REGISTRATION Extension of Registration Mutual recognition Application for Registration Requirements to be Registered Part 4 Section 20 of the Act (1)     A person must not—          (a)     undertake employment as a teacher, principal or director at a school or recognised kindergarten; or          (b)     for a fee or other consideration, personally provide primary or secondary education, or offer to do so; or          (c)     claim or pretend to be a registered teacher,          unless the person is a registered teacher. Maximum penalty: $5 000. (2)     A person must not employ another person as a teacher, principal or director at a school or recognised          kindergarten unless the other person is a registered teacher. Maximum penalty: $10 000. (3)     A person must not employ another person in the course of a business to provide primary or secondary         education unless the other person is a registered teacher. Maximum penalty: $10 000. Teaching Unregistered Eligibility for registration Part 4 Section 21 of the Act (1)     Subject to this Act, a person is eligible for registration as a teacher if the person—         (a)     has qualifications and experience—                  (i)     prescribed by regulation; or                  (ii)     determined by the Teachers Registration Board to be appropriate for registration; and        (b)     has met any other requirements for registration—                  (i)     prescribed by regulation or contained in professional standards for teachers; or                  (ii)     determined by the Teachers Registration Board to be necessary for registration; and        (c)     is a fit and proper person to be a registered teacher.  (2)     Subject to this Act, a person is eligible for provisional registration as a teacher if the person does not have the necessary experience but is otherwise eligible for registration under subsection (1). Minimum Prescribed Qualifications for Registration The qualifications required for registration as a teacher are as follows: (a) an approved teacher education degree, diploma or other qualification awarded on satisfactory completion of a tertiary course of pre-service teacher education in pre-school, primary or secondary education that -     (i) is of at least 4 years’ full-time duration or part-time equivalent duration; and   (ii) includes a practical student teaching component undertaken at a school or pre-school; or (b) (i) an approved non-teacher education degree, diploma or other qualification awarded on satisfactory completion of a tertiary course that is of at least 3 years’ full-time duration or part-time equivalent duration; and       (ii) an approved postgraduate degree, diploma or other qualification awarded on satisfactory completion of a tertiary course of pre-service teacher education in pre-school, primary or secondary education that –       (A) is of at least 1 year’s full-time duration or part-time equivalent duration; and (B) includes a practical student teaching component undertaken at a school or pre-school. The Teachers Registration Board has determined that under these Regulations, the practical student teaching component's duration must be at least 45 days. If an applicant's practical student teaching component duration is between 30 and 45 days, the Teachers Registration Board would consider recent teaching service to compensate for this shortfall if the applicant provided evidence of at least one year of satisfactory teaching service undertaken within the last three year period.   Mandatory Notification Training Requirements from 1 March 2006 The Teachers Registration and Standards Act 2004 (the Act) and the Teachers Registration and Standards Regulations 2005 (the Regulations), requires proof of Mandatory Notification Training for registration. Mandatory Notification Course means a course of instruction approved by the Teachers Registration Board relating to child abuse and neglect and the requirements under Part 4 Division 1 of the Children’s Protection Act 1993 for notification of suspected child abuse or neglect. The requirement that all applicants for registration or renewal for registration are sufficiently trained in Mandatory Notification is in line with the legislated responsibilities of teachers as mandated notifiers, pursuant to section 11 of the Children’s Protection Act 1993 and is part of the Government’s Keeping Them Safe child protection reforms. The Children’s Protection (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2005 was assented to on 8 December 2005. The Department for Families and Communities, Children, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) have the responsibility for the development of appropriate Mandatory Notification Training courses which meet legislative requirements. A full day and update course have been offered for some time. In addition a new course with Education and Care focus was developed in 2005 to specifically cater for those in education and care settings. Teachers are encouraged to undertake the Education and Care course as the training is multidisciplinary as well as being tailored to a particular service context. Teachers Registration Board Requirements The Teachers Registration Board has adopted Department for Families and Communities approved full day courses as a minimum requirement for registration. To meet requirements for registration an applicant must have undertaken a full day Families SA approved Mandatory Notification Training Course within twelve months (12 months) of an application for registration. Final year students from a South Australian tertiary institution who have completed a full day Families SA approved Mandatory Notification Training Course at some time during their pre-service teacher education program will be deemed to have met the Board’s minimum requirements. A certified copy of the full day Mandatory Notification Training certificate must be provided with an application for registration. Course and other information relating to Mandatory Notification Training For information regarding the provision of Families SA courses refer to Child Safe Environments 1 Day course providers or telephone (08) 8343 8700 English Language Requirement As a condition of eligibility for registration as a teacher with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia, all applicants must satisfy the Board that they have a level of English language