is unable to attest that a teacher’s experience has been satisfactory due to lack of evidence (refer to paragraph 21b), or a testimonial has been provided but the Education Council requires further information from the applicant.¹⁰⁷ In circumstances where the professional leader is unable to attest that teaching has been satisfactory due to conduct or competency concerns, the professional leader must follow this up through appropriate mandatory reporting procedures.
Criteria for decision making
In considering whether a teacher has ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ the Education Council:
1. will, if a testimonial is unable to be provided, require a statement from the professional leader explaining why they are unable to attest that the teacher’s recent teaching experience has been satisfactory;¹⁰⁸
2. will consider evidence from the teacher which may include:
  1. recent appraisal documentation; and
  2. testimonials from senior teaching colleagues attesting to the evidence they have sighted that, in their opinion, demonstrates that the teacher’s recent teaching experience has been satisfactory;
3. may request a critical self-reflection from the teacher analysing why they consider that they have met the Practising Teacher Criteria and how this has been demonstrated with evidence;
4. will review the total package of evidence provided above and consider whether the Education Council is confident that the teacher has demonstrated that their recent teaching experience is satisfactory and they have met all of the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
5. may consider any other relevant matter.
Discretionary decision making - renewal of a subject to confirmation practising certificate
The Education Council will use the following criteria for considering whether a teacher certificated subject to confirmation has satisfactory recent teaching experience when a teacher does not meet the minimum teaching experience requirements outlined in paragraph 29.
Criteria for decision making
In considering whether a teacher has ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ the Education Council will take into account:
1. the amount of teaching experience completed; and
2. the recency of the teaching experience; and
3. testimonials from professional leaders that have employed the teacher within the last three to five years
4. evidence from the teacher, which may include:
  1. evidence of their recent engagement in professional learning and development; and
  2. a self-reflection completed by the teacher framed against the Practising Teacher Criteria.
5. may consider any other relevant matter.
Related Policy References
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Practising Teacher Criteria
- Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako
- Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers

Appendix: Satisfactory recent teaching experience by category of practising certificate

Category of practising certificate	Definition of ‘satisfactory’	Definition of ‘recent’
Full	The teacher has recently been meaningfully appraised using, and has met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.	The teacher has completed in the general education system or a setting approved by the Education Council: two years¹⁰⁹ of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position within the last five years;¹¹⁰ or one year¹¹¹ of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position within the last three years.
Provisional	The teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.	Within the last three years the teacher has completed at least: six weeks of full time continuous teaching employment in the general education system; or 80 days of teaching employment in the general education system (including day relief); or three months of full time teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council. If the teacher does not meet one of the above, the Education Council will exercise discretion to consider any teaching employment completed in the general education system or an educational institution recognised by the Education Council within the previous five years. As an additional requirement, teachers are required to successfully complete the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme if applying to be issued with or renew a provisional practising certificate six years or more after becoming registered.
Subject to confirmation	The teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.	Within the last three years the teacher has completed at least: six weeks of full time continuous teaching employment; or 80 days of teaching employment (including day relief); or three months of full time teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council. If the teacher does not meet one of the above, the Education Council will exercise discretion to consider any teaching employment completed within the previous five years. If the teacher has either: not completed any teaching employment within the previous five years; or their recent teaching employment has been so minimal that no assurance can be provided either from the teacher or a professional leader that the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria, the Education Council may issue the teacher with a subject to confirmation practising certificate but will require a ‘return to practice’ plan. A ‘return to practice’ plan requires a teacher to identify their professional learning needs to re-enter the profession as a certificated teacher and to be an effective teacher, and the professional development and learning activities they intend to undertake address these needs.

Category of practising certificate

Definition of ‘satisfactory’

Definition of ‘recent’

Full

The teacher has recently been meaningfully appraised using, and has met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.

The teacher has completed in the general education system or a setting approved by the Education Council:

two years¹⁰⁹ of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position within the last five years;¹¹⁰ or
one year¹¹¹ of uninterrupted employment in a teaching position within the last three years.

Provisional

The teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.

Within the last three years the teacher has completed at least:

six weeks of full time continuous teaching employment in the general education system; or
80 days of teaching employment in the general education system (including day relief); or
three months of full time teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council.

If the teacher does not meet one of the above, the Education Council will exercise discretion to consider any teaching employment completed in the general education system or an educational institution recognised by the Education Council within the previous five years.

As an additional requirement, teachers are required to successfully complete the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme if applying to be issued with or renew a provisional practising certificate six years or more after becoming registered.

Subject to confirmation

The teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.

Within the last three years the teacher has completed at least:

six weeks of full time continuous teaching employment; or
80 days of teaching employment (including day relief); or
three months of full time teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council.

If the teacher does not meet one of the above, the Education Council will exercise discretion to consider any teaching employment completed within the previous five years.

If the teacher has either:

not completed any teaching employment within the previous five years; or
their recent teaching employment has been so minimal that no assurance can be provided either from the teacher or a professional leader that the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria,

the Education Council may issue the teacher with a subject to confirmation practising certificate but will require a ‘return to practice’ plan.

A ‘return to practice’ plan requires a teacher to identify their professional learning needs to re-enter the profession as a certificated teacher and to be an effective teacher, and the professional development and learning activities they intend to undertake address these needs.

Policy on the Approval of Settings for Renewing a Full Practising Certificate Outside of the General Education System

Introduction

This policy recognises the diverse situations teachers practise in and aims to give appropriate assurance about those who have a full practising certificate by requiring educational institutions outside of the general education system to apply for approval as a setting where the Education Council will recognise that teachers have completed ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’. The policy is underpinned by the principle of ensuring safe and high quality teaching and learning for children and young people.
The Education Council requires that rigorous and robust appraisal processes are in place when approving settings and that these ensure the elements of appraisal for both professional growth and accountability are met.
This means that in these settings fully certificated teachers are supported with appropriate resources that would enable them to meet the requirements to renew a full practising certificate and are able to meet the demands of teaching in the general education system of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Purpose
The policy aims to ensure that teachers employed in teaching positions in educational institutions outside of the general education system who are seeking to renew a full practising certificate have engaged in satisfactory professional learning and development, and are able to demonstrate with evidence that they have been meaningfully appraised using, and have recently met, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Legislative Context
The Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council) requires teachers to have satisfactory recent teaching experience when renewing a full practising certificate, in accordance with sections 348 and 361(6)(a) of the Education Act 1989.
Section 348 of the Act defines “satisfactory recent teaching experience” as one of the following completed within the previous five years:
1. An uninterrupted period of employment of 2 years (or some shorter period or periods approved by the Education Council for the person) in a teaching position or teaching positions in the general education system; or
2. A period of employment of 2 years (or some shorter period or periods approved by the Education Council for the person), in a position (or positions) that (or each of which) in the Education Council’s opinion was equivalent to a teaching position, in an educational institution in New Zealand approved by the Education Council for the purposes of this Part.”
Section 363 of the Act defines how the Education Council will determine whether or not teaching has been “satisfactorily completed” as follows:
1. In determining whether or not a period of employment was satisfactorily completed by a person, the Education Council may take into account any relevant matters.
2. In determining whether or not a period of employment at a school, early childhood service, or other educational institution in New Zealand was satisfactorily completed by a person, the Education Council may take into account-
  1. the views of the professional leader of the school early childhood service, or other educational institution; or
  2. if the person was the professional leader of a school, early childhood service, or other educational institution, the views of his or her employer.
3. Subsection (2) of this section does not affect the generality of subsection (1) of this section
The general education system¹¹² is defined in section 348 of the Act as:
1. registered schools (as defined in section 2); and
2. early childhood services; and
3. other institutions and services established or deemed to have been established, or provided, under this Act or the Education Act 1964
Institutions may provide evidence that they meet the statutory definition of the general education system if they are not included in the list footnoted to paragraph 8.
The authority to grant an approval or re-approval of an educational institution outside of the general education system where teachers may renew a full practising certificate lies with the Education Council.
Requirements
A full practising certificate may only be renewed by completing ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ within:
1. the general education system as described in paragraph 8 above, or
2. an educational institution that has been approved by the Education Council for this purpose.
Institutions outside of the general education system will only be approved as settings in which teachers may renew a full practising certificate if they can clearly demonstrate:
1. that the teaching roles within the institution will enable sufficient and diverse opportunities for teachers to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
2. the appraisal system requires teachers to be meaningfully appraised using, and to meet, all of the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
3. that the teaching role/s within the institution meets the Education Council’s definition of a teaching position.
Institutions outside of the general education system should apply in writing to the Education Council for approval as a setting in which teachers may renew a full practising certificate. The application should be supported by evidence as set out in Appendix One.
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 Education Council’s responsibility to ‘discover’ the suitability of an institution for the purposes of registration.
Approvals will be granted for up to three years. 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.
The Education Council will maintain a database of all institutions holding current approval.
Information Requirements
Learning institutions need to complete information requirements (as outlined in Appendix One), providing evidence of and addressing such questions as:
1. Are certificated teachers employed in a teaching position?¹¹³
2. What is the nature of the education programmes being provided by teachers? Do the programmes enable individual teachers to demonstrate all of the Practising Teacher Criteria?
3. How do those teachers keep up to date with and advance their professional learning about knowledge of curriculum and pedagogy in order to advance the learning of ākonga?
4. Is there a valid and rigorous performance management system that includes the elements in the Education Council’s Appraisal Conceptual Framework and includes appraisal of teachers based on the Practising Teacher Criteria? How is documentation of this linked to the professional leader’s endorsement of the teacher’s application to maintain a full practising certificate?
5. Is the institution subject to external review by a recognised body?
Any other information that may help the Education Council to make a decision.
Information and supporting evidence is to be provided in the format of the appended application form.
Review
This policy may be reviewed at any time at the discretion of the Education Council and applicants can view current policy on the website.
Related Policy References
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies, standards and guidelines:
- Satisfactory Recent Teaching Experience Policy
- Practising Teacher Criteria
- Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers

