New Scheme Teachers

First year fees

To qualify for this initiative the teacher must be:

• a New Scheme teacher and,
• joining the Federation or upgrading from 2008 student membership to a full time member, temporary teacher member or as a casual teacher member, and
• paying Federation fees by fortnightly direct debit, auto credit card or paying Federation fees 12 months in advance.

Application for payment of fees

Advice for New Scheme Teachers

• M1.1 Introduction
• M1.2 Important advice on documentary evidence
• M1.3 How much documentary evidence must be submitted with the Accreditation Report
• M1.4 A different language and context for support, development and assessment of beginning teachers
• M1.5 Know the policy and procedures which are applicable
• M1.6 A collegial process aimed to achieve success
• M1.7 All beginning teachers to be involved in an induction program
• M1.8 The standards at professional competence
• M1.9 Teachers in casual positions or temporary appointments
• M1.10 Lesson observation
• M1.11 Workload
• M1.12 Additional Release time
• M1.13 Salary Increments and Teacher Efficiency matters
• M1.14 If things go wrong
• M1.15 Useful websites for further information

Frequently asked questions

• Do I join the Institute?
• Am I a member of the Institute?
• Do I have to pay a fee annually?
• But I don't get anything for my money?
• Are there Institutes of Teachers in other states?
• Why does the Institute require me to do so much work at school or home to meet their standards?
• Does my school's 'supervisor' have the right to come into my classroom unannounced to observe my lessons?
• It is Term 2 and no one has mentioned any of the Institutes Accreditation processes to me. Should I be concerned?
• I am a Temporary Teacher in my first teaching position, a two-term teaching engagement three days per week, and my Assistant Principal/Head Teacher has told me the Accreditation process doesn't really apply until I get a full-time permanent appointment. Is this correct?
• I feel overworked and not supported at my school level, what can I do?
• My Head Teacher says he/she doesn't have time to complete the report this year as he/she is too busy so they will extend my probation and complete the report next year. Can he/she do this?

Ask a question or express a concern about procedures for New Scheme Teachers

Advice for New Scheme Teachers

M1.1 Introduction

The following advice regarding early career teachers arises from the NSW Institute of Teachers' implementation of mandatory accreditation processes for new scheme teachers. The advice is designed to be used by:

• new scheme teachers (those teachers who have commenced teaching in NSW after October 1, 2004 or returning after an absence of five years or more)
• principals
• assistant principals, head teachers and deputy principals
• others who have responsibility for supporting new scheme teachers as they begin their careers and work through the appropriate procedures.

For new scheme teachers who are also probationary teachers in public schools, the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) is using the same procedures to determine both the outcome of the probationary period of employment and, acting as the accreditation authority for the NSW Institute of Teachers, accreditation at the Professional Competence level of the Institute's Professional Teaching Standards.

M1.2 Important advice on documentary evidence

Federation is concerned by continuing reports of unreasonable workloads being imposed upon some beginning teachers and school executive as part of the accreditation procedures set by the Institute of Teachers and DET.

Many of these demands seem to be based on some principals, head teachers and assistant principals misunderstanding the requirements of the Institute and the DET. Some of this misconception seems to result from an overly supervisory, administrative approach rather than a collaborative and supportive approach based upon beginning teachers' real developmental needs.

Federation sought clear advice from the Institute and the Department regarding the evidence required to be submitted for accreditation and was provided with the following:

• a teacher's documentary evidence is designed to support the Accreditation Report
• the documentation submitted must fit in an A4 plastic sleeve (see below)
• evidence must have been developed in the course of your teaching practice - the Institute does not require special material
• only include evidence that has been developed substantially by the teacher
• include evidence that aligns to elements, not individual standards
• one piece of evidence may be sufficient to meet a number of elements
• in some elements, such as element 4, you may not have any documentary evidence. That's okay
• refer to the Institute's Information for New Scheme Teachers for the section entitled "Evidence for Accreditation" about 14 types of documentary evidence.