proficiency which enables them to communicate in English in both the spoken and written form at a professional level with students, parents, colleagues, and other educational professionals. The Board’s English language requirement applies to all applicants for teacher registration, with the following exception: Graduates from pre-service teacher education programs from the following countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United States of America, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales). Applicants who do not qualify under the above exemption list must sit for an English language test defined by the Board. The tests recognised by the Board are the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the International Second Language Proficiency Ratings (ISLPR) and the Professional English Assessment for Teachers (PEAT). Further information is available regarding English Language Tests. Certification of Documents All required documents other than the original must be certified copies. Each document submitted for certification must be in the form of a photocopy with the original document available for sighting. A certified copy means that: Copies of your original documents must be certified as a true and accurate record of the original by either a Justice of the Peace, a Proclaimed Manager of an ADI (Authorised Depositing Institution e.g. Credit Union, Post Office, Bank), a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits (Solicitor, Barrister or proclaimed police officer) or a Notary Public. Each page of each document must be marked, “I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original”, followed by the title, name, address, licence number, signature and date. Translation of documents into English All documents not in the English language that are lodged as part of an application for teacher registration, must be submitted along with English translations. Attach the English translation to the foreign language document. All documents must be certified copies, as explained above. English translations undertaken in Australia will only be accepted if completed by an accredited translator, that is, someone who has been accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI). English translations undertaken overseas will only be accepted if completed by an officially accredited or licensed translator or an officially recognised organisation. If you require further information, contact Leela Kwitko, Qualifications Officer, Phone +61 8 8226 2666 Payment Details / Fees Registration fees are the only funding source for the Teachers Registration Board. The fee supports the work undertaken by the Board to administer the provisions of the Teachers Registration and Standards Act 2004 and Regulations 2005 and to promote the teaching profession and professional standards for teachers. Fees must be paid before your application can be processed. Should you withdraw your application or your application for registration is unsuccessful, the registration fee will be refunded. An assessment fee will not be refunded under any circumstances. Registration fees are set out below. • Applicants with Australian or New Zealand pre-service teaching qualifications: $270.00 for a 3 year period plus the cost of a criminal record check $23. • Applicants with overseas qualifications: $270.00 plus an assessment fee of $100.00 plus the cost of a criminal record check $23. Failure to renew registration If your name has been removed from the register following failure to renew your registration before the expiry date an additional fee of $90 is required, ie $270 registration for a three year period plus the cost of a criminal record check plus $90 reinstatement fee. Please note there is no “grace period” after the expiry date. Further details relating to an Application for registration are included on the application form. Criminal Record history checks Applicants for registration must consent to a criminal record check. A criminal record check is one criterion used by the Board to assess fitness and propriety. The Board has been granted accredited third party status with CrimTrac, established by the Australasian Police Ministers Council as a major national law enforcement agency. CrimTrac provides a National Criminal History Record Checking (NCHRC) service to accredited third party agencies primarily for the purpose of ensuring persons in positions of trust are adequately screened for criminal records. Any matters are considered on an individual basis and are assessed taking into account all relevant circumstances. If further information or clarification is required a teacher will be contacted and either requested to provide a written statement or explanation, or invited to attend an interview to discuss the matter. Procedural fairness and the principles of natural justice are adhered to at all times. All offences are assessed using the following general guidelines: Child protection implications, age and vulnerability Relevance in a school teaching environment The gravity and nature of convictions Circumstances surrounding the offence(s), whether alcohol, drugs or a weapon was involved The harm to any victim including injury or loss Adverse impact on the teaching profession Total criminal history Severity of sentence imposed Length of time since offence, any rehabilitation Age at time of offence(s) e.g. adult or juvenile Evidence of the applicant’s good character since offence committed Whether offence has been decriminalised Whether found guilty ‘without conviction’ Whether penalty restricted only to a fine Personal circumstances at the time of offending Contact the Legal Unit on phone +61 8 8226 5984 for further information. Conditions of registration Part 5 Section 25 (2)(a)(i) of the Teachers Registration and Standards Act 2004 states reporting obligations of teachers. For this purpose: ‘charged’ is defined as: a complaint or information filed with any court ‘an offence of a kind specified in the condition’ is defined as: any offence for which imprisonment is a penalty or any offence which involves dishonest conduct or sexual misconduct or indecent behaviour or illicit drugs   ‘details specified in the condition’ is defined as: provision of name, address and details / circumstances relating to a charge or conviction.   Applicant Checklist   Back to top

 

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