Appendix One: Application requirements for educational institutions seeking approval as a setting where teachers can renew a full practising certificate

The information requirements for seeking Education Council approval as a setting for renewing a full practising certificate are set out below.

Complete all numbered items 1-10 and provide supporting documentation.

Please forward your application and cover letter to:

Manager, Registration

Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand

PO Box 5326

Wellington 6145

Attention: Application for Approved Setting

1. What is the purpose and nature of your setting?

Settings are expected to have a purpose of education and to be delivering curriculum according to the curricula for early childhood education services and schools in New Zealand.

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.

Settings are expected to have appropriate accreditation for their operation as an education setting.

3. Are the education programmes in your setting subject to approval or external review by any other body? If so, please give details of:

The terms of reference
Membership of any advisory committee
The frequency of meetings, and
The process by which programmes are approved and reviewed.

Settings are expected to have an educational programme, which is subject to approval or external review by an authorised body on such matters.

4. What is the:

Nature of the education programmes being provided by teachers?
Range of ages and approximate number of students taught by your setting?
Usual attendance hours of students?
Length of the programme for each student?

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.

5. Are staff members who are delivering education programmes employed in a teaching position? ¹¹⁴

The Education Council further defines the requirement in the Act for a teacher to "instruct students"¹¹⁵as meaning: having responsibility for teaching and learning by having a job description that expects them to cause learning (either as an individual or member of a teaching team) and to act autonomously and without day to day supervision.

6. In what ways do the teachers provide a sequential programme of teaching that enables them to demonstrate meeting all of the Practising Teacher Criteria¹¹⁶ and involves:

Planning, implementation, assessment and reporting of individual students’ learning
Review and evaluation of the programme?

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 to enable teachers to demonstrate that they meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.

7. If you have different groups of teachers in relation to teaching roles, please differentiate between these groups and provide information about each group.

The roles of teachers are expected to be explicitly identified, where different groups of teachers are responsible for different areas of delivery of education.

8. In what way do you provide

An ongoing process of supervision and appraisal for teachers?
A supervision and appraisal system to ensure teachers are demonstrating the Practising Teacher Criteria?¹¹⁷

Full certification requires that teachers receive an ongoing process of supervision and appraisal and that the system used ensures that teachers are demonstrating all of the Practising Teacher Criteria.

9. In what ways do your teachers

Keep up to date with knowledge of curriculum and pedagogy in order to advance the learning of students/ākonga?
Have opportunities for participation in professional learning and development?

Full certification requires that teachers are supported to keep up to date with knowledge of the curriculum, are provided with appropriate professional development opportunities and are supported with resources in terms of skills, knowledge and practice.

10. Please provide supporting documentation to:

Show the nature of teaching staff roles and responsibilities (for example copies of job descriptions); and
Demonstrate how teachers are able to meet all of the Practising Teacher Criteria; and
Demonstrate the appraisal and support systems whereby teachers are assessed against the Practising Teacher Criteria (for example, copies of policies relating to appraisal of staff).

Appendix Two

Limited Authority to Teach Policy

Introduction

The Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Education Council) is entrusted with the responsibility of providing leadership in teaching, enhancing the status of teachers and education leaders and ensuring safe and high quality leadership, teaching and learning for children and young people.¹¹⁸
The Education Council’s view is that the best way to ensure high quality teaching and learning is to appoint fully qualified, registered and certificated teachers. Under section 366 of the Education Act 1989, the Education Council can also authorise an unregistered person to teach on a temporary basis by issuing a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT).
Purpose
The purposes of this policy are to:
1. explain the rationale, the requirements and the processes by which the Education Council approves applications for a LAT;
2. provide public and professional confidence that the LAT approval process contributes to a quality learning environment and enhances the reputation of the teaching profession;
3. enable the employment in teaching positions of those people who do not meet the requirements to be registered and hold a practising certificate, but have either:
  1. the skills and experience appropriate to advance the learning of students; or
  2. skills in an area where there is a shortage of certificated teachers.
Rationale
The Education Council can authorise an unregistered person to teach on a temporary basis by issuing a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT)for a specialist position, provided that the person is of a suitable disposition and has the skills and experience appropriate to advance students’ learning. A LAT may also be issued if the person has a particular set of skills that are in short supply.
A person who holds a LAT may not be appointed to a permanent teaching position.¹¹⁹ Permanent teaching positions can only be filled by qualified and registered teachers who hold a current practising certificate. LATs are only to be used on a temporary basis by schools and kindergartens.
A LAT cannot be issued to a person who has been convicted of a specified offence, unless an exemption has been granted under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.¹²⁰
Legislative Context
The Education Council is authorised to issue a LAT under section 366(2) of the Education Act 1989. Other principal sections of the Act that are applicable to this policy are 349, 350, 351, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370.
Ethical Context
The Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers - Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako applies to both certificated teachers and authorised persons (those who hold a LAT).¹²¹ As part of accepting any LAT position, the LAT holder needs to understand the ethical principles and commitments within the Code, including the professional expectation to uphold the reputation of the teaching profession.
Definition
Limited Authority to Teach’ means authorisation to be employed in a teaching position for a limited period of time as defined in the policy, and to provide specialist skills or skills that are in short supply.
Requirements
When deciding whether to grant a LAT, the Education Council must consider whether the applicant:
1. has either:
  1. the specialist skills and experience appropriate to advance the learning of a student or group of students; or
  2. has skills that are in short supply; and
2. is of good character; and
3. is fit to hold a LAT; and
4. is proficient in English and/or te reo Māori.¹²²
In determining whether the applicant meets these criteria, the Education Council will take into account the following:
1. the purpose of the LAT; and
2. the views of the professional leader/s of institution/s that employed or engaged the applicant in the last five years; and
3. the views of any professional leader who wishes to employ the person; and
4. the applicant’s relevant skills and experience; and
5. any other relevant matters.

