Recommendations to streamline teaching careers launched

An extensive review of teacher registration will see the introduction of streamlining processes so that teachers can seamlessly transfer across the nation, all early childhood teachers brought into teacher registration, and stronger links between teacher registration and the different career stages of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Teacher Standards).

Launching the report, One Teaching Profession: Teacher Registration in Australia, Expert Panel chair, Chris Wardlaw PSM said: “The states and territories have regulators that are already doing a good job at supporting the professional growth of teachers through registration.

“These recommendations provide clear and practical steps to maintain or improve the high standards of the profession, strengthen child safety, and streamline teacher registration across Australia.

“Professional registration is the hallmark of a true profession and ensures that only people who meet standards of quality and suitability can be teachers.

“The Expert Panel consulted widely with the teaching profession, hearing from more than 6,500 teachers and school leaders as part of this review. They told us they are proud to teach in our schools and want to be considered part of one profession with colleagues who are also meeting standards of quality and suitability.”

Expert Panel member Gabrielle Sinclair said making teacher registration universal for all early childhood teachers is a critical step towards the recognition of the importance of early childhood development and education in Australia.

“We know that well qualified and experienced early childhood teachers make a critical contribution to the quality of children’s early development and preparation for lifelong learning,” Sinclair said.

“Recognising all early childhood teachers as part of the profession through registration is an important step in acknowledging their status in the education sector.”

Expert Panel member Marino D’Ortenzio said the panel found effective teacher registration is a shared endeavour between teachers, the profession and employers.

“To gain full registration teachers must show they meet the Proficient career stage of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers,” D’Ortenzio said. “High quality induction and mentoring is essential to support early career teachers’ transition and to gain full registration.”

Other recommendations relate to better aligning requirements for qualifications for vocational education and training (VET) trainers/assessors and VET teachers delivering VET to secondary students; supporting children’s safety through better information sharing; and improving the processes for registered teachers to move between states and territories and sectors.

The next steps will be for AITSL to work with key stakeholders and education authorities to draft an implementation plan for all state, territory and Commonwealth Education Ministers to consider at Education Council in December 2018.

Go to www.aitsl.edu.au/nrtr to view the full report and all 17 recommendations.

National Review of Teacher Registration Expert Panel members
Mr Chris Wardlaw – PSM, Deputy Chair AITSL
Ms Pitsa Binnion – Principal, McKinnon Secondary College Victoria
Mr Marino D’Ortenzio – Assistant Principal at Epping Secondary College and Honorary Deputy Vice President (Secondary) AEU Victorian Branch
Mr David Gee – Headmaster, Wesley College, Western Australia
Dr Peter Lind – Registrar of the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia
Mr Anthony McClaran – CEO, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
Emeritus Professor Wendy Patton – Queensland University of Technology and Chair, Queensland College of Teachers
Ms Gabrielle Sinclair – CEO, Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authorit
Ms Christine Wilkinson – Teacher, St Joseph's Catholic College East Gosford NSW and President, Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch
Mr Dennis Yarrington – President, Australian Primary Principals Association