FAQs: Annual certification
What does annualisation mean for teachers?
What will this mean for endorsement?
What will this mean for progress in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori?
What does annualisation mean for appraisal?
What will this mean for meeting the Standards | Ngā Paerewa and professional learning?
How will my practising certificate application be endorsed?
What does this mean for Limited Authority to Teach (LAT)?
Can I use a paper application form?
For questions about the new fee structure and how it came about please visit FAQs: Fees consultation and announcement.
What does annualisation mean for teachers?
It means that from February 1, 2021 the Teaching Council will issue practising certificates for a twelve-month period only. Previously certificates were issued for a three-year period. Teachers will apply, renew and pay for your practising certificate each year.
If you complete your application for a provisional certificate or renewal of an existing certificate before February 1, 2021 the fee will be the current fee (e.g. $220.80 to renew a practising certificate) and you will not need to renew again for three years. Upon expiry of your practising certificate, your next renewal will become annual and the new fees will apply.
The requirement for Police vets remains a three-yearly cycle, as per legislation. The redesign of the application system will automatically determine when a Police vet is required.
What will this mean for endorsement?
There is now an option for a professional leader to delegate responsibility for endorsement decisions. This allows a professional leader to identify a senior staff member or members who are fully certificated to undertake and complete the endorsement process which means endorsement workloads can be distributed across a centre/school/kura if desired or appropriate.
Note that the delegation of endorsement responsibility does not prevent administrative arrangements such as where a school administrator has been given permission by their principal to go into the system and complete endorsements as per the principal’s instructions.
What will this mean for progress in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori?
Each teacher’s progress in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori will be personal to them, depending on their identified needs and the priorities identified in their centre/school/kura policies and plans, including the professional growth cycle. The professional leader can continue to endorse their progress in the annual cycle based on their professional judgement that the teacher is making progress according to whatever goals have been agreed for their professional growth and learning.
How will Tōmua | Provisional teachers meet satisfactory recent teaching requirements (two years in the last five) at the end of their first year of teaching - a requirement for renewal?
The Council will apply discretion to determine satisfactory recent teaching at the first annual renewal, where the teacher is not able to meet the two years in five requirements.
What if someone has no satisfactory recent teaching experience when it comes time to renew their practising certificate?
The new Act allows the Council to renew practising certificates for teachers who do not meet the satisfactory recent teaching requirements, if the teacher agrees to a refresh process. Therefore, to allow the renewal of a practising certificate where there has been no teaching service, the Council can adopt a refresh process.
How this looks is being worked through and the proposed new rules for the refresh process will be consulted on and gazetted over the coming months.
Graduating teachers can choose to just register as a teacher and wait to apply for a practising certificate if they are not immediately intending to seek teaching employment.
What does annualisation mean for appraisal?
As a result of the Accord, performance appraisal for teachers was removed. Appraisal has been replaced with Professional Growth Cycle.
In the ECE sector it is important to note that the licensing criteria for ECE services outline HR requirements (under GMA7), including a requirement that the service has “a system of regular appraisal”. The Ministry of Education is currently revising the licensing criteria and accompanying guidance. Please click here for more information.
A significant part of the overall approach to endorsement that supports an annual certification cycle is the work that has begun in centres/schools/kura to remove performance appraisal and develop a Professional Growth Cycle. A teacher’s participation in the cycle and their everyday teaching practice are the basis for identifying whether they meet or are likely to meet the Standards | Ngā Paerewa. The new approach to teacher professional growth means centres/schools/kura can focus on processes that support teacher learning and growth relevant to their setting, rather than on compliance activities.
What will this mean for meeting the Standards | Ngā Paerewa and professional learning?
There is no requirement in legislation for a specific number of hours of professional learning and development, therefore the requirement for satisfactory professional development in the past three years can be met through annual participation in the professional growth cycle, as endorsed by the professional leader.
How will my practising certificate application be endorsed?
Professional leaders continue to be responsible for practising certificate endorsements. However, a professional leader can now also delegate this responsibility to another senior staff member (who is registered and holds a full practising certificate.
What does this mean for Limited Authority to Teach (LAT)?
LATs will also be renewed annually from 1 February, 2021. The fee is aligned to standard certification costs. Currently, it is $56 per annum, and from 1 February, 2021 it will be $157 per annum.
Can I use a paper application form?
No, the Council will no longer be accpeting paper forms, the new online system Hapori Matatū will be used, you can log in to Hapori Matatū from the Teaching Council website.
For questions about the new fee structure and how it came about please visit FAQs: Fees consultation and announcement.