Generally, the Education Council requires that people applying for a LAT will hold qualifications to at least Level 6 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework in their specialist subject area; however the Education Council also recognises that some unqualified people may have significant experience and expertise that can advance students’ learning. In these situations the Education Council will place greater weight on the testimonials provided, and information the applicant can provide evidencing their ability to advance learning.

Table 1: Requirements to be met for a LAT

Requirement		The Education Council considers this means	Evidence required
The applicant meets option 1. or 2. below:
1.	Specialist skills	Qualifications in a specialist subject area, either awarded by a NZQA accredited provider in New Zealand, or completed overseas and assessed as comparable to a qualification on the NZ Qualifications Framework by NZQA;¹²³ and at least five years of employment or experience in an industry or area relevant to the specialist qualification.	A certified copy of their qualifications; and (where applicable) a certified copy of the NZQA International Qualifications Assessment report;¹²⁴ and a list of employment or experience completed within the last five years, including commentary from the applicant on the specific relevance of this experience to learners within the general education system; and testimonials from employers¹²⁵ attesting to the applicant’s skills demonstrated in practice.
1.	Experience appropriate to advance the learning of students	An understanding of: official curricula in the area they want to teach and applicable work experience; and appropriate assessment tools and strategies for the sector they want to be employed in.	A self-reflection from the applicant commenting on their experience working with, and/or knowledge of official curricula and assessment tools; and testimonials from previous employers attesting to the applicant’s knowledge of official curricula and assessment tools, and how this was demonstrated within their practice.
2.	Skills that are in short supply	Qualifications in a specialist subject area, either awarded by a NZQA accredited provider in New Zealand, or completed overseas and assessed as comparable to a qualification on the NZ Qualifications Framework by NZQA;¹²⁶ and at least five years of employment or experience in an industry or area relevant to the specialist qualification; and one or more schools/kindergartens within a geographic region have identified a shortage of skills in a specific area	A certified copy of their qualifications; and (where applicable) a certified copy of the NZQA International Qualifications Assessment report;¹²⁷ and a self-reflection from the applicant commenting on how their knowledge and skills are relevant for learners within the general education system; and a list of employment or experience completed within the last five years, including commentary from the applicant on the specific relevance of this experience to learners within the general education system; and testimonials from employers attesting to the applicant’s skills demonstrated in practice; and testimonials from a professional leader/s of one or more schools in the geographic area the applicant wishes to teach in, attesting to the lack of specialist skills available in the local teaching workforce.
The applicant is of a suitable disposition
The applicant is of good character and fit to hold a LAT		The applicant has had a satisfactory Police vet within the past three years.	The teacher has: had a Police vet completed by the Vetting and Validation section of the NZ Police; and provided a Police vet from the national Police service of any country in which the teacher has spent 12 months or more within the last 10 years.
		The applicant has qualities and attributes that mean they are likely to uphold the public and professional reputation of NZ teachers and promote the safety of ākonga.	The applicant has made a declaration about whether or not they: have been dismissed from a teaching position in any country; and have had teacher registration refused or cancelled in any country; and are under investigation for any matters that may call into question their character or fitness to hold a LAT.
		The applicant does not have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.	The applicant has made a declaration about whether or not they have any physical or mental health condition that affects their ability to carry out a teaching role safely and satisfactorily.
Proficient in English and/or te reo Māori		The person meets the minimum level language proficiency requirements.	The applicant has: provided a certified copy of results from an approved English language test or approved Māori language test showing that the relevant minimum score has been attained in each component of the test;¹²⁸ or (if English or Māori is their first language), provided a statutory declaration attesting that their first language is English or Māori; AND statements from schools and education providers confirming the language of instruction for all schooling and qualifications was English or Māori.¹²⁹

Duration of LATs

LATs may be issued for up to three years. When determining the period of time for a LAT to be granted, the Education Council will be guided by the purpose of the LAT.
Eligibility
A teaching position is partly defined in the Education Act 1989 as a position that requires its holder to instruct students. The Education Council further interprets ‘instructs students’ as having responsibility for teaching and learning. A person is considered to have responsibility for teaching and learning if their job description expects them to:
1. cause learning (either as an individual or a member of a teaching team); and
2. to act autonomously and without day to day supervision; and
3. be employed and paid as a teacher.¹³⁰
A person is NOT eligible to apply for a LAT if any of the following apply:
1. s/he is to fulfil a role not defined as a teaching position; or
2. s/he is a registered teacher or has approved teaching qualifications; or
3. s/he holds a practising certificate or is eligible to hold one; or
4. a practising certificate is not compulsory for that position.
An employer cannot appoint a LAT holder if that person has:
1. Had their LAT cancelled; and
2. has not since been granted a LAT again; or
3. been registered as a teacher; or
4. had their LAT suspended.¹³¹
A person holding a LAT is subject to the same mandatory reporting rules as apply to registered teachers.¹³²
A person who has previously held a LAT may make a subsequent application.¹³³ A person may also apply for the issue of a new LAT before the expiry of a current LAT.¹³⁴ The Education Council will expect evidence of successful teaching, in particular the applicant’s ability to advance the learning of students and/or that there is an ongoing skills shortage of certificated teachers for any subsequent application for a LAT. This will primarily be in the form of testimonials and/or appraisal documentation from professional leaders who have employed the person.
Applications for a LAT
As the purpose of a LAT is to temporarily address a need for schools and kindergartens to employ people with specialist skills, or skills that are in short supply, a LAT is required to be based on a fixed term employment offer for a specific:
1. person; and
2. setting; and
3. subject or teaching position, and
4. time-frame.
The responsibilities of the applicant are to ensure s/he:
1. has been offered a temporary teaching position for a fixed period of time; and
2. meets the criteria for good character and fit to be a teacher; and
3. meets the Education Council’s language proficiency requirements; and
4. has the minimum standard of education and qualifications relevant to the role; and
5. has the skills and experience necessary to enhance the quality of learning for ākonga; and
6. is committed to upholding the Code Of Ethics for Certificated Teachers - Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako.¹³⁵
The professional leader or employer has the responsibility to ensure that s/he has:
1. been unable to secure a qualified certificated teacher for the teaching position, including on subsequent applications for a LAT for the same position; and
2. offered the applicant a specific fixed term teaching position, compatible with her or his skills and experience; and
3. explained to the applicant that she or he cannot be appointed to a permanent position as a LAT holder (refer to section 349 of the Education Act 1989); and
4. documented the term of employment and the reasons for the fixed term in writing (this is a requirement of section 66 of the Employment Relations Act 2000); and
5. informed the applicant of the Code of Ethics - Ngā Tikanga Matatika; and
6. considered the requirements of this policy as guidance when supplying testimonials and/or endorsing the application; and
7. has in place a performance management system that will provide the LAT holder with a clear job description, regular appraisals, access to appropriate professional development and supervision from a designated fully certificated teacher.
Evidence Required to Support a LAT Application
The Education Council requires evidence from the applicant and the professional leader/ employer to support the application as specified in table 1.
Appeals
Any applicant who is not satisfied with a Council decision about his or her LAT application may appeal that decision to the District Court within 28 days (or any longer period that the Court allows) of receiving notice of the decision.
Policy review
The policy may be reviewed and consulted on as required by the Education Council.
Policy references
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies and standards:
- Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Code Of Ethics for Certificated Teachers - Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako

Section Four: Standards and Guidelines

This section sets out the standards and guidelines that are used throughout all Council policies.

