Professional Standards
1. As an experienced teacher who holds Provisional Registration, do I have to demonstrate I meet the Professional Standards for Teachers in Western Australia to apply for Full Registration?
Yes, all applicants for Full Registration must, among other requirements, demonstrate that they meet the Professional Standards for Teachers in Western Australia (Professional Standards) at the Proficient Career Stage.
To meet the Professional Standards at the Proficient Career Stage, it is a requirement that you have taught in one or more Western Australian educational institutions or other Australian or New Zealand schools in the 5 years prior to application.
Meeting the Professional Standards is generally based on an assessment of evidence at the school/workplace level and is verified by an appropriate person declaration, as part of the application process. The declaration must be against a range of substantive evidence and must demonstrate that all of the Professional Standards have been met.
Please refer to the Guide to Evidencing the Professional Standards at the Proficient Career Stage for further information.
2. I am teaching overseas and hold Provisional Registration. Can I apply for Full Registration whilst teaching overseas?
To be eligible to apply for Full Registration in Western Australia, you must demonstrate that you meet the Professional Standards for Teachers in Western Australia (Professional Standards) at the Proficient Career Stage or have done so in the previous 5 years.
In order to be in a position to meet the Professional Standards, it is a requirement that you have taught in one or more Western Australian educational institutions or other Australian or New Zealand schools in the 5 years prior to application.
3. What evidence do I need to collect to demonstrate that I meet the Professional Standards at the Proficient Career Stage?
The TRBWA Transition to Full Registration – Guide to Evidencing the Professional Standards at the Proficient Career Stage provides advice about collecting and presenting evidence to demonstrate that you meet the Professional Standards at the Proficient Career Stage.
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) offers a number of resources regarding the collection of evidence to demonstrate that you have met the Professional Standards at the Proficient Career Stage. These are available on the AITSL website www.aitsl.edu.au.
4. What are the requirements to be an appropriate person?
An appropriate person must hold or have previously held Full Registration in Australia or New Zealand within the previous 5 years and must be in a reasonable position to assess an applicant against the Professional Standards for Teachers in Western Australia and make a declaration to the TRBWA in relation to this.
An appropriate person makes a declaration on a teacher’s application for Full Registration in respect of the teacher’s achievement of the Professional Standards for teacher registration.
5. Is it possible to submit an application for Full Registration without a signed declaration from an appropriate person?
Yes, for circumstances where an applicant is unable to obtain a declaration from an appropriate person, the TRBWA may accept direct submissions of evidence. For example, teachers who are without permanent employment and whose teaching opportunities have come from periods of casual employment or temporary contracts across a number of educational institutions.
Additionally, the direct submission pathway may be utilised by teachers in centre based educational and care services who do not have direct access to an appropriate person (e.g. Nominated Supervisor or their delegate) who holds Full Registration.
Please refer to ‘Information for Applicants – Direct Submission of Evidence’ for further information.
6. How do I demonstrate that I meet the Professional Standards at the Graduate Career Stage?
You are considered to have met the Professional Standards at the Graduate Career Stage if, within the five years prior to application, you have graduated from either:
- an accredited initial teacher education (ITE) program from Australia or New Zealand; or
- an Australian early childhood teaching qualification approved by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Agency (ACECQA).