Moving to full registration

The VIT’s Inquiry process is used by PRTs to demonstrate the development of their knowledge and practice, and gather evidence to demonstrate they have met the APST at the Proficient teacher level.

This process is adapted from Helen Timperley’s cycle of teacher inquiry and knowledge building. It requires PRTs to

• select a class or group of learners, and assess the level of learning and factors affecting learning
• develop a question for inquiry based on identified learning needs
• undertake professional learning to deepen professional knowledge and refine skills in relation to VIT’s Inquiry question
• use this knowledge to develop and implement an action plan to improve learning outcomes
• assess the impact of the inquiry on learning outcomes and teacher practice
• reflect on the effectiveness of practice and identify future areas of work, and
• ensure that all compulsory requirements of VIT’s Inquiry process have been met.

When a PRT has undertaken the Inquiry process, it’s time to initiate an application for full registration in their MyVIT account. This should be done once VIT’s Inquiry process is complete but no more than 30 days prior to meeting with the recommendation panel.

This is done via the ‘Apply for full registration’ tile in the applicant’s MyVIT account. The applicant will be asked to verify their contact details, make declarations and provide their employer details.

Once a PRT has gathered the evidence they need, they are required to present this evidence to a workplace recommendation panel.

The workplace recommendation panel is a group of experienced teachers within the PRT’s workplace. The VIT expects the following composition for panels.

In a school setting, the principal can assume the role of panel chair if they hold full registration.

In an early childhood (EC) setting, the education leader (e.g. centre director or manager) should assume the role of panel chair if they hold full early childhood teacher (ECT) registration. If the education leader does not hold full ECT registration, any EC trained panel member can assume the role of panel chair.

The recommendation panel will assess the PRT’s documented evidence of practice and make a determination whether they have met the requirements to obtain full registration.

Visit the FAQs page to for a list of frequently asked questions about moving to full registration.

Following the panel meeting, the panel chair will complete a recommendation report through the Employer portal and submit it to VIT.

The VIT will assess the PRT’s application along with the panel recommendation. When all requirements have been met, the PRT will be granted full registration.

Once the PRT’s full registration is approved, they will be emailed notification of the approval, the Register of teachers will be updated with their new registration status and a new registration card will be issued.

A PRT will need to retain of copy of their evidence for at least two years in case they are selected for audit by VIT.

• Evidence of professional practice checklist (pdf)
• Evidence of professional practice checklist (doc)
• Evidence of professional practice template (pdf)
• Evidence of professional practice template (doc)
• APST evidence checklist (pdf)
• APST evidence checklist (doc)
• Action plan template (pdf)
• Action plan template (doc)

• What is provisional registration?
• Demonstrating your proficiency using the Inquiry process
• Observation and feedback
• Stage 1: Establish content and context for learning
• Stage 2: The Inquiry question and professional learning
• Stage 3: Action plan (gathering evidence against the standards)
• Stage 4: Implement your Action Plan
• Stage 5: Evaluating effectiveness of practice
• Presenting to a workplace recommendation panel
• Moving to full registration as a casual relief teacher (CRT)
• Using the VIT Inquiry process throughout your teaching career

• Koorie English Teacher Guide Package
• Working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander learners
• Working with learners with special needs
• SMART inquiry question tool
• Standards Inquiry matrix
• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST)
• Getting to know the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Proficient Level (pdf)
• Getting to know the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Proficient Level (doc)
• Mind map action plan example
• Table action plan example

The following advice may assist PRTs to undertake the full registration process  

• all teaching is contextual; therefore, think about how the Inquiry and evidence will look within your unique teaching environment
• discuss what proficiency looks like within your context with your mentor and workplace leadership to guide you through the process 
• use our suite of fact sheets to take you through each stage of the Inquiry process
• the evidence of professional practice template provides the workplace panel with context around your Inquiry and may be helpful should your submission be selected for random audit
• your evidence should come from your everyday teaching practice e.g. unit plans, lesson plans, plan for learning and play, learner work samples, rubrics, notes or minutes from meetings, photos, videos, audio that show learning or the learning environment
• all evidence should be annotated to clearly show where and how it meets APST descriptors
• this is not a university assignment – you should present enough information to understand the Inquiry question and evidence used to demonstrate your proficiency
• if you are a CRT or in a non-school setting, the PRT Companion guide and the CRT Evidence guide will support you to consider the process within your teaching context
• request examples of Inquiries and samples of evidence from your workplace to demonstrate what it might look like in your context, whilst also keeping in mind your current learner needs and priorities
• examples of Inquiries and samples of evidence from other contexts may not be helpful - if you’re not familiar with the teaching environment, it may cause confusion
• teachers should not share examples of their Inquiry beyond their own workplace setting due to privacy.