These are:

Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers – Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō ngā Pouako Kua Whiwhi Tohu Whakaako
Graduating Teacher Standards: Aotearoa New Zealand
Practising Teacher Criteria
Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers

Code of Ethics for Registered Teachers - Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō Ngā Pouako kua Rēhitatia

Code of Ethics for Registered Teachers - Ngā Tikanga Matatika mō Ngā Pouako kua Rēhitatia ¹³⁶

Teachers certificated to practice in New Zealand are committed to the attainment of the highest standards of professional service in the promotion of learning by those they teach, mindful of the learner’s ability, cultural background, gender, age or stage of development.

This complex professional task is undertaken in collaboration with colleagues, learners, parents/ guardians and family/whānau, as well as with members of the wider community.

The professional interactions of teachers are governed by four fundamental principles:

Autonomy to treat people with rights that are to be honoured and defended,
Justice to share power and prevent the abuse of power,
Responsible care to do good and minimise harm to others,
Truth to be honest with others and self.

Application of the Code of Ethics shall take account of the requirements of the law as well as the obligation of teachers to honour the Treaty of Waitangi by paying particular attention to the rights and aspirations of Māori as tangata whenua.

Commitment to learners

The primary professional obligation of certificated teachers is to those they teach. Teachers nurture the capacities of all learners to think and act with developing independence, and strive to encourage an informed appreciation of the fundamental values of a democratic society.

Teachers will strive to:

develop and maintain professional relationships with learners based upon the best interests of those learners,
base their professional practice on continuous professional learning, the best knowledge available about curriculum content and pedagogy, together with their knowledge about those they teach,
present subject matter from an informed and balanced viewpoint,
encourage learners to think critically about significant social issues,
cater for the varied learning needs of diverse learners,
promote the physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual wellbeing of learners,
protect the confidentiality of information about learners obtained in the course of professional service, consistent with legal requirements.

Commitment to parents/ guardians and family/ whānau

Teachers recognise that they work in collaboration with the parents/guardians and family/whānau of learners, encouraging their active involvement in the education of their children. They acknowledge the rights of caregivers to consultation on the welfare and progress of their children and respect lawful parental authority, although professional decisions must always be weighted towards what is judged to be the best interests of learners.

In relation to parents/guardians, and the family/whanau of learners, teachers will strive to:

involve them in decision-making about the care and education of their children,
establish open, honest and respectful relationships,
respect their privacy,
respect their rights to information about their children, unless that is judged to be not in the best interests of the children.

Commitment to society

Teachers are vested by the public with trust and responsibility, together with an expectation that they will help prepare students for life in society in the broadest sense.

In fulfillment of their obligations to society, teachers will strive to:

actively support policies and programmes which promote equality of opportunity for all,
work collegially to develop schools and centres which model democratic ideals,
teach and model those positive values which are widely accepted in society and encourage learners to apply them and critically appreciate their significance.

Commitment to the profession

In the belief that the quality of the services of the teaching profession influences the nation and its citizens, teachers shall exert every effort to maintain and raise professional standards, to promote a climate that encourages the exercise of professional judgement, and to achieve conditions which attract persons worthy of trust to careers in education.

In fulfillment of their obligations to the teaching profession, teachers will strive to:

advance the interests of the teaching profession through responsible ethical practice,
regard themselves as learners and engage in continuing professional development,
be truthful when making statements about their qualifications and competencies,
contribute to the development and promotion of sound educational policy,
contribute to the development of an open and reflective professional culture,
treat colleagues and associates with respect, working with them co-operatively and collegially to promote students’ learning,
assist newcomers to the profession,
respect confidential information on colleagues unless disclosure is required by the law or serves a compelling professional purpose,
speak out if the behaviour of a colleague is seriously in breach of this Code.

Graduating Teacher Standards: Aotearoa New Zealand

These standards recognise that the Treaty of Waitangi extends equal status and rights to Māori and Pākehā alike.

Graduates entering the profession will understand the critical role teachers play in enabling the educational achievement of all learners.

Professional Knowledge

Standard One: Graduating Teachers know what to teach

have content knowledge appropriate to the learners and learning areas of their programme.
have pedagogical content knowledge appropriate to the learners and learning areas of their programme.
have knowledge of the relevant curriculum documents of Aotearoa New Zealand.
have content and pedagogical content knowledge for supporting English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners to succeed in the curriculum.

Standard Two: Graduating Teachers know about learners and how they learn

have knowledge of a range of relevant theories and research about pedagogy, human development and learning.
have knowledge of a range of relevant theories, principles and purposes of assessment and evaluation.
know how to develop metacognitive strategies of diverse learners.
know how to select curriculum content appropriate to the learners and the learning context.

Standard Three: Graduating Teachers understand how contextual factors influence teaching and learning

have an understanding of the complex influences that personal, social, and cultural factors may have on teachers and learners.
have knowledge of tikanga and te reo Māori to work effectively within the bicultural contexts of Aotearoa New Zealand.
have an understanding of education within the bicultural, multicultural, social, political, economic and historical contexts of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Professional Practice

Standard Four: Graduating Teachers use professional knowledge to plan for a safe, high quality teaching and learning environment

draw upon content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge when planning, teaching and evaluating.
use and sequence a range of learning experiences to influence and promote learner achievement.
demonstrate high expectations of all learners, focus on learning and recognise and value diversity.
demonstrate proficiency in oral and written language (Māori and/or English), in numeracy and in ICT relevant to their professional role.
use te reo Māori me ngā tikanga-a-iwi appropriately in their practice.
demonstrate commitment to and strategies for promoting and nurturing the physical and emotional safety of learners.

Standard Five: Graduating Teachers use evidence to promote learning

systematically and critically engage with evidence to reflect on and refine their practice.
gather, analyse and use assessment information to improve learning and inform planning.
know how to communicate assessment information appropriately to learners, their parents/caregivers and staff.

Professional Values & Relationships

Standard Six: Graduating Teachers develop positive relationships with learners and the members of learning communities

recognise how differing values and beliefs may impact on learners and their learning.
have the knowledge and dispositions to work effectively with colleagues, parents/caregivers, families/whānau and communities.
build effective relationships with their learners.
promote a learning culture which engages diverse learners effectively.
demonstrate respect for te reo Māori me ngā tikanga-a-iwi in their practice.

Standard Seven: Graduating Teachers are committed members of the profession

uphold the New Zealand Teachers Council Code of Ethics/Ngā Tikanga Matatika.
have knowledge and understanding of the ethical, professional and legal responsibilities of teachers.
work co-operatively with those who share responsibility for the learning and wellbeing of learners.
are able to articulate and justify an emerging personal, professional philosophy of teaching and learning.

Practising Teacher Criteria

Introduction

The Practising Teacher Criteria describe the criteria for quality teaching that are to be met by all fully certificated teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Practising Teacher Criteria recognise that teaching is a highly complex activity, drawing on repertoires of knowledge, practices, professional attributes and values to facilitate academic, social and cultural learning for diverse education settings. The criteria and indicators should be viewed as interdependent and overlapping.

Overarching statements

Teachers play a critical role in enabling the educational achievement of all ākonga/learners.¹³⁷
The Treaty of Waitangi extends equal status and rights to Māori and Pākehā. This places a particular responsibility on all teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand to promote equitable learning outcomes.
In an increasingly multi-cultural Aotearoa New Zealand, teachers need to be aware of and respect the languages, heritages and cultures of all ākonga.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Code of Ethics/Ngā Tikanga Matatika commits certificated teachers to the highest standards of professional service in promoting the learning of those they teach.