M1.3 How much documentary evidence must be submitted with the Accreditation Report

Your evidence should fit into an A4 plastic sleeve. The DET's policy Procedures for Accreditation of new scheme teachers at Professional Competence (April 2008) states in section 4.9.3:

"The supporting evidence that new scheme teachers are required to collect comprises only that written material normally used by teachers in preparation for and the delivery of teaching programs and in recording student achievement of learning outcomes. Feedback from lesson observations may be a useful resource when annotating supporting evidence.

"The new scheme teacher, with the assistance of the supervisor, will review the collected evidence over time and toward the end of the accreditation period select the supporting evidence which best demonstrates their Professional Competence. The focus for submitted evidence is on quality not quantity - the submitted evidence could reasonably be expected to fit into an A4 envelope. [Federation emphasis]

"Each piece of supporting evidence must be annotated by the new scheme teacher to demonstrate achievement of one or more of the Professional Teaching Standards at Professional Competence. It is not necessary to submit or include supporting evidence for every Professional Teaching Standard at Professional Competence." [Federation emphasis]

M1.4 A different language and context for support, development and assessment of beginning teachers

Whilst Federation does not agree with all aspects of the Professional Teaching Standards or with all aspects of the DET's or the Institute's procedures, Federation seeks to ensure that they are implemented in positive ways that assist in the development and retention of new teachers in public schools.

The NSW Institute of Teacher's requirements and the DET policy procedures should be implemented through school based processes which reflect established good practice in the support and development of new teachers. Any process should be cooperative, collegial and reasonable. It should not impose unreasonable expectations or workload implications for beginning teachers or those teachers assisting them.

M1.5 Know the policy and procedures which are applicable

All new scheme teachers and those who work with them must be given access to copies of appropriate policies and procedures which impact on their work. There are a number of documents which need to be referred to, some produced by DET and others by the NSW Institute of Teachers. Despite Federation's objections, some of the DET documents are available only from the DET website.

The two most relevant DET documents are Procedures for Accreditation of New Scheme Teachers at Professional Competence (April 2008) and the support document, Professional Support for New Scheme Teachers (June 2007).

They include references to all other relevant policies and procedures from both DET and the Institute. Federation's advice is that hard copies of these two documents must be provided to each new scheme teacher and those who work with them.

In addition, all new scheme teachers should be provided with a copy of the Institute's publication Information for New Scheme Teachers. Hard copies of this document have been distributed to schools.

The Institute's Accreditation Manual, which has been delivered to schools in hard copy and is on the Institute's website, is also a useful reference document.

The DET's Procedures for Managing Probationary Teachers, where they apply, also need to be followed. While most probationary teachers are new scheme teachers, others are not. Some new scheme teachers (for example, casual teachers) are not probationary teachers. The DET's Procedures for Managing Probationary Teachers includes procedures to be used if probationary teachers are experiencing difficulties with their teaching.

M1.6 A collegial process aimed to achieve success

Teachers in promotions positions with responsibility for supporting new scheme teachers (including those referred to in DET or Institute documents as "Supervising Teachers") need to be cognisant of their responsibilities to support and develop beginning teachers to succeed.

Federation opposes overbearing and authoritarian approaches to the application of standards. Beginning teachers need to feel comfortable to ask for advice and assistance. It needs to be clear to everyone involved who it is making judgements about the beginning teacher's work and completing the appropriate reports on the beginning teacher.

There may be circumstances in which the same individual will be involved in both support and making judgements against the Professional Competence standard. It is vital that such distinctions be made clear for all participants when conversations, meetings or classroom observations take place.

M1.7 All beginning teachers to be involved in an induction program

Several of the DET documents, as well as documents from the NSW Institute of Teachers, refer to the need for all beginning teachers to be provided with an induction program. Federation fully supports this and has lobbied for additional resources to be made available to schools so that a meaningful induction program can be provided.

Unfortunately the resources available to most schools to provide beginning teachers and those who work with them with sufficient time, including release time to support a proper induction program, remain inadequate.

