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.
Returning Teacher Support Service – providing individualised support to assist non-practicing teachers to return to the workforce
The Returning Teachers Support Service (RTSS) supports teachers to return to the workforce. Teachers not currently working in schools, who are interested in a return to the classroom in a full time, part time or casual capacity, can register for this service. RTSS offers non-practicing teachers access to individualised support to assist them transition successfully back into the teacher workforce, whether they have retired, been on extended leave or changed professions and wish to return.
The supports offered to returning teachers include an initial consult with a member of the Returning Teacher Support Service to determine support needed, as well as discussing professional development options which can entail:
- 1-on-1 employability coaching on resume writing, addressing key selection criteria, and interview skills
- Mental health and wellbeing tools
- Teaching writing, including narrative, persuasive, and informative writing courses
- Effective teaching strategies, including High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS)
- Classroom behaviour management
- Use of technology and internet in the classroom
- Curriculum planning and assessment
- support in creating a School Jobs Vic account, Applicant Pool profile and job applications
- matching returning teachers to current school vacancies
- regular contact with each returning teacher throughout the process, up until the returning teacher has successfully re-entered the teacher workforce.
A dedicated Returning Teacher Support Service team has been established to customise and coordinate these supports and are available 5 days a week to support teachers in returning to the workforce.
Further information
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
Reviewed 26 May 2025