Criteria and key indicators

Professional Relationships and Professional Values Fully certificated teachers engage in appropriate professional relationships and demonstrate commitment to professional values. Fully certificated teachers:
Criteria	Key indicators
Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of all ākonga¹³⁸	engage in ethical, respectful, positive and collaborative professional relationships with: ākonga teaching colleagues, support staff and other professionals whanau and other carers of ākonga agencies, groups and individuals in the community
demonstrate commitment to promoting the well-being of all ākonga	take all reasonable steps to provide and maintain a teaching and learning environment that is physically, socially, culturally and emotionally safe acknowledge and respect the languages, heritages and cultures of all ākonga comply with relevant regulatory and statutory requirements
demonstrate commitment to bicultural partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand	demonstrate respect for the heritages, languages and cultures of both partners to the Treaty of Waitangi
demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional learning and development of personal professional practice	identify professional learning goals in consultation with colleagues participate responsively in professional learning opportunities within the learning community initiate learning opportunities to advance personal professional knowledge and skills
show leadership that contributes to effective teaching and learning	actively contribute to the professional learning community undertake areas of responsibility effectively
*Professional Knowledge in Practice* Fully certificated teachers make use of their professional knowledge and understanding to build a stimulating, challenging and supportive learning environment that promotes learning and success for all ākonga. Fully certificated teachers:
Criteria	Key indicators
conceptualise, plan and implement an appropriate learning programme	articulate clearly the aims of their teaching, give sound professional reasons for adopting these aims, and implement them in their practice through their planning and teaching, demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of relevant content, disciplines and curriculum documents
promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment	demonstrate effective management of the learning setting which incorporates successful strategies to engage and motivate ākonga foster trust, respect and cooperation with and among ākonga
demonstrate in practice their knowledge and understanding of how ākonga learn	enable ākonga to make connections between their prior experiences and learning and their current learning activities provide opportunities and support for ākonga to engage with, practise and apply new learning to different contexts encourage ākonga to take responsibility for their own learning and behaviour assist ākonga to think critically about information and ideas and to reflect on their learning
respond effectively to the diverse language and cultural experiences, and the varied strengths, interests and needs of individuals and groups of ākonga	demonstrate knowledge and understanding of social and cultural influences on learning, by working effectively in the bicultural and multicultural contexts of learning in Aotearoa New Zealand select teaching approaches, resources, technologies and learning and assessment activities that are inclusive and effective for diverse ākonga modify teaching approaches to address the needs of individuals and groups of ākonga
work effectively within the bicultural context of Aotearoa New Zealand	practise and develop the relevant use of te reo Māori me ngā tikanga-a-iwi in context specifically and effectively address the educational aspirations of ākonga Māori, displaying high expectations for their learning
analyse and appropriately use assessment information, which has been gathered formally and informally	analyse assessment information to identify progress and ongoing learning needs of ākonga use assessment information to give regular and ongoing feedback to guide and support further learning analyse assessment information to reflect on and evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching communicate assessment and achievement information to relevant members of the learning community foster involvement of whanau in the collection and use of information about the learning of ākonga
use critical inquiry and problem-solving effectively in their professional practice	systematically and critically engage with evidence and professional literature to reflect on and refine practice respond professionally to feedback from members of their learning community critically examine their own beliefs, including cultural beliefs, and how they impact on their professional practice and the achievement of ākonga

Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers

Part A: Guidelines for establishing and implementing a programme of induction

Vision statement for induction programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand
High quality induction programmes will be provided for all provisionally certificated teachers (PCTs) who aspire to hold a full practising certificate as a teacher in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The programmes will be educative in focus and will support recently qualified teaching graduates to become:
- effective teachers for diverse ākonga in Aotearoa New Zealand
- professionally engaged teachers committed to on- going inquiry into their own teaching and working with colleagues in a collaborative process.
Professional development and on-going system-wide support to mentor teachers will underpin the intensive professional support needed by PCTs to maximize their professional learning and progress towards achievement of the above two goals. In this way, the profession will progressively improve its ability to contribute to equitable learning outcomes for all ākonga.

The Education Council’s vision statement for induction programmes to support PCTs sets out the overall purpose for any induction programme and the desired outcomes that the programme should aim for.
Principles for high quality induction programmes
High quality induction programmes
- are based in a community of support including the active support by the institution’s professional leader
- are personalised and based on the aspirations and needs of the individual PCT
- are responsive to the characteristics of ākonga and the wider community
- develop a PCT’s increasing responsibility for their own professional learning
- are educative in focus
- work towards the vision statement, with a particular focus on improving equitable outcomes for all ākonga
- are regularly reviewed to ensure continued effectiveness.
Essential components of high quality induction programmes
There is commitment to the vision statement

The employer, leadership and school, kura or ECE professional learning community need to develop a common understanding of how the vision statement will be interpreted and applied within their context and be committed to it.

There is institutional commitment and leadership for the programme
- Leaders and the school, kura or ECE learning community need to be committed to a culture of collaborative professional inquiry.
- There needs to be structural support from the employer and senior colleagues, including ensuring dedicated time is provided for mentoring and other professional development.
- The learning community in some settings, may embrace families and others in the wider community in addition to professional colleagues.
- Leaders should provide work conditions for the PCT that recognise their novice status.
Quality mentoring is a central (but not the sole) component
- Mentors need to be carefully selected, provided with access to high quality professional development and support for their role, and assured of dedicated time to carry out the role (see Part B).
- The PCT will also be supported to access learning from the wider learning community including observations of colleagues and participation in structured professional development programmes within and external to the institution.
The programme is based on the Practising Teacher Criteria to guide the learning and formative feedback to the teacher
- There needs to be a shared understanding of the characteristics of effective teaching as set out in the Practising Teacher Criteria.
The programme is focused on the daily practice of PCTs with their ākonga
- The programme will provide intensive, specific support based on evidence from the teaching and learning of the ākonga – so that the PCT is able to systematically reflect on this evidence and learn from it.
- The programme will focus on the needs and aspirations of individual PCTs, establishing reciprocal relationships that encourage the PCT to take increasing responsibility for identifying next steps for their professional learning.
The programme will provide the support and processes needed so the PCT can move towards being issued with a full practising certificate
- This means meeting the Education Council’s requirements for formal documentation of the induction programme and documentation of evidence of the teacher’s progress towards demonstrating all the Practising Teacher Criteria to move to a full practising certificate.

Part B: Guidelines for mentoring and mentor teacher development

Vision Statement for mentoring of PCTs in Aotearoa New Zealand
An effective mentor is a reflective practitioner focused on inquiry into their own and others’ professional practice and learning – based on a clear understanding of outstanding teaching.

An effective mentor has a significant educative leadership role, dedicated to growing the professional capability of the colleagues they support.

An effective mentor has a sound knowledge and skill base for their role and can establish respectful and effective mentoring relationships.

