stately1967

Tried this once before but with no replies here goes again. Are there any british teachers who have found long term employment in the primary school system in NZ would you please let me know how you went about,
thank you
stephen

planty

Yes, Stephen, I found long term employment in a primary school in NZ!
I tried to get a job sorted before we left the UK, but that was just hopeless really - it's understandable that schools would look for someone who is already in the country . So, we took a chance and moved here without me having a job to walk into. I got myself onto the local 'Relief Teachers Scheme' and had enough work to tied me over for those first few months; it also meant that I becam known around the local schools. From there I applied for a short term contract at a local school, which I got, and finally I applied for a permanent job at the same school - they must have liked me because they took me on ! Bless them! So, getting a permanent job can be done, but it very much depends on where you are, and lots of luck I think!!

Good luck!

BEVS

I will move the thread into the main forum where more people will see it. People may have missed your first thread because it was in the Immigration part of the forum rather than the general NZ board. Better luck this time.

saoghalbeag

I'm looking into going to NZ and teaching. From speaking with the natives the situation outlined above applies to them as well - long term jobs are REALLY hard for everyone and all of the Kiwi teachers I've spoken to have told me to just head over, work supply, get known around schools and get some NZ curriculum experience, then apply for contracts and permanent jobs.

As this is exactly how it is in Australia atm & how it was when I was last in Scotland, it makes sense.

I'd still like to have something (anything!) lined up before I head over as I don't want to head to Auckland and so far that's the only place that seems to offer enough supply to keep you fed and sheltered! I've noticed Select Education are flooding job boards with ECE posts so if you're primary qualified, maybe that's a thought, at least temporarily?

www.edgazette.gov.nz lists all teaching jobs and Seek NZ have other education jobs from time to time.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on. Also: have you tried posting in the Jobs -> Teaching section lower down the discussion boards? It's usually pretty good for Australian advice and there may be some NZ teachers lurking there too? Posts are less likely to get 'lost' under piles of posts about weather, Ch'Ch vs. Auck and what clothes should I bring?

gozzy

hi there
Permanent jobs in nz are hard to come by. My wife managed to get one from the uk using an agent . Basically it was luck, they promise you the earth and charge you for it. Most teachers start on a temporary basis and then are offered a permanent job if they are any good. so when you see a job advertised it more than likely is already filled. if you want auckland there is lots of jobs otherwise be patient and pay an agent or get over here and make it work.
good luck.
Gozzy

BEVS

I actually phoned a kiwi friend of mine this evening to ask about this as I couldn't remember what she did after she passed the teacher training (she converted from an English degree) and she basically echo'd the above.

On another note... lovely to hear from you Gozzy. So, you ended up over the hill from us in Golden Bay.

j19fmm

Word of warning, being a Primary teacher is not the same as being an ECE teacher. At present NZ do not recognise any UK qualifications in regard to Early Years - the Pre-school sector. I enquired about this in relation to bumping up my BEd Hons with the Early Years Diploma UK teachers can do here. Most annoying!!
When I visited Primary schools in Waipa region the Principles all advised getting on the Relieving list and getting known around the schools, they reckoned if you were any good you'd soon get a more permanent job!!Don't forget to get quals assessed and Registered with Teaching Council.
Good luck

jmh

Just spoke to my mum who is a headteacher of a primary school in NZ and she confirmed that you have to start out on supply jobs/temporary posts.

stately1967

thanks for the info everyone will tell my wife who is the teacher that it is possible to get work

pleccy2000

There are not many teaching jobs for primary in Wellington. My OH applied for over 15 schools, all had over 50 applicants for 1 job.

As mentioned already by others, lots of people said she should do relief. She ended up going through an agency - immidiateley got 5 interviews and 5 offers!

She's now been teaching for 3 weeks FT, and it's very different from UK. She has a new entrants class and the curriculum, and the way you teach in groups is different that what she was trained for in London (especially literacy and numeracy) it'll take her a while to get her head around those things. Also the schools are badly rescourced, and she's apparently at a well rescourced school

j19fmm

What is different? We teach in groups here (Darkest Devon). Or do you mean age group groups? Would love to hear more from her about it if you can persuade her, tell her I said pretty please
x

jo_hedge

I've been teaching in NZ for 5 weeks now & am covering maternity leave. I did have a permanent job to come to, but INZ took so long to process my visa that the position was withdrawn. I applied for jobs myself, using the Ed Gazette vacancy website. I figured I didn't need an agent, as I'd already had my qualifications assessed by NZQA. I have registered with a teaching agency, but found them as useful as a chocolate teapot. Select Ed are apparently the best. The agencies only cover Auckland (where there is the greatest shortage of teachers). If you want to be anywhere else in the country, you have to contact the schools yourself. Each school has it's own list of relief teachers is uses. Like in the UK, some areas (ie Auckland) suffer a greater shortage than others. It tends to be the decile 1/lower rated schools who struggle to find staff. Having said that, I know a UK teacher who has been teaching in a D1 school in Otara (one of the roughest areas of Auckland) since November last year & loves it. I've met the Principal of her school & he is a super man. If you are going to apply to a school, check out their website (most schools have them) & their latest ERO report (equivalent to Ofsted). Find this through www.tki.org.nz. Lastly, good luck. There are permanent teaching positions out there. And teaching in NZ is different - there is a lot to get your head around - but I find it vastly better than teaching in the UK. Jo

Black Sheep

Jo, I'm very interested to know more about why it is that you find teaching in NZ vastly better than in UK? Could you elaborate a bit please - I, and many others I'm sure, would love to hear more detail. What was your teaching situation in UK, what is it here, and how do the two differ from your point of view?

j19fmm

There is also an Agency in Hamilton,Select Education . They were very approachable, had lovely email from an ExPat there. Can't say how good they are at placing people, not that far down the line yet.
I'd love to hear more details too about teaching in NZ v. teaching in UK. Anything that helps either way is good. Many thanks,

jo_hedge

I was teaching in various schools in Luton, v mixed culturally & religiously. Generally in the UK I found the paperwork onerous (& often not at all to the benefit of the kids); the government interference & meddling insufferable (especially as it seemed to me that they often did not know what they were talking about); the government/society's view of teachers/schools that all ills could be blamed on them & that education was not valued; parents & children only too well aware of their 'rights' but not their responsibilities; poverty of aspiration; too many children with labels used to excuse their behaviour; no respect for our professionalism or judgement; too much political correctness; national curriculum being too restrictive & boring - this in itself can put the kids off learning.

In NZ I have found (& I will say that my experience is not wide) that teachers are allowed to use their professional judgement & are allowed to be flexible; has a much better structure to the curriculum; allows the kids to be kids; gives a lot more outdoor activity; parents value education a lot more; kids are generally more respectful & better behaved (I have only 1 kiddy in my class with behaviour issues - it's like winning the lottery in teaching terms); the government does not blame all society's ills on the schools; kids are less narcisistic & nicer to eachother; no pressure for SATs tests/league tables. I can plan what my kids need - it really seems to be child-centred here.

Sorry - I feel that I'm not being very eloquent or explaining very well. Despite singing the praises of teaching in NZ, I've had rather a crappy day today. The kids had a specialist teacher & did art most of the morning, so were as high as kites for the rest of the day. They've been rather trying!