Employment
- Information
For New Teachers
The information
contained in this bulletin will provide you with some of the essentials
about your conditions of employment, contact details for education
sector agencies, and major aspects of the school’s organisation.
Secondary
Teachers Collective Agreement (STCA)
All secondary teachers are employed under the term of the STCA
whether a member of the secondary teachers’ union (PPTA)
or not. The STCA specifies the procedures for the employment
and dismissal of teachers, the teacher’s salary scale
and process for moving up the salary scale, hours of work, leave
entitlements, and reimbursements teachers are entitled to. Details
of the award can be found on the PPTA website www.ppta.org.nz
under “Publications and Links”.
New
Zealand Teachers Council
It is a requirement that all teachers in New Zealand schools
have a current teachers practising certificate issued by the
New Zealand Teachers Council (NZTC). There are different categories
of registration:
-
Provisionally Registered Teachers: Have recently graduated
from an approved programme of teacher education in New Zealand
or overseas.
-
Subject To Confirmation: Teachers who have not taught in New
Zealand continuously for at least two out of the previous
five years.
-
Full Registration: Teachers who have met the NZTC Satisfactory
Teacher Dimensions.
It is the
responsibility of all teachers to apply to the NZTC to become
registered and to renew their teachers practising certificate
every three years. New applications can take up to six weeks
so it is important that beginning teachers get this process
underway as soon as they are able.
Information
about becoming registered can be obtained from the NZTC website
www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz
Advice
and Guidance Programme For Provisionally Registered Teachers
It is an obligation of the school to provide provisionally registered
and subject to confirmation teachers with a programme of support
and professional development that will enable them to meet the
NZTC Satisfactory Teacher Dimension and gain full registration.
For beginning teachers this programme will continue for up to
two years, possibly longer, with most intensive support in the
first year. For overseas trained teachers or teachers returning
to the profession, a much shorter timeframe would be expected.
At Pukekohe High School this programme is under the direction
of a senior manager and comprises:
-
An
induction programme (for all new staff) on matters of school
organisation, systems, procedures, expectations of teachers,
school goals.
-
Appointment
of a supervising teacher as a mentor, support person.
-
Meetings to discuss professional issues
-
Observations of lessons and feedback
-
Opportunities to observe other teachers
-
Participation in appropriate courses
-
Appraisal
-
Maintaining a personal record of professional learning and
programme involvement
Code
of Ethics
All teachers are bound by the Code of Ethics that has been developed
by the NZTC.
Professional
Standards
Professional standards exist for all secondary school teachers.
The standards describe expectations of teacher performance in
three levels:
-
Beginning
teachers: who have not gained full registration
and are in their first two years of teaching.
-
Classroom teachers:
have taught for at least two years, have gained full registration,
and display a high level of competence in the performance
of their teaching responsibilities.
-
Experienced teachers:
are highly skilled practitioners and classroom managers, have
a highly developed understanding of teaching and learning
and are able to provide assistance and support to colleagues.
The professional
standards form the basis of a classroom teacher’s job
description. Each year, all teachers are appraised against their
relevant set of professional standards. It is an objective of
the school’s advice and guidance programme, appraisal
system and professional development programme, to see teachers
progress through the different levels of the professional standards,
and to see that experienced teachers continue to practice at
high level.
Salaries
All teacher salaries are funded by the Ministry of Education
and schools are required to pay teachers according to their
appropriate step on the salary scale contained in Section Four
of the Collective Agreement. Schools are not at liberty to make
additional payments to teachers. A teacher’s step on the
salary scale is based upon
The
process for determining a teacher’s salary step can take
some weeks, particularly at the start of a school year. This timeframe
can be reduced by contacting the school as soon as an appointment
is confirmed and supplying:
-
Certified copy of NZQA assessment of qualifications
-
Certified copies of teaching qualifications
-
An Inland Revenue taxation number
While the
school will undertake all the necessary payroll paperwork, the
assessment of a teacher’s starting salary is not done
by the school but is done by a central pay authority. The school
may indicate what an expected salary might be, but that is an
indication only and the school is not bound by that indication.
If a teacher’s correct commencement salary has been delayed,
the school will provide financial assistance in return for a
post dated cheque to cover the amount of that assistance. It
is illegal for the school to make an unconditional salary advance.
Salary
Increments
Teachers not at the top of the salary scale are eligible for
annual increments to the next salary step following a satisfactory
assessment against their appropriate set of professional standards.
This attestation will be conducted by the teacher’s appraiser
who will recommend whether a salary increment should occur or
not. A separate policy on attestations for salary increments
outlines the procedures in full.
School
Charter
The charter is a statement of the school’s core ideologies
and its vision for the future. It comprises three sections:
-
Our
core values
-
Our
purpose
-
Our
envisioned future
The school’s
strategic and annual plans identify goals and strategies towards
the fulfilment of the terms of our charter. The charter can
be viewed on the school’s website.
School
Organisation
Overall management and direction of the school is the responsibility
of the senior management team which comprises the principal,
associate principal, and three assistant principals. For the
purposes of curriculum delivery, the school is divided into
eight faculties each headed by a faculty manger. The school
has an extensive pastoral network.
Teacher
Non-Contact Time
The Collective Agreement requires schools to provide teachers
with a minimum of five non-contact hours a week based on a 25
one hour period timetable. The school’s timetable comprises
24 one hour teaching periods a week. Teachers therefore can
expect to teach a maximum of 19 periods a week less the following
time allowances:
-
First year teachers will teach up to 15 periods a week
-
Second year teachers will teach up to 17 periods a week
-
The school will provide management unit holders with one non-contact
per management unit
Staff
Meetings
The schedule of staff meetings includes full staff meetings,
faculty and/or subject department meetings, and house staff
meetings. These are held each Monday after school for approximately
one hour. Additional subject department meetings may be arranged
by your head of department on an as needed basis.
Professional
Development
The school places much importance on the professional development
of all of staff and each year school-wide development priorities
are identified. A dedicated staff professional development period
is held each Wednesday from 2.30. The programme includes full
staff, faculty, subject department and individual activities
and meetings.
Information
Technology
The school has a significant investment in information technology
and teachers are encouraged to develop their IT skills and to
make full use of the school’s network. All staff are provided
with access to the computer network for administrative and teaching
purposes. In addition, the school is a participant in the “laptops
for teachers” programme through the Ministry of Education.
Access to
the network and participation in the laptop programme requires
all staff to follow certain protocols and agreements.