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The VIT office will be closed Friday 29 March and Monday 1 April for the Easter public holidays.

Introduction

Read our frequently asked questions about specific information relating to casual relief teachers (CRTs). Registration requirements are the same for all teachers, regardless of their employment status. These FAQs should be read in conjunction with other information regarding registration

Is there a separate category of registration for CRTs? Why does a CRT have to meet the same renewal requirements as all other teachers?

There is no separate registration category for CRTs. The VIT is bound by the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic), which determines the different categories of registration. The VIT registers all teachers regardless of their employment status. 

A CRT registered with VIT is able to undertake the full duties of a teacher at any time, and therefore VIT needs to be assured that all teachers, including CRTs, meet the required professional practice standards, regardless of their employment status. This is consistent with the national agreements that apply to all teacher regulators in Australia. 

What counts as professional learning?

The VIT uses the term professional learning to refer to the activity itself while professional learning refers to the learning gained by the teacher as a result of participation in and reflection on the activity. The VIT recognises that these terms are sometimes used interchangeably. There is no definitive list of required professional learning activities for renewal of registration. You should consider your individual professional learning needs in relation to your teaching context, the needs of your learners and the priorities of your learning environment or education sector. 

Professional learning is an ongoing process supported by planned learning activities and programs designed to enhance professional knowledge, practice and engagement. 

You should engage in a range of activities that update your professional knowledge and practice. These may be undertaken individually or with colleagues, in your learning environment or externally, and online or face-to-face. More information on the VIT Professional Learning Framework and what can constitute professional learning is outlined here. Please note individual education settings may have specific professional learning requirements for employment purposes. 

The Teacher Learning Network (TLN) and the Department of Education and Training (DET) provide free professional learning to all casual relief, relief, relieving and emergency teachers (CRTs). To access this free professional learning go to www.crtpd.com and register to become a member. All courses address the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) and contribute to your professional learning requirements for renewal of registration. 

What constitutes a teaching day for renewal of registration for a CRT?

A day of teaching as a CRT in a school or early childhood setting can be determined by your payslip. For example, if you are employed for one day as a CRT, this will constitute a day of teaching for renewal purposes, and if you are employed for half a day this will constitute half a day of teaching for renewal purposes. 

If you are employed sessionally, a day of teaching is approximately 7.6 hours. The hours can consist of face-face teaching time as well as any time spent planning for the learning or assessment of learners. 

If you are unable to meet at least 20 days teaching in the past 12 months, you will be provided with the option at renewal to declare you have undertaken 

  • 40 days in the previous two years  
  • 60 days in the previous three years 
  • 80 days in the previous four years 
  • 100 days in the previous five years. 

If you are not currently employed as a teacher, you may also accumulate 20 days of practice through equivalent practice or educational leadership.  

Through equivalent practice you can 

  • plan, teach and assess an approved curriculum to school aged learners 
  • connect your practice to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. 

Educational leadership may involve activities such as 

  • developing resources and materials for use by teachers in schools or early childhood services 
  • research into teaching and learning and the dissemination of that knowledge to teachers and / or other educational leaders 
  • policy development to support and improve teaching and learning 
  • working with teachers, either individually or collectively, to support and improve their professional knowledge and practice. 

More information on these categories can be found here

Does the 80 days of teaching have to be completed in one workplace setting?

You can undertake the 80 days of practice in more than one Australian or New Zealand school or service, as long as you can provide evidence. The evidence can be in the form of statement of service, pay slips or letter/email from the workplace.  

It is recommended that before a workplace recommendation panel endorses an application for full registration, the workplace must have observed the teacher’s practice over an extended period and sight the evidence of teaching days.  

The workplace recommendation panel will make their recommendation for full recommendation based on a consistent representation of practice over time. The principal, panel chair or their delegate must be satisfied the teacher has undertaken VIT’s Inquiry process and provided sufficient evidence that the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) have been met at the proficient teacher level. 

Make sure that, if you have completed your 80 days of teaching in more than one school/service, you can provide evidence of your teaching days to the workplace recommendation panel. 

How can I undertake the provisional to full process as a CRT?

The provisional to full registration process is designed to ensure that all teachers can demonstrate proficiency against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST). This provides the VIT and the community with the assurance that all Victorian teachers are meeting expected standards, including having a clear understanding of the important role that they play in providing for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.   

As registered teachers, CRTs must undertake the full duties of a teacher when engaged by a school or early childhood service, and therefore the VIT and the community expect CRTs to meet the required standards.   

The process for moving to full registration is the same for a CRT as it is for any other teacher. The VIT recognises the challenges facing CRTs in moving to (full) registration and has developed a number of resources to support CRTs to understand how they can complete this process in their context. This includes the development of a CRT companion guide, a regular CRT circular, CRT evidence guide, FAQs for CRTs, a CRT resource webpage and targeted webinars for provisionally registered CRTs. These resources have been developed in consultation with the CRT workforce. 

The VIT recommends that CRTs establish a relationship with one school or early childhood service and then approach leadership about supporting you through the full registration process. Any support arrangement is a matter between the CRT and the workplace, VIT have no jurisdiction over workplace matters. 

You will need to familiarise yourself with the provisional to full process by reading our Supporting Provisionally Registered Teachers Guide and the CRT companion guide which outlines some additional strategies and information for CRTs undertaking the (full) registration process. Take the time to reflect on this process and how you may approach this within your specific context. You may also wish to consider attending a face-to-face or online PRT seminar, which provides an overview of the (full) registration process. 

