Welcome to the profession!
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 1, 14 February 2025, page no 17.
Welcome to all of the new and beginning teachers joining our profession this year. To help you get started, here is some information and a few tips.
Teacher registration
Most beginning teachers will have been granted provisional teacher registration by the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT). After one year of full-time teaching (200 days) you will be able to transition to full registration, if you demonstrate that you meet the graduate level Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST). The provisional registration period can be extended if needed. Go to www.qct.edu.au to learn more.
Probation
A common trap young teachers fall into is confusing QCT provisional registration with your Department of Education probation. If you are a new, permanent employee of the Department of Education, you will be required to pass probation. This is usually an eight-month process. Your school should have given you information about the probationary process at the start of your employment, but we know that schools are busy places and for many reasons, from time to time, some new teachers do not receive accurate information.
Throughout your probation, expectations, support and timelines for meetings should be agreed.
At the end of your first three months, you should be provided with a performance review by your principal, which must be recorded on the applicable form. Any areas of concern must be identified, and an agreed action plan developed. A formal appraisal will be conducted by the end of six months of service (usually July), resulting in a recommendation of either confirmation or termination of appointment.
If you have any questions or concerns about probation, contact your school’s workplace representative or QTAD.
Mandatory training and beginning teacher induction
All new employees are required to participate in mandatory all-staff training (MAST) modules, as well as modules that form part of a beginning teacher induction program. While not mandatory, the Beginning Teacher Learning Suite (an online resource consisting of ten modules) is highly recommended.
Beginning teacher mentoring
The Department of Education State School Teachers Certified Agreement 2022 requires beginning teachers to have access to structured mentoring support. The QTU continues to seek full dedicated funding for schools for mentoring and beginning teacher programs, because we know that mentoring remains key to the support of beginning teachers. The QTU position is that mentoring and beginning teacher programs should be undertaken during your rostered duty time.
Stay connected with your Union
Contact QTAD for quick access to basic information and advice on your working conditions or, in more complex cases, to be referred to a specialist QTU Officer. Call 1300 11 7823 (1300 11 QTAD) or visit www.qtu.asn.au/qtad.
To contact your local QTU Organiser or local QTU office, visit www.qtu.asn.au/contact.
You can also follow the QTU on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Enterprise bargaining
The QTU is proud of our 135-year history of representing the professional, industrial and legal interests of the Queensland teaching profession, and 2025 will be another significant year.
This year, the QTU will be negotiating to improve your working conditions. The QTU is a registered industrial organisation, recognised by both the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and your employer as the employee representative organisation in negotiations. We have been consulting with members in branch meetings, and in August more than 125 elected delegates at our State Council meeting endorsed five bargaining interests:
Teacher registration
Most beginning teachers will have been granted provisional teacher registration by the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT). After one year of full-time teaching (200 days) you will be able to transition to full registration, if you demonstrate that you meet the graduate level Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST). The provisional registration period can be extended if needed. Go to www.qct.edu.au to learn more.
Probation
A common trap young teachers fall into is confusing QCT provisional registration with your Department of Education probation. If you are a new, permanent employee of the Department of Education, you will be required to pass probation. This is usually an eight-month process. Your school should have given you information about the probationary process at the start of your employment, but we know that schools are busy places and for many reasons, from time to time, some new teachers do not receive accurate information.
Throughout your probation, expectations, support and timelines for meetings should be agreed.
At the end of your first three months, you should be provided with a performance review by your principal, which must be recorded on the applicable form. Any areas of concern must be identified, and an agreed action plan developed. A formal appraisal will be conducted by the end of six months of service (usually July), resulting in a recommendation of either confirmation or termination of appointment.
If you have any questions or concerns about probation, contact your school’s workplace representative or QTAD.
Mandatory training and beginning teacher induction
All new employees are required to participate in mandatory all-staff training (MAST) modules, as well as modules that form part of a beginning teacher induction program. While not mandatory, the Beginning Teacher Learning Suite (an online resource consisting of ten modules) is highly recommended.
Beginning teacher mentoring
The Department of Education State School Teachers Certified Agreement 2022 requires beginning teachers to have access to structured mentoring support. The QTU continues to seek full dedicated funding for schools for mentoring and beginning teacher programs, because we know that mentoring remains key to the support of beginning teachers. The QTU position is that mentoring and beginning teacher programs should be undertaken during your rostered duty time.
Stay connected with your Union
Contact QTAD for quick access to basic information and advice on your working conditions or, in more complex cases, to be referred to a specialist QTU Officer. Call 1300 11 7823 (1300 11 QTAD) or visit www.qtu.asn.au/qtad.
To contact your local QTU Organiser or local QTU office, visit www.qtu.asn.au/contact.
You can also follow the QTU on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Enterprise bargaining
The QTU is proud of our 135-year history of representing the professional, industrial and legal interests of the Queensland teaching profession, and 2025 will be another significant year.
This year, the QTU will be negotiating to improve your working conditions. The QTU is a registered industrial organisation, recognised by both the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and your employer as the employee representative organisation in negotiations. We have been consulting with members in branch meetings, and in August more than 125 elected delegates at our State Council meeting endorsed five bargaining interests:
- Remuneration that recognises the professional qualifications of members
- Attracting and retaining teachers and school leaders
- Implementing the Comprehensive Review of School Resourcing
- Supporting teachers and school leaders as professionals
- Fair and safe workplaces.
If you are not yet a QTU member:
- talk to your school’s QTU Workplace Representatives
- visit www.qtu.asn.au/join.
- call (07) 3512 9000 and ask for our membership team.
Permanent teachers’ membership dues are calculated at just 0.72 per cent of your annual salary. Supply and temporary teachers’ membership dues are a lower flat rate, in recognition of the fact that their employment is less secure. The amount is dependent on how many days you taught in the previous teaching year.