Workforce Support and Initiatives for Schools

Retention

The department’s retention initiatives aim to retain hard working and highly skilled teachers and school leaders. The initiatives also assist registered teachers, not currently teaching, to return to and remain in the profession.

Reduction in maximum face-to-face teaching time

The Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 included a landmark reduction in the maximum face-to-face teaching hours for primary, secondary and specialist school teachers by 1 hour in 2023, with a further reduction of 30 minutes in 2024. Through additional funding of $779 million, this initiative gives teachers more time to plan and collaborate and means teachers will have the lowest face to face teaching time of government school teachers across the country.

Teacher Re-Engagement Initiative - supports schools to attract experienced returning teachers through a school-funded placement of up to 40 days in Victorian government schools

Participating teachers can re-familiarise themselves with the school environment, take part in classroom observations and other teaching activities, and receive mentoring from current teachers.

The Teacher Re-Engagement Initiative (TREI) supports:

• teachers returning to teaching following a career break or retirement
• schools with experienced returning teachers.

Principals and returning teachers will determine the teachers’ activities while on placement, which will consider the best way to support their return to the school workforce.

Further information

For further information about the TREI:

• Refer to:
  • Teacher Re-engagement Initiative
  • Process map
• Contact: returningteachers@education.vic.gov.au

Operational teaching assistants pilot

The Operational Teaching Assistants (OTA) pilot aims to ease the administrative load on teachers and enable them to focus on duties that require their professional skills and judgement.

OTA roles and responsibilities will align with those of an Education Support level 1 range 2 position in accordance with the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA) 2022. Schools must tailor the role within the parameters of the VGSA, the program guidelines and the unique context of their school.

An education support class position at this range will perform tasks that are carried out in accordance with guidelines, accepted practice, and school policy under supervision and direction. This may include coordination of other education support class staff within the work area or educational program.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students but must not include duties of a teacher as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor.

Examples of the types of work the staff employed under the pilot may be responsible for include:

• Setting up the classroom for the day or for a particular activity, preparing resources, sourcing or collating learning materials, assisting with preparing equipment for students with additional needs and recording student attendance.
• Collection of and administration related to permission notes and payments for activities, such as camps and excursions; booking buses and venues; completing risk assessments and associated documentation; auditing, ordering and organising classroom materials and resources; and purchasing event specific supplies.
• Supporting teachers to communicate with parents/carers through the relevant school platform, such as classroom specific events or reminders.
• Following school-determined processes for actioning external service requests, such as NDIS providers. For example, booking rooms, developing timetables, collecting and checking permissions and updating routine records for teachers.
• Uploading teacher completed documents onto online systems, including entering teacher determined student data.
• Complete template documents for camps and excursions
• Convert documents from one place to another for teachers, such as upload plans onto the school’s Student Management System.

This role does not involve working with students and is supporting the administrative and operational work of teachers.

Funding from the Australian Government will cover 50% of the employment and oncosts of the new roles with the participating schools required to cover the remaining 50% of the costs.

Further information

• Refer to:
  • School Guidelines and FAQ
• Contact: teacher.workload.reduction@education.vic.gov.au