Pre-service Teachers Working with Permission to Teach (General)

Policy

This policy outlines the practices and processes required in relation to pre-service teachers (PSTs) working in Victorian government schools with Permission to Teach (PTT) (General), as agreed between the department and Victorian initial teacher education (ITE) providers.

Summary

• The department has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Victorian initial teacher education providers that sets out the parameters and guidelines for pre-service teachers working in Victorian government schools with PTT (General) – the general workforce shortage category of PTT.
• This policy seeks to ensure schools receive appropriate notice of study commitments that affect PSTs working with PTT (General) availability to teach, and that pre-service teachers working with PTT (General) are supported to meet the academic requirements of their initial teacher education degree, and their employment obligations.
• Schools and initial teacher education providers must familiarise themselves with the roles and responsibilities outlined in this policy so each party knows what to expect, and our pre-service teachers receive the support they need.

Details

Many Victorian government schools are employing pre-service teachers with PTT (General) to help meet their staffing needs. The MOU sets out the parameters and guidelines with respect to pre-service teachers working in Victorian government schools with PTT (General).

The MOU provides a framework for schools and initial teacher education providers to support pre-service teachers who are working in schools with PTT (General) to meet their employment obligations and the academic requirements of their initial teacher education degree, including their pre-service teacher placement requirements.

The MOU does not apply to pre-service teachers working with PTT (General) where the pre-service teacher has entered into an employment agreement with the relevant employer school for a paraprofessional role prior to 28 August 2023 (the commencement date of the MOU). In those circumstances, the MOU can still be used for guidance.

Further guidance for Victorian government schools on employing PSTs with PTT (General) and the operation of the MOU can be found in the Resources tab.

For further information on the MOU contact Reform of Initial Teacher Education, ite@education.vic.gov.au

Refer to Victorian Institute of Teaching – permission to teach for further information on Permission to Teach (General).

Roles and responsibilities

The MOU sets out the roles and responsibilities of schools, initial teacher education providers, the department and pre-service teachers in relation to pre-service teachers working in Victorian government schools with PTT (General). This is designed to facilitate clear communication between schools, pre-service teachers and initial teacher education providers, and to ensure that pre-service teachers can meet the requirements of their initial teacher education degree whilst also addressing teacher supply challenges.

Roles and responsibilities for Victorian government schools

Under the MOU, Victorian government schools are required to:

1. only employ pre-service teachers with PTT (General) as paraprofessionals if the school is unable to employ a suitable registered teacher for the relevant teaching role
2. have regard to the experience, skills and initial teacher education program progression of a pre-service teacher before seeking to employ them with PTT (General) as a paraprofessional
3. recognise that the primary focus of a pre-service teacher is to complete the requirements of their initial teacher education program and develop their skills and competencies to become an effective classroom practitioner. To this end, it is recommended that schools employ pre-service teachers with PTT (General) as paraprofessionals on a part-time basis with a maximum 0.6 full time equivalent teaching load where the pre-service teacher is studying initial teacher education full-time, unless a higher teaching load is reasonable taking into account both the initial teacher education program commitments and the economic situation of the pre-service teacher
4. consider flexible and alternative models of staffing, including class-sharing between one pre-service teacher with PTT (General) and one registered teacher or between two pre-service teachers with PTT (General) each working 0.6 FTE (with 0.2 FTE for handover)
5. provide a registered teacher as a mentor for each pre-service teacher with PTT (General) employed by the school. School leadership is expected to engage in explicit, supportive discussions with pre-service teachers on managing their school teaching workload, initial teacher education program studies, and pre-service teacher placement responsibilities
6. ensure that a pre-service teacher with PTT (General) who undertakes a pre-service teacher placement at their employer school is directly supervised by a registered teacher for the duration of their pre-service teacher placement. Schools will provide the best supervisor available (based on appropriate experience and supervisor/mentoring training) to supervise a pre-service teacher with PTT (General) undertaking a pre-service teacher placement in their employer school
7. mitigate any identified conflicts of interest that may arise due to a pre-service teacher with PTT (General) undertaking a pre-service teacher placement at their employer school. For example, where the school’s working relationship prevents an objective judgement of their performance during a placement.

Roles and responsibilities for pre-service teachers

Under the MOU, pre-service teachers must:

1. notify their initial teacher education provider when they are employed in a school as a paraprofessional with PTT (General)
2. notify their employer school principal of their initial teacher education program requirements – before the commencement of their employment with the employer school. This includes assessment dates, pre-service teacher placement periods and specific unit requirements (for example, group work, face to face tutorial time) that impacts time in the school
3. notify their employer schools as early as practicable in advance of a pre-service teacher placement that they are required to complete in a different school
4. complete the Victorian Institute of Teaching’s one day workshop to support classroom practice of pre-service teachers with PTT. Further information and bookings are available on VIT’s website – refer to 2023 PTT Supporting Classroom Practice Workshop
5. identify and declare to the principal of their employer school, any relevant risks that may arise due to any actual or perceived conflict of interest as a result of the pre-service teacher undertaking a pre-service teacher placement at their employer school.

Roles and responsibilities for initial teacher education providers

Under the MOU, the initial teacher education providers agree to:

1. facilitate pre-service teacher placements for pre-service teachers with PTT (General) in their employer schools to the extent possible under the requirements of the pre-service teacher’s initial teacher education program
2. provide pre-service teachers with PTT (General) with as much notice as is reasonably possible in the circumstances if the pre-service teacher with PTT (General) is required to complete a pre-service teacher placement in a different school to their employer school. This is necessary to enable pre-service teachers with PTT (General) to notify their employer schools as early as practicable in advance of a pre-service teacher placement that a pre-service teacher with PTT (General) is required to complete in a different school
3. support pre-service teachers with PTT (General) who are teaching in schools to meet their initial teacher education program coursework requirements, noting that not all assessments can be delivered flexibly
4. as far as practicable, schedule initial teacher education program assessments (with the exception of Teaching Performance Assessment and other core assessments) to avoid school peak times
5. make pre-service teachers with PTT (General) aware of, and require pre-service teachers with PTT (General) to comply with, the pre-service teachers’ responsibilities as detailed in clause 7(d) of the MOU.

Related policies

• Recruitment in Schools
• Pre-service Teacher Placements in Victorian Government Schools
• Workforce Support and Initiatives for Schools

Contact

For information about employment of PSTs with PTT (General) contact:

Schools Recruitment Unit
Phone: 1800 641 943

For information about the policy contact:

Reform of Initial Teacher Education
Email: ite@education.vic.gov.au