19 JULY 2019
The Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) is currently undertaking a review of the Victorian Teaching Profession’s Code of Conduct (the Code).
The Code promotes adherence to the values teachers see as underpinning their profession; provides a set of principles to guide teachers in their everyday conduct and assist them to solve ethical dilemmas; affirms public accountability of the teaching profession; and promotes public confidence in the teaching profession.
It is now ten years since the Victorian Teacher Codes of Ethics and Conduct (the Code) was developed in consultation with the teaching profession and implemented by VIT. The Code plays an important role in establishing a set of principles which describe the professional conduct, personal conduct and professional competence expected of all Victorian teachers by their colleagues and the community.
There have been a number of shifts in the educational landscape within the past 10 years that impact the application and contemporaneousness of the Code, including the welcome inclusion of early childhood teachers as a part of the registered teaching profession, the growth of social media and, the Betrayal of Trust inquiry and Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The intention of the review is not to rewrite the Code but rather to revise the Code in light of the changing educational landscape.
VIT understands the important role that rural and remote teachers play in our education system and understands the complexities of negotiating professional boundaries in the regional context. As such, we are inviting members of the education community, as well as students, parents and the broader community to attend a workshop to find out their views.
If you are interested in having your voice heard, but are unable to attend a workshop, a discussion paper has been released PDF, 15369.87 KB. Submissions are due 20 December 2019.
All workshops will run from 4.00pm to 5.30pm. The dates, venues and booking details for each workshop are outlined below.
| Regional Centre | Venue | Date | Reserve your spot |
| Swan Hill | Swan Hill College 10-32 Pye St Swan Hill 3585 | 14/08/19 | Swan Hill Code Review Workshop |
| Mildura | Mildura Primary School 1 San Mateo Ave Mildura 3500 | 15/08/19 | Mildura Code Review Workshop |
| Horsham | Horsham College 1 Baillie Street Horsham 3400 | 21/08/19 | Horsham Code Review Workshop |
| Geelong | Geelong High School 385 Ryrie St East Geelong 3219 | 14/10/19 | Geelong Code Review Workshop |
| Sale | Catholic College Sale Pearson St Sale VIC 3850 | 17/10/19 | Sale Code Review Workshop |
| Bendigo (FULL) | Girton Grammar School 22 Vine St Bendigo 3550 | 22/10/19 | Bendigo Code Review Workshop |
| Warrnambool | Warrnambool Special Development
School 1 Hyland St Warrnambool 3280 | 29/10/19 | Warrnambool Code Review Workshop |
| Ballarat | St Columba's Primary School 1 Howard Street Soldiers Hill VIC 3350 | 31/10/19 | Ballarat Code Review Workshop |
| Wangaratta | St Bernard’s Primary School 2-12 Williams Road Wangaratta 3672 | 21/11/19 | Wangaratta Code Review Workshop |
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact VIT on codereview@vit.vic.edu.au.
Find out more about the progress of the Code Review.
