Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory 2011

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© Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory 2011

For further information please contact:

The Director

Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory

GPO Box 1675

DARWIN NT 0801

Telephone 08 8944 9388

Facsimile 08 8999 4195

Toll-free 1800 110 302

Website www.trb.nt.gov.au

Email

Published by the Northern Territory Government

for the Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory 2012

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Annual Report 2011 - 2012

Contents

List of tables

Legend used in tables

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

THE TEACHER REGISTRATION BOARD

Establishment of the Board

Functions of the Board

Membership of the Board

Meetings of the Board 2011–12

Attendance register

The Board’s vision, mission and values

The Board’s Strategic Objectives and Goals at a Glance (2010-2012)

Committees of the Board

Initial Teacher Education Committee

Standards and Professional Learning Committee

Professional Conduct Reference Committee...... 11

Employer Reference Committee

OFFICE OF THE TEACHER REGISTRATION BOARD

Overview

Staff of the Teacher Registration Board

Office placements...... 15

Information technology support...... 15

Official travel

Finances

National Partnership funds...... 16

Information Management

Overview

Type of information held

Register of teachers

Accessing information and/or correcting information under Part 3 of the Information Act

Records and archives management

Information access and reporting

Information privacy

REGISTRATIONS AND AUTHORISATIONS

Who can be registered?8

Registration fees8

Number of teachers registered8

Application assessed8

New registrations9

Profile of teachers registered in the Northern Territory...... 20

Registration renewals...... 21

Names removed from the register...... 23

Authorisations...... 22

Appeals...... 24

Annual audit and compliance...... 24

INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION

Approving initial teacher education programs...... 25

National accreditation of initial teacher education courses...... 26

STANDARDS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Provisional Registration...... 27

Full Registration...... 27

National Professional Standards for Teachers...... 27

COMPLAINTS AND INQUIRIES

Inquiries and investigations...... 28

Statistics

Sexual offences...... 30

Ensure that teachers and employers are aware of their statutory rights and responsibilities...... 31

Inquiries...... 31

Acknowledgements...... 31

APPENDIX

Acronyms and abbreviations

List of tables

Table 1 Applications for Registration Presented to Board by Schedule...... 19

Table 2 Number of New Teachers Registered...... 19

Table 3 New Teachers Registered Under Mutual Recognition...... 20

Table 4 Registered Teachers by Age...... 20

Table 5 Number of Registered Teachers by Schedule...... 21

Table 6 Registered Teachers...... 21

Table 7 Registered Teachers by Gender...... 22

Table 8 Schedule T Jan 2010-Dec 2010...... 22

Table 9 Schedule T Jan 2011-Dec 2011...... 22

Table 10 Authorisations Granted Jan 2010 – Dec 2010...... 23

Table 11 Authorisations Granted Jan 2011 – Dec 2011...... 23

Legend used in tables

Hon. Robyn Lambley MLA

Minister for Education

Parliament House

DARWIN NT 0800

Dear Minister

In accordance with section 79 of the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Act, I have pleasure in submitting the Teacher Registration Board’s report for the financial year ending 30 June 2012.

Yours sincerely

Karen Blanchfield

Chair

30 September 2012

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

The Board appointed Ms Maree Garrigan to the role as Director at the end of 2011 and extended a warm welcome to her. Mr John Sarev who had been Acting Director for the previous nine months, took up a new position and the Board farewelled John who had been both a Board member and senior staff member.

Throughout the last financial year the Board has continued to implement provisional and full registration requirements in accordance with the amendments made to the Act in 2010. There has been continued growth in the work of the Board as the national agenda requiring consistent registration practices has progressed. The introduction of National Professional Standards for Teachers in 2013, to replace the NT Teacher Standards, has required ongoing information sessions and support for teachers and educators across the Territory.

The total number of registered teachers as of 30 June 2012 was 5884, being 5148 fully registered teachers and 736 provisionally registered teachers. Authorisations totalled 35, with 6 Teach for Australia Associates included for the first time.