DET professional learning funds provided to schools can and should be used to provide induction programs and ongoing support.

M1.8 The standards at professional competence

It is important that the Institute's Standards at Professional Competence are applied in a holistic way which acknowledges the varied and complex circumstances of teachers' professional work. The use of a simplistic "checklist" or a microscopic focus on a single aspect of a standard is inappropriate and unacceptable.

The focus should be on the seven elements across the three domains of the Professional Teaching Standards (see M1.2). "Supervising Teachers" should make a holistic judgement in relation to what would reasonably be expected of a beginning teacher. This judgement must take into account the context of the school. The aspects and descriptions of the specific elements of Professional Competence are useful for professional conversations, particularly when a new scheme teacher requires clarification of what is expected.

M1.9 Teachers in casual positions or temporary appointments

Most beginning teachers in a casual teaching position or temporary appointment will also be new scheme teachers and as such the accreditation requirements apply to them as well. They do, however, have a longer period of time to meet these requirements.

Federation is concerned by reports that principals and/or other "supervisors" are ignoring the professional induction and development needs of casual and temporary teachers by assuming it is someone else's responsibility in the DET - it is not. Casual or temporary teachers must be informed of the process for induction and accreditation that will operate in their teaching engagement at the school.

Especially in long temporary appointments, temporary teachers must be treated in the same way as their permanent colleagues in relation to induction and accreditation.

Federation's advice is that in each engagement of work new scheme teachers should collect and have annotated supporting evidence that will add to the casual/temporary teacher's final accreditation report. Casual/temporary new scheme teachers may therefore have documents signed by a number of different supervisors and principals.

It is sometimes reported by temporary/casual teachers that assistant principals or head teachers dismiss their attempts at collecting supporting evidence by saying "it's not relevant" or "the engagement is not really long enough". Federation's advice in this situation is that the "supervisor" should be directed to the DET support document Professional Support for New Scheme Teachers and in particular the section in this document on casual and temporary teachers (pages 22-26).

M1.10 Lesson observation

Policy and support documents in relation to new scheme teachers and probationary teachers from both DET and the Institute refer to the use of lesson observation.

Such observations should include subsequent feedback to new scheme teachers and probationary teachers as well as opportunities for them to observe colleagues, including the supervising teacher. All lesson observations shall be the subject of negotiation between those involved before they occur.

There needs to be a clear understanding of the purpose of the observation and of the way in which feedback will be provided. Whilst lesson observations make up a useful component of induction and accreditation, they do not make up the entirety of such. Too many will be counter-productive. Excessive lesson observations will undermine collegiality and will hinder beginning teacher development.

M1.11 Workload

Whilst inevitably any change in procedures will result in some changes in workload, Federation reminds all members that there has been no agreement that members, including new scheme teachers and members with responsibility for supporting them through the accreditation process, will take on additional work above or beyond that previously involved in working with and assessing probationary teachers.

All members are advised to avoid the creation of complex and demanding school based processes which lead to excessive demands being placed on new scheme teachers. Implementing the new procedures is about consistent standards, not "lifting the bar" for new teachers.

M.1.12 Additional Release time

Federation has been successful in obtaining additional release time for many beginning teachers. It provided for one hour's additional release time to support beginning teachers appointed permanent on probation in the six non-metropolitan regions in 2008. In 2009 it is being extended to the metropolitan regions (Sydney, North Sydney, South Western Sydney and Western Sydney).

The improvements sought by Federation included an additional two hours of release time for all teachers in their first year, permanent and temporary, followed by an additional one hour in the second and third years.

While the DET Beginning Teachers Support Policy provides release for permanent beginning teachers in their first year, the policy does not adequately address the needs of either beginning teachers or their supervisors. It is, however, a significant first step.

Federation continues to seek to extend this release time to temporary teachers by taking this to the Industrial Relations Commission. As of August 2008 the matter had not been concluded.

