Day relievers and TER programmes

There are still questions about not being able to use relievers because they have to complete Teacher Education Refresh (TER) courses. These are due to misunderstanding about who needs to do TER course and what they have to do.

PPTA advice would be to make sure you renew your certificate before you finish your permanent job.

If you have been certificated in about last 6 years you won’t need to do TER course unless there has been an issue. You can be certificated ‘subject to confirmation’ and can continue to teach for the next 3 year period. If you do 80 days teaching in those three years then you can then reapply to continue certificated ‘subject to confirmation’ at your next renewal. You can stay indefinitely on ‘subject to confirmation’ (renewing 3 yearly). Relievers don’t need to develop a portfolio for ‘subject to confirmation’ renewal.

The criteria for being certificated ‘subject to confirmation’ are on the application form. The ‘Notes’ at back of the form are good advice.

If registered in the past but never certificated you can be on the Teaching Council back register. The council will expect you to do at least some parts of a TER, but this is mostly about people who have not gone through normal pathway or who never got full registration over their whole career (e.g. had breaks, taught part time, or were constant day relief).

Currently the cost is being paid by the MoE, so those needing to do the programme should get in quickly.

PPTA can help with ideas if a teacher needs to produce a 'return to practice plan'.

TER programme - yes or no? 

I want to day relieve – do I need to do a Teacher Education Refresh Course? 

• Only teachers who have been provisionally certificated for six or more years since registering, or teachers registering with the Teacher Education Council (TEC) who completed an initial teacher education qualification more than six years ago, are likely to need to do the refresh programme.
• If a teacher holds Subject to Confirmation certification, they do not have to complete a TER programme

Have you got TEC-recognised teacher education qualification?

No: You can day relieve for no more than 10 days in the year. To do more you must get teacher training and a practicing certificate. A TER programme will not allow you to do day relieving.

Yes: Next question:

Do you have a current full practicing certificate?

Yes: You can day relieve and do not need to undertake a TER programme

No: Next question:

Are you on the current Teaching Council Register? (you can check on the Teaching Council website) 

Search the register (teachingcouncil.nz) 

Yes: You can renew your practicing certificate (subject to confirmation) every three years and continue to day relieve. You do not need to undertake a TER programme

No: Next question:

Have you ever had a full practicing certificate?

Yes: You can get a practicing certificate (provisional or subject to confirmation) and continue to day relieve. You do not need to undertake a TER programme

No: Next question:

Is it more than 6 years since you became provisionally certificated?

No: You can renew your practicing certificate (subject to confirmation) and continue to day relieve. You do not need to undertake a TER programme

Yes: Next question:

Is it more than 6 years since you finished your teacher education qualification?

No: You can renew your practicing certificate (subject to confirmation) and continue to day relieve. You do not need to undertake a TER programme

Yes: You can teach for up to 10 days in a year but must undertake a TER programme to become provisionally certificated to day relieve for more than that. The Government will generally pay the cost of the TER programme for you until 2022.

• The Ministry of Education pays the cost of TER courses for limited numbers for the next four years for teachers returning to teaching or whose registration has otherwise lapsed, including those returning from maternity or parental leave
• The courses are between three weeks and six months and designed to be flexible so that you complete only the modules you need, and can work while you do so.