An effective mentor does not work in isolation. Mentors can only be effective if they are providing mentoring as part of a comprehensive induction programme and are well supported by their employer, professional leader, and professional learning community.
The role of a mentor teacher
The role of a mentor of a PCT includes
- providing support to the PCT in their new role as a teacher with full responsibility for their ākonga
- demonstrating effective teaching
- facilitating learning conversations with the PCT that challenge and support them to use evidence to develop teaching strengths
- assisting the PCT to plan effective learning programmes
- observing the PCT and providing feedback against specific criteria and facilitating the PCTs ability to reflect on that feedback
- assisting the PCT to gather and analyse ākonga learning data in order to inform next steps/ different approaches in their teaching
- guiding the PCT towards professional leadership practices that support learning in the unique socio- cultural contexts of Aotearoa
- supporting the PCT to become part of the wider learning community
- providing formal assessment of the PCT’s progress in relation to the Practising Teacher Criteria
- suggesting suitable professional development for the PCT advocating for the PCT if needed, particularly in relation to accessing high quality induction and mentoring listening to and helping the PCT to solve problems.
Key areas of knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for high quality mentoring
Mentors know about teachers, teaching and teacher learning

This includes areas of knowledge such as:
- contextual knowledge of an individual PCT including his/her cultural background
- pedagogy of teacher education and of mentoring
- knowledge of the teaching profession, the education system and professional standards (including the Practising Teacher Criteria)
- leadership and management of change.
Mentors know about ākonga and learning

This includes areas of knowledge such as:
- contextual knowledge of the ākonga the PCT is teaching, including cultural background of individuals and of the communities the ākonga are from
- pedagogical content knowledge relating to curriculum area(s) within which the PCT is teaching
- research into learning e.g. Best Evidence Synthesis reports from the Ministry of Education
- collection and interpretation of evidence of learning.
Mentors are able to use mentoring skills and dispositions

These include the abilities to:
- facilitate constructive but challenging professional conversations with PCTs and maintain their enthusiasm
- demonstrate for the PCT effective teaching for diverse ākonga
- use effective observation skills and strategies
- analyse and reflect on evidence of learning
- negotiate and advocate on behalf of the teacher
- demonstrate professional leadership and understanding of the potentiality of effective teaching to influence equitable outcomes for ākonga
- provide and/or seek cultural advice to support development of te reo me ona tikanga.
Provision of mentor teacher professional development
Ongoing support systems and professional development opportunities for mentor teachers should be established. As set out in these Guidelines, the mentor teacher role involves specific skills that cannot be assumed but need to be explicitly taught and supported. They are skills that are also needed in other professional leadership roles.

This means that increasing capability in these areas will have an impact on the quality of the wider professional leadership in a school, kura or ECE setting.

The Education Council is working with the wider profession to ensure there will, over time, be on-going professional development available to support the mentor teacher role. It is recommended that mentor teachers form professional communities of practice to support each other within and/or between schools, kura and ECE settings.

Programmes for the development of mentor teachers may include (but not be confined to) the following content
- pedagogy of mentoring
- facilitation of challenging, evidence-informed, professional learning conversations
- knowledge of the Practising Teacher Criteria (and how to use the Practising Teacher Criteria to guide the professional learning of a PCT)
- approaches to gathering evidence of PCT’s learning and of providing and documenting formative feedback
- collection and analysis of learning data for PCTs to engage with in their professional learning
- Knowledge of specific strategies such as for supporting differentiated learning needs, English for Second Language learning, English for Additional Language learning, and support for literacy and numeracy learning
- leadership development
- active listening
- how to personalise learning.