The Board has continued to develop documents to assist in understanding the requirements of each category of registration, provisional and full. Provisionally registered teachers, their mentors and principals were supported through face-to-face and webinar information sessions. In preparation for the move to National Professional Standards, a range of support documents linking the Northern Territory Standards to the National Standards was developed to assist teachers. The Board worked closely with principals and employer groups to ensure they have an understanding of the requirements of the national agenda.

The Board has been involved for the first time in the accreditation of initial teacher education programs that will be implemented by Charles Darwin University in 2013. Panel training was conducted in Darwin by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (“AITSL”) to ensure there were enough trained panel members to participate in this work. Each panel must have a member from another jurisdiction to ensure consistency of assessment nationally.

The Board provided comment on the draft Performance and Development Framework and consulted in various forums across sectors in order to provide feedback to AITSL. A Principal was nominated by the Board to participate in a Focus Group of the Profession which provides advice and engages with AITSL’s work to support the implementation of the National Professional Standards for Teachers, and National Professional Standard for Principals in the areas of initial teacher education, nationally consistent registration, certification of highly accomplished and lead teachers, performance and development and professional learning.

The Board worked in partnership with the Centre for School Leadership Learning and Development to engage in a national pilot to trial the National Professional Standards for Teachers within existing structures and practices across Australia. Mr John Sarev, Acting Director and Ms Janine Matheson, Acting Manager Registration and Professional Standards, undertook research to determine in what ways graduate teachers located in regional and remote schools demonstrate their engagement with the Standards in their daily work, as they transition from Graduate to Proficient career levels and move from provisional to full registration. A case study was produced outlining how nine participants located in regional and remote schools across the

Territory collected evidence against the standards, with some recommendations on how to streamline the process. Ms Matheson, on behalf of the Board, is participating in Phase Two of the AITSL pilot.

Development of processes to accredit highly accomplished and lead teachers is well under way. The Director has worked closely with employers as well as the Centre for School Leadership Learning and Development to ensure that the Board will be well prepared to begin the accreditation process in 2013.

The Board continued to work collaboratively with Charles Darwin University (“CDU”) and the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (“BIITE”) to ensure graduates from the preservice teacher education courses will be entitled to registration.

In 2012, BIITE delivered the Batchelor of Teaching and Learning Primary and Batchelor of Teaching and Learning Early Childhood under a collaborative partnership agreement with CDU. The Australian Centre of Indigenous Knowledge and Education is in a collaborative partnership between BIITE and CDU for the delivery of tertiary programs to improve the access, participation and success of Indigenous students in higher education.

Teacher education programs for Indigenous students have been and will continue to be delivered by the institute in Batchelor and the Desert Peoples Centre in Alice Springs through the mixed mode approach. This approach combines intensive workshops, community based learning and online learning to support Indigenous students to achieve their teaching qualifications.

The Territory hosted a meeting for the first time of the Australasian Teacher Regulatory Authorities (ATRA) in September 2011 in Alice Springs. This was an excellent opportunity to showcase the work of NT schools and the beautiful surroundings of Central Australia.

In May 2012, Board member Ms Karen Piening resigned. I would like to acknowledge the strong contribution Karen made to the Board over many years, bringing with her a wealth of experience in urban and remote educational settings.

The office of the Board had a number of staff changes. Ms Rachel Dunn resigned her position as Manager Professional Conduct in January 2012 and Ms Melissa Frey acted in the position prior to the appointment of Ms Jodie Hill. Ms Leonie Wetherall has been with the Board since the start of 2012 supporting the general work of the Board.

The Board continues its important role in relation to undertaking disciplinary investigations for complaints and inquiries. Two matters have proceeded to inquiries this financial year and 15 preliminary investigations have been undertaken. One teacher unsuccessfully appealed a decision of the Board to impose conditions on registration and another appeal is ongoing in the Local Court. The Board works closely with the Solicitor for the Northern Territory and is appreciative of the legal assistance provided in disciplinary matters.

Negotiations took place for the Board to move into larger premises within the same building with increased workspace for staff and a conference room that will enable Board meetings to be held on site.

