Your role in supporting teachers
Find out how as a professional leader you can support teachers to ensure the quality of the profession remains high and the community has confidence in teachers.
Who is a professional leader?
The Education Act defines a professional leader as:
- In the case of a school, the principal
- In the case of an early childhood service, the professional leader
- In the case of any other educational institution, the chief executive or person occupying an equivalent position
Your role in supporting teachers
The Council has a legislative role to support the professional status of teachers and high-quality teaching. Professionals leaders help achieve this by:
- Ensuring all teachers hold a current practising certificate or LAT before they begin employment
- Accurately defining teaching positions within your education setting
- Ensuring teachers are engaged in professional learning and development and keeping an accurate record of this
- Designing the process that enables professional growth for teachers (Professional Growth Cycle)
- Endorsing whether teachers meet the Standards | Ngā Paerewa as required for their practising type
- Professional leaders can choose to delegate endorsement responsibilities to senior staff holding a full practising certificate.
- Applying for an extension for teach for teachers in your employ
- Supporting beginning or new teachers with an induction and mentoring programme
- Reporting conduct and competence issues to the Council, for example, if you dismiss a teacher or if you believe a teacher could be guilty of serious misconduct.