It is important that the implementation of additional release time not be used to increase the existing workload of beginning teachers, nor should it be used to withdraw other support time currently available to beginning teachers. Particular care should also be taken wherever possible to provide proper support to the significant numbers of nonpermanent beginning teachers not covered by the policy.

The DET's Supporting the Induction of New Teachers: Guidelines for Schools emphasises the focus on quality teaching, teacher professionalism and strong professional relationships. It should be borne in mind by those implementing policies relating to beginning teachers that no member of staff is more vulnerable than beginning teachers trying to establish themselves in a school community. They are new to the profession, the staffroom and classroom. Many are new to the wider communities in which they teach.

In this context, beginning teachers often feel overwhelmed by the expectation of "getting on with teaching" while managing the often competing demands of:

• becoming more familiar with aspects of the curriculum, assessment and reporting practices
• identifying the individual needs of students
• allocating and preparing resources
• adjusting to the system/school/college's culture, policies and procedures
• meeting faculty and whole-school/college responsibilities
• the Institute of Teachers' accreditation procedures
• establishing themselves in a new location/community.

All members should rest assured that Federation will continue to campaign for both additional release time for beginning teachers and additional release time for the teachers required to supervise them.

Specific Federation advice is provided on the key elements of the DET's procedures for allocation of resources to support teachers appointed permanent on probation (see sidepanel).

M1.13 Salary Increments and Teacher Efficiency matters

Teachers' salaries are determined by the Teachers Salaries award that exists between Federation and DET. It is not determined by the NSW Institute of Teachers or its processes.

Federation received reports that some beginning teachers had their probation extended or their salary increment delayed because the principal or the School Education Director did not process the new scheme teacher's reports.

A teacher, if they meet the service requirement, cannot have their next incremental salary increase delayed. Neither can the probationary period be extended in this way or for this reason.

Federation took this matter to the Industrial Relations Commission and DET conceded that these delays were in error and that salaries need to be paid in accordance with the award.

Only in a few cases each year is it necessary to extend a probationary teacher's period of probationary service. This is only after a teacher has been informed in accordance with the negotiated procedures that exist between Federation and DET in regard to efficiency matters. Probation can only be extended in writing and approved by the Employee Performance and Conduct Director.

In most of so called 'informal' cases reported to Federation it is due to the tardiness of the writing of the report by the "supervisor"/principal. Teachers who find themselves with some informal extension of either their Probationary report or their Accreditation report should immediately contact the Federation Organiser or the Federation's Communications Room.

M1.14 If things go wrong

Federation is available to provide advice and assistance to financial Federation members who are new scheme teachers, probationary teachers, colleagues, supervising teachers and principals. If problems arise in the implementation of these processes members are advised to contact Federation sooner rather than later to seek resolution.

M1.15 Useful websites for further information

• New South Wales Teachers Federation
• DET Professional Learning and Leadership Directorate´s Teacher Learning Unit Professional Support for New Scheme Teachers
• Q. Do I join the Institute?

  A. No, No, it is not a teachers' union like the NSW Teachers Federation or a professional association such as the English Teachers Association, where you make a decision to join or not.

  The NSW Institute of Teachers is the statutory body established under the NSW Institute of Teachers Act 2004. It is independent of the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) and Federation. All teachers in NSW employed for the first time after October 1, 2004 are required by law to achieve accreditation at Professional Competence with the NSW Institute of Teachers.

  Q. Am I a member of the Institute?

  A. No, you don't belong to the Institute of Teachers in the same way you don't belong to the Roads Traffic Authority (RTA) if you are a driver or owner of a car in NSW. It is the body that accredits all teachers employed to teach in the state of NSW and sets the standards expected of teachers.

  Q. Do I have to pay a fee annually?

  A. Yes. The Institute, because it is a statutory authority, can and does impose an annual fee for you to remain an accredited teacher in NSW akin to a 'practicing licence' to teach in NSW.