S127(1)(c) of the Education Act 1989 prior to the commencement of the Education Council stated that provisional registration expired after five years, but enabled the Teachers Council to grant one further year to a m aximum period of six years of provisional registration.
S357(1) of the Education Act 1989 explains when the Education Council must cancel registration.
S362(1) of the Education Act 1989 explains when the Education Council must cancel a practising certi ficate. A practising certificate is also cancelled when a teacher’s registration is cancelled.
Note that those teachers who already held a practising certificate with the Council automatically received a practising certificate with the Education Council ; however it will expire on 1 July 2017 or earlier in accordance with Schedule 20(6)(b) of the Education Act 1989 , depending on the existing expiry date.
S382(2) of the Education Act 1989.
Including having a Police vet satisfactory to the Education Council. Anyone who has been convicted of a specified offence listed in Schedule 2 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 is not permitted to be registered, unless they have been granted an exemption. The process for exemptions is outlined in section 36 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
Including having a Police vet satisfactory to the Education Council.
Refer to Section Two Part B: Categories of Practising Certificate for further information and explanation.
Practising certificates are usually issued for three years. This means that the Education Council sighted evidence that the teacher met the requirements outlined in 24. b. relevant to their category of practising certificate three years before the expiry date displayed on the online register.
Appraisal is required to be completed by a fully certificated teacher. In rare situations a professional leader may not be fully certificated. In this case a second endorsement is required from a fully certificated teacher who has completed the appraisa l, or been closely involved in the appraisal process.
The Education Council issues letters of professional standing when required, for teachers seeking to be employed overseas, but will only do so when the teacher holds a current practising certificate.
S348, Education Act 1989. The Education Council considers that two years of uninterrupted employment means an accumulated period of teaching of not less than 72 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more. Any short term teaching of less than six weeks will not generally be accepted by the Education Council for renewal of a full practising certificate.
S348 of the Education Act 1989 enables the Education Council to approve shorter periods of time. The Education Council considers that o ne year of uninterrupted employment means an accumulated period of teaching of not less than 36 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more.
This may include teaching employment in an educational institution recognised by the Education Council, including teaching completed overseas.
As described in the Practising Teacher Criteria, criterion 4.
As described in the Practising Teacher Criteria, criterion 5.
Section 354 of the Education Act 1989 enables the Education Council to determine whether a person is satisfactorily trained to teach.
People employed as teachers outside of the general education system (e.g. in museums, private training establishments, or alternative education settings) are not legally required t o be registered teachers, although their employment agreement may require them to be.
Schedule 2 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 lists specified offences. S35 and s36 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 outline the exemption process.
S357 of the Education Act 1989 requires registration to be cancelled if a teacher no longer satisfies the requirements for registration, the registration was effected by mistake or obtained by fraud, or the Disciplinary Tribunal has ordered that the regist ration be cancelled.
Accessible from http://childrensactionplan.govt.nz/childrens-workforce/safety-checking-and-the-workforce-restriction/ ( accessed on 13 March 2015 ) . See also the Children’s Action Plan resource Safer organisations, Safer children: Guidelines for child protection policies to build safer organisations.
A person may be employed in a teaching position for no more than 10 full days or 20 half days per calendar year without holding a practising certificate or authorisation from the Education Coun cil (s350 of the Education Act 1989).
A practising certificate may also be cancelled if a teacher no longer meets the requirements for being issued with a practising certificate. Section 362 of the Education Act 1989 sets out all situations whereby the Education Council must cancel a practising certificate.
Education Act 1989, s412.
Section 361(2)(a) requires all teachers who hold a practising certificate to also be a registered teacher.
Education Act 1989, s357(3) and s362(3).
Education Act 1989 , s357.
Education Act 1989, s137(1)(b).
The Education Council’s Approval, Review and Monitoring Process and Requirements for Initial Teacher Education sets out how the Education Council determines the requirements for the approval of an ITE programme.
The are included in Section Four: Standards and Guidelines.
Overseas teachers who were awarded their teaching qualification more than six years ago, but who have recent teaching service acceptable to the Education Council m ay also be considered satisfactorily trained to teach without being required to complete the TER programme. Refer to the ‘Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy’ for further information.
A supporting resource to help assess teachers’ cultural competenci es (as described in Tātaiako ), and to align these competencies to the Graduating Teacher Standards and Practising Teacher Criteria is available on the Education Council website.
Trans - Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997, s15.
Note that this may be requi red by the Ministry of Education for salary assessment purposes.
These requirements are outlined in Section Three: Policy Documents and Section Four: Standards and Guidelines.
Schedule 2 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 lists specified offences. S35 and s36 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 outline the exemption process.
Education Act 1989, s353(c).
The NZQA International Qualifications Assessment Report is required to have been completed and issued by NZQA within the previous five years.
The NZQA International Qualifications Assessment Report is required to have been completed and issued by NZQA within the previous five years.
Overseas trained teachers who completed their Education Council - approved overseas teaching qualification/s more si x years ago or more, and have completed recent teaching that is acceptable to the Education Council since completing their teaching qualification may be exempt from completing the TER programme. Generally, teaching experience completed in New Zealand will not be considered as acceptable in lieu of completing the TER programme, since teaching employment in the compulsory education sector requires a teacher to hold a practising certificate. The Education Council will consider whether an applicant has recent acceptable teaching under discretion and in accordance with the ‘Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy’.
Education Act 1989, s353(a) and (b). If any matters are disclosed from the Police vet or declaration section of the form, they will be considered as outlined in the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
See paragraph 11 a) - f) of the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
Language requirements, including minimum acceptable test results, are listed in the policy ‘Language Prof iciency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand’.
Additional evidence and information may be required; see the policy ‘Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand’ for further information and explanation.
If any matters are disclosed from the Police vet or declaration section of the form, they will be considered as outlined in the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
See paragraph 11 a) - f) of the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
While it will not usually be necessary to require evidence of language proficiency for a future renewal of a provisional practising certificate, the Education Council may ask for evidence in accordance with the policy ‘Language Proficiency Requirements for Teach ing in Aotearoa New Zealand’.
The Education Act 1989 defines ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ as two years of uninterrupted teaching completed within the previous five years, but allows the Education Council to approve a shorter period of time. If a provisionally certificated teacher has completed two years of uninterrupted teaching employment within the previous five years, it would be expected that they may be able to apply to be issued with a full practising certificate. See Section Two, Par t C: ‘Pathway to Gaining a Full Practising Certificate’.
The Education Council will determine whether a testimonial is acceptable based on the sufficiency of the teacher’s employment at the relevant school or centre.
For overseas teachers with some tea ching experience in their home country, the expectation is that they become provisionally certificated in New Zealand while they still have recent teaching experience so that they can demonstrate that their professional knowledge and practice is up to date . Generally, all overseas teachers need to additionally complete supervised teaching in New Zealand prior to applying for a full practising certificate.
In rare situations a teacher may request to not be issued with a practising certificate at the time they apply for registration. If they apply for a practising certificate for the first time six years or more after they were granted registration, they will be required to successfully complete the TER programme before being issued with a practising certi ficate.
The Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers describe the requirements and expectations for high quality induction and mentoring programmes and are included in Section Four: Standards and Guidelines.
The Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers describe the requirements and expectations for high quality induction and mentoring programmes and are included in Section Four: Standards and Guidelines.
If any matters are disclosed from the Police vet or dec laration section of the form, they will be considered as outlined in the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
See paragraph 11 a) - f) of the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
Education Act 1989, s361(6)(a)
Two years of unint errupted employment (see Education Act 1989, s348) means an accumulated period of not less than 72 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more.
One year of uninterrupted employment (see Education Act 1989, s348) means an accumulated period of not less than 36 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more.
Refer to ‘Definitions used in the Registration Policy’ for the definition of recent teaching service and meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria.
Refer to ‘Definitions used in the Registration Policy’ for the definition of ‘too part time and too casual’.
The Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers describe the requirements and expectations for high quality induction and mentoring programmes and are incl uded in Section Four: Standards and Guidelines.
Refer to ‘Definitions used in the Registration Policy’ for further information about when the Education Council considers an overseas trained teacher to be an experienced teacher.
If any matters are disclosed from the Police vet or declaration section of the form, they will be considered as outlined in the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
See paragraph 11 a) - f) of the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
While it will not us ually be necessary to require evidence of language proficiency for a future renewal of a subject to confirmation practising certificate, the Education Council may ask for evidence in accordance with the policy ‘Language Proficiency Requirements for Teachin g in Aotearoa New Zealand’.
The Education Act 1989 defines ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’ as two years of uninterrupted teaching completed within the previous five years, but allows the Education Council to approve a shorter period of time.
If a teacher applying to renew their subject to confirmation practising certificate has not completed any teaching employment within the previous five years, the Education Council may issue the teacher with a subject to confirmation practising certificate but will require a ‘return to practice’ plan. A ‘return to practice’ plan requires a teacher to identify their professional learning needs to re - enter the profession as a certificated teacher and to be an effective teacher, and the professional developmen t and learning activities they intend to undertake address these needs. The Education Council may also require this if a teacher has completed recent teaching that is so minimal that no assurance can be provided either from the teacher or a professional l eader that the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria.
While there are no minimum hours required per week, the teaching role must be of a sufficient size to enable meaningful appraisal using the Practising Teacher Criteria.
If any matters are disclosed from the Police vet or declaration section of the form, they will be considered as outlined in the ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’.
Note that, generally, the Education Council considers that teaching experience must have been completed while the teacher held a current practising certificate.
Two years means an accumulated period of teaching of not less than 72 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more, with one year equalling 36 weeks.
The Education Council considers 0.5 FTTE to mean at least half of a full time teaching week. For employers who measure jobs in contact hours, these positions are taken to mean contact hours plus other duties. 0.5 FTTE includes all aspects of teachers’ work (i.e. teaching contact hours, planning and preparation time, attendance at staff meetings and professional development).
The Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers describe the requirements and expectations for high quality induction and mentoring programmes and are included in Section Four: Standards and Guidelines.
Education Act 1989, s353(c ). S354 of the Act gives the Education Council the ability to determine whether a person is satisfactorily trained to teach.
Teachers who were previously registered with the Teachers Council but were unregistered at the time of the Education Council’s commencement will need to apply for registration and meet the requirements including being ‘satisfactorily trained to teach’. The Education Council wil l take into account whether a teacher ever held full registration with the Council when determining if they have completed acceptable teaching experience, and are therefore not required to complete the TER programme.
Teachers who were granted full regist ration by the Teacher Registration Board in 1990 and maintained full registration with the Teachers Council, but became unregistered before the Education Council was established, have not previously provided evidence of being satisfactorily trained to teac h. Practising teachers were ‘grandparented’ into the registration system in 1990 when the Teacher Registration Board was established, and were able to maintain full registration with the Teachers Council by renewing their practising certificate on the bas is of having completed ‘satisfactory recent teaching experience’.
Registration granted by the Teachers Council prior to the establishment of the Education Council could expire and some teachers who were unregistered at the time the Education Council came into effect will need to apply for registration. Registration granted by the Education Council does not expire, and the Education Council therefore needs to be confident that an applicant is well prepared to teach effectively, and meets all the other cri teria, before granting registration.
S23 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 defines a core worker as a children’s worker who is either the only children’s worker present, or has primary responsibility for, or authority over the children present.
Schedule 2 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 lists the specified offences that prevent a person becoming registered or holding a practising certificate, unless granted an exemption.
S36 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 sets out the process for applicatio ns for exemption.
Education Act 1989, s361(2)(c) and s361(6)(d). The ability for the Education Council to establish additional criteria is set out in s382(1)(h) of the Education Act 1989.
In considering this criterion, the Education Council will disti nguish between any mental or physical condition that affects an applicant’s ability to carry out the teaching role satisfactorily, and any disability that an applicant has that does not impact on that ability. The Education Council is aware of its obligat ion not to contravene the Human Rights Act 1993 by unlawfully discriminating against any person.
See Appendix Two for further details.
This is an additional criterion for all categories of practising certificate, which is provided for under s382(1)(h) of the Education Act 1989.
Education Act 1989, s382(1)(h)
A full definition of ‘meaningfully assessed’ can be found in the ‘Satisfactory Recent Teaching Experience Policy’.
This means that when a teacher has sufficient recent teaching service and opp ortunities within their recent teaching employment, they must be assessed using the Practising Teacher Criteria , i.e. a teacher cannot choose not to be assessed using the Practising Teacher Criteria .
The Education Council will determine whether a testimo nial is acceptable based on the sufficiency of the teacher’s employment at the relevant school or centre.
If a teacher requests a review of the requirement to undertake the TER programme and this is approved by the Education Council, this indicates the t eacher has had recent successful employment and is making satisfactory progress towards meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria, therefore the Education Council considers the teacher would not benefit from undertaking the TER . The review framework is incl uded in the appendix.
A ‘return to practice’ plan requires a teacher to identify their professional learning needs to re - enter the profession as a certificated teacher and to be an effective teacher, and the professional development and learning activiti es they intend to undertake to address these needs.
One long term block is considered to be 6 - 10 weeks of continuous teaching (does not include regular day relief).
The Education Council considers 0.5 FTTE to mean at least half of a full time teaching week. For employers who measure jobs in contact hours these positions are taken to mean contact hours plus other duties. 0.5 FTTE includes all aspects of teachers’ work (i.e. teaching contact hours, planning and preparation time, attendance at staff meet ings and professional development).
Education Act 1989, s361(6)(a) .
Education Act 1989, s377.
Education Act 1989, s348 .
In this situation the Education Council would be more likely to request evidence of the teacher being meaningful appraised using, and having met, the Practising Teacher Criteria .
Section 363 of the Education Act 1989 enables the Education Council to take into account any relevant matters when determining whether a period of employment was satisfactorily completed. This may include the views of the professional leader or employer.
According to the judgement of the professional leader who most recently e mployed the teacher for at least six consecutive weeks.
Two years of uninterrupted employment means an accumulated period of teaching of not less than 72 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more.
One year of uninterrupted employment m eans an accumulated period of teaching of not less than 36 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more.
The Education Council requires a provisionally certificated teacher to meet the requirements to be issued with a full practising certif icate within a maximum period of six years of becoming registered. If a teacher is unable to do this, they will be required to successfully complete the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme before being able to renew their provisional practising cert ificate again.
The Education Council will determine whether a testimonial is acceptable based on the sufficiency of the teacher’s employment at the relevant school or centre.
A ‘return to practice’ plan requires a teacher to identify their professional learning needs to re - enter the profession as a certificated teacher and to be an effective teacher, and the professional development and learning activities they intend to undertake address these needs. The Education Council may also require this if a te acher has completed recent teaching that is so minimal that no assurance can be provided either from the teacher or a professional leader that the teacher is likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria .
This may include, for example, facilitation or m entoring of teachers, provision of professional learning and development or employment within education agencies such as the Ministry of Education, Education Review Office (ERO) or private training establishments (PTE).
Refer to Part B ‘Definitions used in the Registration Policy’ for the Education Council’s definition of a ‘teaching position’.
The professional leader signing the testimonial must have employed the teacher recently, and in a sufficient role for them to be assured about the statements the y are making. The Education Council will determine whether a testimonial is acceptable based on sufficiency of employment at the relevant school/centre.
Section 363 of the Education Act 1989 enables the Education Council to take into account any relevan t matters when determining whether a period of employment was satisfactorily completed. This may include the views of the professional leader or employer, but additional matters may also be taken into account.
The Education Council will make a decision about whether the reason provided is acceptable.
Two years of uninterrupted employment means an accumulated period of teaching of not less than 72 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more.
Education Act 1989, s348.
One year of uninterrupted employment means an accumulated period of teaching of not less than 36 weeks completed in blocks of six consecutive weeks or more.
The Education Council has recognised employment in the general education system in New Zealand historically a s being within a state, integrated or independent school, kura kaupapa Māori, early childhood services, approved initial teacher education provider, polytechnic, university or wānanga.
As outlined in ‘Definitions used in the Registration Policy’.
Documentary evidence is required as outlined in question 10a.
Education Act 1989, s348.
Documentary evidence is required as outlined in question 10b.
Documentary evidence is required as outlined in question 10c.
Education Act 1989, s377.
The only empl oyer that may appoint a person to a permanent position who does not hold a practising certificate is a sponsor of a partnership school kura hourua. Refer to the Education Act 1989, s349(2).
Schedule 2 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 lists specified offences. S35 and s36 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 outlines the exemption process.
Education Act 1989, s387(6) .
Applications made for a LAT to teach languages other than English or te reo Māori, where the applicant is not required to teach othe r subjects in English or Māori, will be considered on a case by case basis.
Generally the Education Council will require that a person’s qualifications are at least at Level 6 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.
The Education Council requires that the International Qualifications Assessment Report from NZQA has been completed and issued within the previous five years.
In some situations testimonials may also be accepted from other skilled practitioners and/or members of the community, for exa mple in the case of a practitioner of Ngā Toi Māori, tohunga whakairo or other skill practised outside of an employment situation.
Generally the Education Council will require that a person’s qualifications are at least at Level 6 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.
The Education Council requires that the International Qualifications Assessment Report from NZQA has been completed and issued within the previous five years.
Language requirements, including minimum acceptable test results, a re listed in the policy ‘Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand’.
Additional evidence and information may be required; see the policy ‘Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand’ for further inf ormation and explanation.
A person on a LAT is employed and paid as a teacher on a fixed term employment contract.
Education Act 1989, s349(1)(c) and (d).
Refer to the Education Council’s ‘Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher Policy’ and the Educat ion Act 1989, s392, s393, s394, s395 and s397.
If employment is expected to continue then a new LAT must be applied for before the expiry of the current LAT.
Education Act 1989, s366(3) .
Section 387(6) and 387(7) of the Education Act 1989 requires that the Code of Ethics is binding on all certificated teachers and authorised persons as the interim Code of Conduct.
The Code of Ethics also applies to those who have been granted a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT). Section 387(6) and 387(7) of the Education Act 1989 requires that the Code of Ethics is binding on all certificated teachers and authorised persons as the interim Code of Conduct.
In this document, the term ākonga has been chosen to be inclusive of all learners in the full range of settings, from early childhood to secondary and beyond, where the Practising Teacher Criteria apply.
Ākonga refers to all learners in the full range of settings where the Practising Teacher Criteria apply.