Remember that provisional registration lasts for two years. Teachers working in a CRT capacity should 

  • seek an extended period of time in one workplace where possible 

  • extend the amount of time in which VIT’s Inquiry process is undertaken 

  • focus on a constant (e.g. a particular year level of learners or subject / learning area) or particular types of learners (e.g. catering for mixed ability classes) where they are not teaching the same learners. 

Do I need a block of time in one workplace to undertake my Inquiry?

The VIT’s Inquiry process can be undertaken across multiple workplaces, however you will require the support of a workplace to ensure that all compulsory elements of the process, such as the observations, are completed and to provide a workplace recommendation panel.  

If your context means that you are not working with the same learners and do not have the opportunity to have an extended period of employment in one workplace, you will need to consider how you can undertake an Inquiry into your practice in this context. Some suggestions and strategies to approach the full registration process in these contexts be found in our CRT companion guide

How can I connect with a mentor as a CRT?

The VITs jurisdiction does not extend to workplace matters, such as the provision of a mentor, however we suggest that once you have been employed by the same school/service a number of times and developed a relationship with that workplace, you may consider approaching the leadership to see if they would be willing to support you through VIT’s Inquiry process and connect you with a mentor.

Who can be my mentor?

We recommend that a registered teacher who has participated in a VIT mentor training program (Effective Mentor Program or other) acts as your mentor. Where it is not possible to be supported by a trained mentor, you may work with an experienced colleague who holds full registration

What constitutes a day of teaching?

The VIT defines 7.6 hours as equivalent to a day of teaching

If you are employed as a teacher for a full day (ongoing, contract or casual), you can consider this a day of teaching.  

If you are employed for half a day as teacher, regardless of face-to-face teaching time, VIT will consider this half a day of teaching. 

Teaching hours include your face-to-face teaching time, as well as the time you spend preparing the learning environment and assessing learner's work. 

Can my 80 days be a mixture of paid employment and volunteering?

The 80 days can be a mixture of paid employment and non-paid employment. If you are engaged in non-paid teaching work, you need to 

  • work independently and not under the direct supervision of another teacher 

  • plan and deliver an approved curriculum to school / early childhood aged learners 

  • have direct teaching relationships with your learners 

  • select and use resources and / or modify your teaching practice in response to the learning needs of the learners  

  • assess learning, including reporting to parents / carers 

  • undertake VIT’s Inquiry process and evidence all the 37 descriptors of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) at the proficient level. 

Do I have to complete 80 days of teaching before I start my Inquiry?

You can start VIT’s Inquiry process and gather evidence before you have completed 80 days of teaching. You will need to have completed at least 80 days of teaching before you present to your workplace recommendation panel

Remember, the 80 days is a minimum requirement and is designed to be a time where you move your practice from the graduate level of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) to the proficient level. For returning fully registered teachers who have not maintained their proficiency through the annual renewal process for five years or more, a new demonstration of proficiency is required utilising VIT’s inquiry process. 

Who signs off on the recommendation report?

The recommendation report that attests to the provisionally registered teacher’s (PRT) proficiency in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) must be completed by a registered VIT principal or panel chair. Where the principal or panel chair is not in a position to complete the recommendation report, they can delegate the responsibility to an experienced teacher, who must hold full registration

Can I complete the process at one school/service, but have the recommendation made by another school/service?

It is a requirement that the recommendation is provided by the principal (or their delegate) or panel chair at the school/service where most of the teaching practice has been undertaken and documented. 

Before endorsing an application for full registration, a school/service must have observed the teacher’s practice over an extended period. The recommendation must be based on a consistent representation of practice over time and the principal (or delegate) or panel chair must be satisfied the teacher has provided sufficient evidence that the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) have been met. 

Can I undertake the evidence-based process when teaching in a non-school setting?

As long as your work involves developing, teaching, assessing and reporting on a program of study of an approved school curriculum (e.g. / Victorian Curriculum, VCE, VET, VCAL, IB) and allows you to address all of the standards and associated descriptors

You will also need to be teaching children or young adults of school age. 

Examples of non-school settings where approved curriculum is taught may include the Melbourne Zoo, Royal Children’s Hospital and TAFE institutions offering VCAL or VET programs (if you are teaching school-aged students). 

The CRT companion guide can provide some additional assistance and guidance to teachers undertaking the full registration process in a non-school setting. 

Do I need to do 20 hours of professional learning as a PRT?

The 20 hours of professional learning is a renewal of registration requirement for fully registered teachers. PRTs are not obligated to undertake set hours of professional learning to maintain provisional registration. It is expected that PRTs will continue their professional learning through their inquiry in the full registration process.

What if I can’t move to full registration within two years?

If you have been unable to undertake VIT’s Inquiry process within the first two years, you will need to apply for a further grant of provisional registration if you wish to remain registered. 

An application for a further grant of provisional registration is assessed on its individual merits and is not guaranteed approval. You will be required to submit detailed information outlining 

  • why you have not been able to complete the inquiry approach and apply for full registration 

  • how you intend to do this in the next period of provisional registration (if granted) 

  • any other exceptional circumstances. 

Recent amendments to the Education and Training Reform Act (2006) specifies a six-year limit in which a teacher can remain provisionally registered. In special circumstances, VIT may grant further periods of provisional registration beyond the legislated limit. 

How do I calculate a teaching day?

A day of teaching is approximately 7.6 hours. The hours can consist of face-to-face teaching time as well as any time spent planning for the learning or assessment of learners.

A day of teaching as a casual relief teacher (CRT) in a school setting can be determined by your payslip. If you are employed for one day as a casual relief teacher CRT, this will constitute a day of teaching. Similarly, half a day of employment will constitute half a day of teaching.

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