  Federation's policy is that this mandatory fee should be met by the employer. This is part of the current salaries claim on the Government.

  Q. Do I get anything for my money?

  A. While the Institute could be more supportive, it will never provide the level of professional support, the industrial organisation or legal protection of Federation.

  What you get is a 'licence' to teach similar to other professions and trades (for example nurses, doctors, lawyers, plumbers). The Institute is not a service organisation but a regulatory authority.

  Q. Are there Institutes of Teachers in other states?

  A. Yes. They may not have the same name but in all Australian states and most OECD countries some type of teacher registration and/or standards body exists in one form or another (for example the Queensland College of Teachers has existed in one form or another since 1975).

  Q.Why does the Institute require me to do so much work at school or home to meet their standards?

  A. The Institute requirements themselves do not necessitate more work. The Institute's processes were designed to give a clearer focus to teacher induction and clearer guidelines for support. They were not intended to add to total workload of beginning teachers or those who support them.

  It is not usually the Institute of Teachers adding to your workload but poor understanding or interpretation of DET policies by someone in a supervisory position at the school level. If in doubt, refer to Federation's Advice to New Scheme Teachers and contact your Federation Organiser.

  Q. Does my school 'supervisor' have the right to come into my classroom unannounced to observe my lessons

  A. No. No. Any classroom observation has to be agreed and negotiated. The negotiations with you need to identify the focus of the observation and the schedule of such visits. Lesson observations should not be 'inspectoral' but need to be part of a supportive induction program and you should have the opportunity to observe other more experienced teachers' lessons, including the teacher supervising you.

  Q. It is Term 2 and no one has mentioned any of the Institute's Accreditation processes to me. Should I be concerned?

  A. Yesthe danger bells should be ringing. The school may, for example, be assuming you are not a new scheme teacher. You should meet with your school principal immediately and discuss your induction and accreditation needs. If this does not progress the matter you should contact Federation for assistance.

  Q.I am a temporary teacher in my first teaching position, a two-term teaching engagement three days per week, and my head teacher has told me the Accreditation process doesn't really apply until I get a full-time permanent appointment. Is this correct?

  A. No. The school should be putting in place some professional induction programs for you and you should be collecting examples of your teaching work towards your Accreditation report. These will need to be annotated as per DET procedures.

  You would not be on probation as you are not a permanent teacher, however, your service as a temporary teacher counts as part of the time frame for your Professional Competence. The Institute provisions apply to all teachers, casual, temporary or permanent.

  Q. I feel overworked and not supported at my school level, what can I do?

  A. Your first couple of years as a teacher can be a hectic and stressful time. Federation fought for a designated teacher mentor as a promotion position in each school. So far the union has been successful in getting 50 teacher mentors appointed.

  Federation has also been successful in gaining an additional hour of release for permanent teachers on probation and seeks for this to be extended to temporary teachers.

  You should talk to your immediate "supervisor" or principal to discuss your concerns. These people have responsibility for providing you with the necessary support and assistance to succeed. Often in cases Federation has dealt with, where there have been problems, principals and "supervisors" have claimed that the new scheme teacher did not seek additional support or assistance.

  Q. My Head Teacher says he/she doesn't have time to complete the report this year as he/she is too busy so they will extend my probation and complete the report next year. Can he/she do this?

  A. No. Your head teacher does not have the authority to extend your probation. It is a breach of DET procedures for them not to complete this report unless a formal extension has been sought by the principal and granted, in writing, by the Employee Performance and Conduct Director. This must occur prior to the end of the probationary year. This should occur only in rare circumstances.

  It is also a failure in their responsibility to you as a beginning teacher. It also delays your accreditation and Teachers Certificate. You should contact your local Federation Organiser to assist in resolving any misunderstanding of the DET procedures.

  Download Files
  

• Advice for New Scheme Teachers

  [ pdf ]

• Advice for New Scheme Teachers - Frequently Asked Questions

  [ pdf ]
  
  
  

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Last Modified: 02 Feb 2010