Section One: Introduction

Introduction

Previous requirements for registration and transition arrangements

Provisional registration

Full registration

Registration subject to confirmation

Practising certificates

Transition arrangements to the Education Council

Limited Authorities to Teach

The Education Council Online Register

Part A: Purposes of the Registration Policy

Part B: Definitions used in the Registration Policy

Accreditation

Ākonga

Educational institution

Experienced Teacher/Pouako (for practising certificates)

Likely to meet the Practising Teacher Criteria

Meets the Practising Teacher Criteria

Overseas teacher

Practising certificate

Practising teacher

Practising Teacher Criteria

Recent teaching experience

Satisfactory professional learning and development

Satisfactory recent teaching experience

Satisfactorily trained to teach

Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme

Teaching position

“Too part time or too casual”

Part C: A Brief Overview of Teacher Registration and Practising Certificates

The importance and purpose of teacher registration and practising certificates

Requirements for registration

Practising Certificates

Cancellation

Categories of practising certificate

Section Two: Teacher Registration and Practising Certificate Framework

Part A: Joining the New Zealand Teaching Profession

Qualifying as a teacher in New Zealand

Overseas teachers

Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition

Being of good character and fit to be a teacher

Relevant policies

Part B: Categories of Practising Certificate

Provisional Practising Certificate

Introduction

Requirements

Table 1: Requirements for the issue and renewal of provisional practising certificates

Expectations

Relevant Policies

Appendix: Application of Teacher Education Refresh (TER) programme to registration and practising certificates

Full Practising Certificate

Introduction

Requirements

The Education Council’s expectations

Evidence of appraisal

Relevant policies

Subject to Confirmation Practising Certificate

Introduction

Requirements

The Education Council’s expectations

Relevant policies

Part C: Pathway to being issued with a Full Practising Certificate

Introduction

Provisionally certificated teachers

Teachers certificated subject to confirmation

Requirements to be issued with a full practising certificate

Expectations

Relevant policies

Section Three: Policy Documents

Satisfactorily Trained to Teach Policy

Purpose

Rationale

Legislative Context

Definition

Registration Requirements

Transition arrangements from the Teachers Council

The Education Council’s discretion to determine whether an applicant is satisfactorily trained to teach

Criteria for decision making

Recent teaching acceptable to the Education Council

Criteria and evidence