The Board continues to be well served by teachers who sit on various committees that provide advice to the Board. I extend my thanks to those members of the Board who chaired committees and to a range of teachers for their professional input. Their work contributes to ensuring that our profession is regulated appropriately and that students ultimately benefit by having quality teachers.

Karen Blanchfield

Chair

THE TEACHER REGISTRATION BOARD

Establishment of the Board

The Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Act came into force in September 2004 with registration requirements beginning on 1 February 2005.

Functions of the Board

The objective of the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Act is to ensure that only people who are fit and proper and appropriately qualified, are employed as teachers in the Northern Territory and to facilitate the continuing competence of teachers in the Northern Territory. The functions and responsibilities of the Teacher Registration Board may be summarised into five areas of responsibility.

Membership of the Board

Meetings of the Board 2011–2012

Attendance register

*Ms Karen Piening resigned from her position on the Board on 9 February 2012.

Legend: A - Absent; AP - Absent with Apologies; NA - Not Applicable; P - Part meeting;

RFB - Retired from Board.

The Board’s vision, mission and values

Vision

A teaching profession valued for its highest standards of professional practice and conduct in the interest of students and the community in the Northern Territory.

Mission

To regulate the teaching profession in the Northern Territory to ensure only appropriately qualified, competent and fit and proper persons are members of the profession.

Values

The Board’s values reflect those of the Teacher Registration Board’s Code of Ethics for Northern Territory Teachers:

Integrity | Respect | Justice | Empathy | Dignity

Code of Conduct

As members of a Northern Territory statutory authority, Board members adhere to the Code of Conduct for members of Northern Territory statutory authorities recommended in Board Membership: A Guide for Members of Northern Territory Government Board, Committees and Statutory Bodies (NTG 2005).

The Board’s Strategic Objectives and Goals at a Glance (2010-2012)

In fulfilling its legislative functions, the Board will continue to focus on the following objectives and goals over the next 18 months:

Committees of the Board

All committees of the Board make recommendations on matters referred to them by the Board. Committee membership is at the invitation of the Board.

All committees have made a significant contribution to the Board’s work in reviewing processes, developing policy, promoting the profession and fulfilling the Board’s regulatory and professional responsibilities under the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Act (“the Act”).

Initial Teacher Education Committee

The Initial Teacher Education Committee fulfils the functions of the Board outlined in section 11(d) of the Act. The committee advises the Board and makes recommendations on the assessment and accreditation of preservice teacher education programs delivered in the Northern Territory to ensure graduates meet the Professional Standards for Graduate Teachers in the Northern Territory for the purposes of registration.

Membership June 2011 to June 2012

Ms Sue Crowe (Chair)Principal, Braitling Primary School

Ms Elizabeth MountfordManager of HALT Program, CSLLD

Ms Tania Thompson (nee Paull)Practising Teacher, The Essington School

Ms Lola SleepPractising Teacher, Kormilda College (currently on leave)

Ms Margie KesbySenior Curriculum Manager, DET

Mr Martin TrouwAssistant Principal, Dripstone Middle School

Ms Kate FeganActing Assistant Principal Wulagi Primary School (joined committee 24 May 2012)

Ms Lynette DelaneyDeputy Principal, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Dr John YoungPrincipal Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Thamarrurr College Wadeye (joined committee 29 May 2012)

Mr Laurence TamateaAssociate Professor of Pedagogy and Learning, CDU

Ms Teresa HughesSenior Lecturer Indigenous Teacher Education, BIITE

Dr Melodie BatSenior Lecturer, BIITE (resigned from committee January 2012)

Mr Cameron HughesDeputy Principal, Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic Primary School Xavier Catholic College Wurrumiyanga (resigned from committee January 2012)

Ms Janine MathesonExecutive Officer, Manager of Professional Learning and Standards, TRB

Meetings

10 & 11 November 2011 – National Accreditation Training

29 March 2012

22 May 2012

Standards and Professional Learning Committee

The Standards and Professional Leaning Committee, fulfils the functions of the Board under the provisions of section 11(e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) of the Act and has the following terms of reference: