How to apply for a Charter School Limited Authority to Teach (LAT)

For Limited Authority to Teach holders

Apply for a Charter School LAT

You can apply for a Charter School LAT only if the kura hourua | charter school has been approved by the Charter School Agency and a notice has been published in the New Zealand Gazette.

To apply for a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) you will need to log into our and complete an online application.

Once you log in, you can scroll to the section named I want to. Click on the card called Apply for a LAT.

You can view our webpage on getting set up in My Rawa as a LAT.

If you have questions about ESL access, email: enquiries@teachingcouncil.nz

Complete the Specialist Skills LAT Application Form

All Charter School LAT applicants must complete the Specialist Skills LAT application form. You can access this by logging into our and selecting Apply for a LAT.

You’ll need to provide:

Evidence of your skills and experience relevant to student learning.
Consent for a New Zealand Police vet and overseas police vet (if applicable).
Declarations confirming:

○ Commitment to the Code of Professional Responsibility | Ngā Tikanga Matatika

○ Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

○ Physical and mental fitness to teach safely

○ Competency in English and/or te reo Māori

Endorsement

Your application must be endorsed by a qualified person - usually the tumuaki | principal or someone responsible for teaching and learning at the kura hourua.

The endorser is required to verify your identity documents which are required for the New Zealand Police vet.

The endorser must select “Charter School LAT” as the subject option relevant to you.

Reissuing a LAT

For future LAT reissues, provide a statement from the school’s professional leader confirming that your skills and knowledge are still current and relevant to the learners you work with.

FAQs

A kura hourua | charter school is another type of state-funded school established to provide a higher level of independence around how and what they teach learners. A kura hourua | charter school is operated by a sponsor. The sponsor must, among other things:

ensure the teachers employed in the school have the necessary qualifications and skills to teach
appoint a person to be the person responsible overall for the teaching and learning at the school who is appropriately qualified and holds a current practising certificate.

While state schools must use the New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and national curriculum statements, a kura hourua | charter school can use their own curriculum, provided tuition standards are at least equivalent to state schools of the same year levels. 

Contact the principal of the kura or school you are going to teach in and ask for the Delegated Authoriser. The Delegated Authoriser will be able to send you an invite to create an Education Sector Logon (ESL) account. Once you have an ESL username and password, use it to log into Hapori Matatū.

More information can be found at the Charter School Agency website.

Other LAT types aren't employed on a permanent basis but are issued for a maximum period of three years.

Changes to the Education and Training Act 2020 allow Charter School LAT holders to be employed on a permanent basis. A Charter School LAT holder will be required to apply for a new LAT every three years, to allow the required police vetting to be undertaken.

The expiry date of each LAT is shown on the online List of Limited Authority to Teach Holders.

All LAT holders, including those employed at a kura hourua | charter school, are required to comply with Ngā Tikanga Matatika | Code of Professional Responsibility. All LAT holders are subject to the Teaching Council’s professional disciplinary processes if Ngā Tikanga Matatika | Code of Professional Responsibility is breached or if there are concerns about their conduct. All LAT holders are also required to advise the Teaching Council if they're convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment for three months or more.

Unlike other LAT holders, Charter School LAT holders aren't subject to the Teaching Council’s professional competency processes.

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