help, how long can I supply for?

[irikanji]

Hi all,
I am an Australian qualified teacher who has been doing supply since the beginning of 2005 through various agencies. How long can I do this for before I have to stop? Assuming there is a time limit, who decides that I need to stop and how do they go about this? Would they know/even care when I started? I don't have teacher status either so I need to find out future options. One last thing, can I work within a school without agencies and without QTS if a school would still be willing to pay or is there some 'legal' government restriction that would stop this? No one in the schools seems too sure of this one. Cheers in advance!!!

[NuttySupplier]

Hi irikanji,

I thought if you had QTS in Australia it was transferrable over here... I'm 90% sure it is the other way, I've a few friends who have trained here and taught over there no problems. If this is the case, you can work indefinitely as supply. If your agencies are happy to keep finding you work, then I don't see a problem with keeping working... they've probably got more to lose than you if there's anything wrong with what you're doing. I know a teacher who came over from America, and she had to do 'top-up' courses as, even though primary trained, she'd never been trained to teach more than 4 subjects, only something like PE/History/Numeracy/RE.

If you're working as an unqualified teacher, on the unqualified teachers' pay scale, then there's no need for you to work through an agency, as long as you have all the other documents in order, i.e. CRB Checks, professional references, List 99 clearance.

Oh, and your work visa obviously!!!

[irikanji]

hey nutty,

I have been doing a bit of further reading in forums, etc, to find out that us aussies teaching supply or in a permanent capacity can only do it for 4 years in total (WITHOUT QTS) from the first day work started here... i've read stories of teachers from oz who have worked for 7 and more years full time without QTS only to be 'found out' by bureaucracy and then given their marching orders without any support from their schools who were none the wiser! It seems a little hit and miss though and I'm sure agencies and educational authorities need to start communicating this. As for QTS- our B.Ed qualifications mean squat over here... UNLESS we are employed via agencies, we are merely classed as 'instructors' if going through the local education authority and schools directly.
Agency= seen as qualified No agency= Not qualified (I don't get it??)
As for the American teacher you spoke about, what a waste of time. I attained NO specialist subject areas at all when training and since haven't needed to do any top-up course whatsoever. I may start my own Supply teaching authority... hmmm.. then i may get some answers without having to go searching in forums.......... i appreciate your feedback nutty!
cheers!

[NuttySupplier]

You're welcome... let us know how you get on, esp. with starting your own authority!
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