Renew as a guidance counsellor
Guidance counsellors play a key role in supporting student wellbeing and learning.
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How to renew as a guidance counsellor
If you're a registered teacher working as a guidance counsellor, here’s what you need to know about renewing your practising certificate.
If you teach and your role includes guidance counselling:
- you must hold a current practising certificate for your teaching role.
- if you’ve taught for two years in the last five, you likely meet the Satisfactory Recent Teaching (SRT) requirement.
- if you’ve taught less than that, you may still be able to renew by:
○ Completing a Return to Practice Plan (RTPP), or
○ Getting endorsement from your professional leader, supported by a Quality Practice Template (QPT).
If you only work as a guidance counsellor
You don’t need to renew your practising certificate unless your job description requires it.
If your certificate has expired, you can renew it later but you may need to complete a teacher refresh process.
If you choose to renew now:
- you’ll need to meet the SRT requirement (two years in the last five, or a shorter period approved by the Teaching Council)
- your guidance counselling work can count toward SRT if:
○ it aligns with Ngā Paerewa | Standards, and
○ your professional leader endorses your application.
You can use the QPT to help show how your work meets the Standards. You don’t need to submit the QPT to the Teaching Council, it’s just for your own use and professional conversations.
If you can’t get an endorsement
If your professional leader doesn’t have enough knowledge of your work to endorse your application, you may still be able to renew using a RTPP.
Once you apply, a registration officer will let you know if an RTPP is needed.
Your practice, your portal: My Rawa
Renew your practising certificate, view your digital certificate or make requests in Hapori Matatū through My Rawa - your go-to space for tailored support and practical tools.
