Our role
The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand work for and with around 150,000 registered and certificated teachers in early childhood, primary and secondary schooling across Aotearoa.
The role of the Teaching Council
The Teaching Council is the independent professional and regulatory body for teachers and initial teacher education providers.
Our purpose is to:
- provide regulatory oversight of teachers' fitness to practice and professional competence
- ensure the safety of children and young people in early childhood, primary, and secondary education settings
- provide assurance about the quality of initial teacher education programmes and their providers.
Teachers pay a fee and levy to be registered and certificated. This funding helps us carry out the following work:
- process teacher registration and LAT applications
- issue and renew practising certificates
- receive and manage reports or complaints about competence or conduct
- lead professional conduct and competence processes.
Initial teacher education providers engage with the Teaching Council who:
- approve ITE programmes
- undertake programme review and monitoring
- maintain quality assurance expectations
- oversee graduate readiness in relation to professional standards.
Our core functions
The Teaching Council's functions are to:
- manage teacher registration, practising certificates, and Limited Authorities to Teach (LATs)
- work with quality assurance agencies to approve teacher education programmes
- monitor and review how approved teacher education programmes are delivered
- make sure mandatory reporting requirements are followed
- manage disciplinary processes when concerns are raised about teacher misconduct or teacher convictions
- set the criteria for reporting serious misconduct and competence concerns
- manage processes relating to teacher competence
- coordinate police vetting for teachers
- take enforcement or prosecution action when required, including where there are breaches relating to mandatory reporting, registration, practising certificates, or LATs
- carry out any other functions given to the Teaching Council under legislation.
Registration and certification
To make sure every teacher is ready to teach, we check their:
- Qualifications
- Teaching experience
- Police vet
- Ability to meet professional standards
This helps ensure high-quality teaching across Aotearoa.
Holding a registration and practising certificate shows learners, whānau, and the public that a teacher is trusted, skilled, and ready to educate our tamariki and rangatahi.
Ngā Tikanga Matatika | The Code of Professional Responsibility
The Code of Professional Responsibility (the Code) sets out the standards of competence and conduct expected of everyone who teaches in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Code applies to all certificated teachers and to holders of Limited Authorities to Teach (LAT).
The Code describes the professional commitments teachers make to learners, whānau | families, colleagues, and society. It supports safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environments and reinforces the trust placed in the profession.
The Secretary for Education is responsible for maintaining the Code and ensuring awareness of it.
The Teaching Council applies the Code in regulatory practice, with the Code forming the basis for Teaching Council investigations into concerns about conduct. Breaches of the Code can lead to regulatory action. In cases of serious misconduct this can include suspension or cancellation of a practising certificate.
The Code was originally set by the Teaching Council's predecessor (the Education Council) and will remain in force until the Secretary for Education makes changes.
Ngā Paerewa mō te Umanga Whakaakoranga | The Standards for the Teaching Profession
The Standards for the Teaching Profession describe what effective teaching looks like in Aotearoa New Zealand. They apply to all certificated teachers across early learning, school, and kura settings.
The Standards for the Teaching Profession:
- set out the essential professional knowledge, practice, professional relationships and competence required for effective teaching
- define the level of practice teachers must meet to be issued with a practising certificate
- promote high-quality teaching and leadership for all learners
- provide a shared framework for ongoing professional learning throughout a teacher's career.
Together with the Code of Professional Responsibility, the Standards for the Teaching Profession outline the expectations of the teaching profession in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ensuring high standards of ethical behaviour and high-quality teacher practice
We take reports of serious concerns about a teacher’s behaviour or performance seriously. When a mandatory report or complaint is made, we investigate to make sure:
- learners are safe
- the public can trust the profession
- teachers are held to high standards.
Sometimes, we support teachers to improve and get back on track. In other cases, we may place conditions on their practising certificate. For the most serious matters, a teacher may be referred to the Disciplinary Tribunal.
Our goal is to protect learners and uphold the reputation of the teaching profession.
Related links
Working at Matatū Aotearoa
Join a team that believes in the power of teaching. At Matatū Aotearoa, you’ll help shape the profession that shapes Aotearoa - working in an inclusive, supportive environment where purpose meets people.
