Can I Complete my New Zealand Teacher Registration in the UK?

KIA ORA

My name is Patrick Kearns, and I am the Australasian Regional Manager (a long way of saying I help manage the employment of Kiwi teachers to the UK) for Prospero Teaching. Today I am addressing the FAQ

“Can I complete my New Zealand Teacher Registration in the UK?”

In short, the answer is ‘kind of’! As we know, one of the key requirements for achieving full teacher registration (obtaining your Full Practising Certificate) in New Zealand, is to complete a two year period of mentored teaching.  Fortunately, New Zealand teachers working in the UK are permitted, under certain circumstances, to include one year of their UK teaching towards their two year New Zealand registration. The Education Council of New Zealand has some helpful information on their website in regards to this very issue.

From a teaching perspective, as a newly qualified New Zealand teacher, you will need to ensure you secure a full-time teaching job in a UK School (relief teaching will not count). It is essential that your school is aware of your intentions to complete ‘one of your two years’ in the UK. Your UK school will also need to match the mentoring and support that you would expect to receive back in New Zealand: classroom release time, a mentoring teacher, teacher appraisals etc. Furthermore, at all times you will need to show evidence of how you are meeting the 12 Key Practising Teaching Criteria.

Before returning to New Zealand you will need to show evidence, in the form of an official school letter, of the

“…professional support, guidance and evidence, including appraisal involving a mentor teacher…”[1]

from the School you have been employed at full-time. This letter will need to be sent to the Education Council of New Zealand as part your application for full registration

So, how do you go about finding an appropriate full-time teaching job in a UK School that will help support your New Zealand teacher registration? You get in touch with us here at Prospero Teaching!

I also recommend you speak with the Education Council of New Zealand to ensure you are completely aware of the requirements you will need to meet whilst in the UK.

Ngā mihi nui

By Patrick Kearns

Call 021 27TEACH   Email ausnz@prosperoteaching.com

[1] Being Issued with a Full Practising Certificate. (2016, November 30^th)

Further Reading:

https://teachingcouncil.nz

You can find other information about teaching in the UK and the service we offer New Zealand teachers considering teaching in the UK in our specialist blogs on the subject.

Maybe you’re a Kiwi teaching in the UK now with Prospero Teaching and have some useful advice for your fellow compatriots you’d like to share here with them?