Ad Hoc Professional Experience Placement Agreement

Terms and Conditions

1. Definitions

Agreement means these Terms and Conditions for the Professional Experience placement.

Framework means the framework developed by New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) for high quality Professional Experience in NSW schools which outlines the key commitments, principles, practices and responsibilities of all parties in relation to Professional Experience.

Parties means the parties to this Agreement collectively and Party means each of them individually.

Professional Experience means teaching practice, practicum (one of a number of supervised practical teaching experiences) and internship (a final teaching practice without in-class supervision), in a School or other setting for educational purposes' as defined in the NESA Initial Teacher Education in NSW: Professional Experience Policy January 2017;

Professional Experience Internship means a final optional supervised component of the prescribed preservice professional experience days in a NESA-accredited initial teacher education program in which Teacher Education Students are still supervised (program supervision) but do not require direct, in-class supervision. The commencement of a professional experience internship requires completion of at least 75% of the prescribed supervised days of a professional experience program and assessment of Teacher Education Students as having met or exceeded all of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at Graduate level.

School means the placement setting accepting teacher education student.

Teacher Education Students means a student enrolled at UNE in a NSW NESA-accredited initial teacher education program and placed at the School for Professional Experience.

2. Scope of this Agreement

2.1 This Agreement applies to  Professional Experience placements in NSW and Interstate Schools for initial Teacher Education Students undertaking NESA-approved courses at UNE, where a formal ongoing agreement does not exist and it is desired to place a Teacher Education Student in a school on an ad hoc basis.

2.2 This Agreement is not exclusive and does not preclude the School from continuing any existing arrangements that may be in place.

3. Term

This Agreement commences on the first day of the placement and continues until the last day of the placement (the Term).

4. Joint Responsibilities

The Parties agree to:

4.1 implement the Framework  (PDF, 575.81 KB) including the five core commitments of: appropriate resourcing, effective communication, rigorous assessment, timing and number of placements, and data sharing;

4.2 use their best endeavours to ensure that the School and UNE staff supervising Professional Experience placements are suitably skilled and in particular they should have expertise in making judgements about whether Teacher Education Students have achieved the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate level.

5. Responsibilities of the School

The School agrees to:

5.1 provide Teacher Education Student with in-school Professional Experience placements that meets the expectations and focus of the specified placement;

5.2 assign appropriately skilled School staff members with detailed knowledge of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at Graduate level and relevant assessment processes as well as expertise in mentoring, supervisory and feedback skills to coordinate/supervise the professional experience placement. Where the School has a teacher accredited at or working towards Highly Accomplished, that teacher is encouraged to take on a role in supporting the professional experience of Teacher Education Students;

5.3 use its best endeavours to ensure that all School staff as well as the Teacher Education Students are aware that Teacher Education Students must be provided with direct in-class supervision during classroom practice and while accompanying teachers in other School duties such as sport or playground duty as part of their professional experience (unless the Teacher Education Students are under program supervision while undertaking professional experience internships as part of a NESA-accredited initial teacher education program). Note: Teachers need to be aware that Teacher Education Students completing a professional experience internship are required to have undertaken a full working with children check given the change from direct, in-class supervision to program supervision;

5.4 use its best endeavours to ensure that Teacher Education Students are aware of their responsibilities and the School's protocols with regard to ICT and the requirements for confidentiality and privacy of School data and student/parent/caregiver and staff information; and

5.5 work with UNE in all aspects of the Agreement, including proactively contacting UNE when necessary especially where Teacher Education Students are at risk of not satisfactorily completing the formal teaching practice.

6. Responsibilities of UNE

UNE agrees to:

6.1 assign appropriately skilled tertiary supervisors to provide instruction, mentoring and feedback to their Teacher Education Students during professional experience. These supervisors will have demonstrated:

    (b) current working knowledge of NSW School (or interstate system) context, systems and requirements;

6.2 ensure that Teacher Education Students undertaking a professional experience internship, having satisfactorily completed at least 75% of the prescribed supervised days of professional experience under close, in-class supervision, have a full Working with Children Check in recognition of the move from close in-class supervision to program supervision;

6.3 ensure that Teacher Education Students and provider staff have all the relevant clearances from the appropriate Authority for any required criminal record check and Working with Children Check, as well as Teacher Education Students having the necessary training relating to child protection and anaphylaxis, prior to the commencement of the placement with the School, and maintain records to that effect;

6.4 use its best endeavours to ensure that Teacher Education Students understand their responsibilities with regard to adherence to School/system policies particularly as they relate to duty of care and supervision of students; safe and responsible use of  information and communication technology; and respecting confidentiality and privacy of students, parents and caregivers and staff;

6.5 work with Schools in all aspects of the Agreement around improving communication, especially where Teacher Education Students are at risk of not satisfactorily completing the formal teaching practice, and where approving the transition of Teacher Education Students from close, in-class supervision to program supervision under a professional experience internship (subject to these students having been assessed as meeting or exceeding all of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at Graduate level);

6.6 use its best endeavours to ensure that all students observe the regulations, policies including the Code of Conduct, guidelines, including work health and safety, and procedures of the School as advised to UNE by the School from time to time;

6.7 provide opportunities for Supervising Teachers to access professional learning as specified and where relevant, link this professional development to higher levels of teacher accreditation (Highly Accomplished and Lead); and

6.8 ensure that the relevant personal accident, public liability and professional indemnity cover insurance policies for Teacher Education Students under professional experience (as per NESA policy definition) are in place, and that Certificates of Currency can be provided to the School if required.

7. Dispute Resolution and Termination

7.1 Each Party must always try to resolve in good faith and within a reasonable time-frame any disputes that arise under this Agreement.

7.2 Either Party may terminate this Agreement at any time for any reason by giving the other written notice.

8. General

8.1 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties as to its subject matter and supersedes all prior understandings or agreements between the parties.

8.2 This Agreement may only be altered or varied in writing executed by the Parties.

8.3 This Agreement will be interpreted according to the laws of the state where the placement is held.