Since the NSW Government announced the accreditation of early childhood teachers in 2014 the IEU has been working hard with the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES), advising them how the process should unfold.
The IEU lobbied hard for accreditation to happen in the first place with the NSW Government. It’s a positive step forward for early childhood teachers towards gaining equality of recognition as professionals and improved status for the sector. The IEU wants to make sure it is rolled out correctly.
“We are telling them how to get this process right,” NSW ACT IEU General Secretary John Quessy said in his address to the IEU’s Early Childhood Conference in August.
“This time last year I posed fundamental questions like who will be the Teacher Accreditation Authority, how will early childhood teachers be represented on the Quality Teaching Council, what professional learning will be required and who will be providing it, how will accreditation work in a setting with only one teacher and others.
“Some of these have been answered but not all. The IEU has been contributing to the working party through Professional Officer Amy Cotton and Industrial Officer Verena Heron, working through these questions.
“The negotiations are continuing positively in respect of recognition of early childhood teachers’ professionalism and experience.”
Get the facts
Accreditation is a process of recognising you as a teacher professionally. Without accreditation, you will not be able to teach in NSW. It is different to centre accreditation – teacher accreditation is about you as a professional.
Early childhood teachers who have taught in the five years preceding 1 January 2016 will be able to seek accreditation. Teachers should seek statements of service from past employers if they are currently not working in early childhood teaching. Teachers coming close to five years out of service should seek some casual days employment as a teacher.
Existing teaching qualifications as approved by Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) will be recognised by BOSTES.
University qualified teachers currently working in other roles in centres should seek to be employed as a teacher for a least a day in the lead up to 1 January 2016.
Teachers starting after the 1 October 2016 will be provisionally or conditionally accredited to teach and need to seek full accreditation at Proficient.
The IEU will be running information sessions throughout NSW on early childhood transition to BOSTES teacher accreditation. IEU members will be given preference to attend these events. Read your emails and check www.ieu.asn.au for events in Term 4.
The Union is expanding its Pedagogy in the Pub (PIP) program of registered PD to benefit members by providing free PD around the country and the Teachers Learning Network (TLN) provide online registered PD (www.tln.org.au/ec).
TLN is an organisation run by the IEU in conjunction with the Australian Education Union.
Speak to your teaching colleagues about joining the IEU. We are the Union that represents teachers at BOSTES and have over a decade’s worth of experience helping teachers with accreditation queries and issues. Other unions do not have the experience or expert staff to assist teachers. (https://www.ieu.asn.au/join-the-ieu/) Email your questions to accreditation@ieu.asn.au.