Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia Annual Report 2023–24

Teacher registration

All teachers must be registered with us if they are teaching in schools and other educational institutions in Western Australia, such as a centre‑based education and care service (long day care) and the juvenile detention centre.

To meet our registration requirements, applicants must:

• be appropriately qualified
• have the necessary English language skills
• meet the required professional standards for the relevant registration category
• be fit and proper persons.

To renew registration, we must be satisfied that the teacher continues to meet the requirements for their category of registration. We only renew Provisional Registration where there are exceptional circumstances.

As at 30 June 2024, 59,978 teachers were registered with the Board (refer to Table 1). The increase in the number of individuals registered to teach under Limited Registration was largely due to workforce supply issues.

Table 1: Teachers registered at 30 June by category 2020 to 2024^(a)

Category	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Full Registration	44,970	45,019	44,417	46,169	47,489
Provisional Registration	5,201	5,271	5,627	5,506	–
Provisional Registration (Graduate Teacher)	–	–	–	–	4,842
Provisional Registration (Returning Teacher)	–	–	–	–	4,252
Non-Practising Registration(b)	4,271	4,655	5,335	5,171	1,673
Limited Registration	701	765	1,372	1,527	1,722
Total	55,143	55,710	56,751	58,373	59,978

_{(a) Provisional Registration was divided into 2 categories from 19 December 2023, Provisional Registration (Graduate Teacher) and Provisional Registration (Returning Teacher).
(b) Non‑Practising Registration was changed to a non‑teaching registration category from 19 December 2023 and teachers holding Non‑Practising Registration who were teaching were moved to an appropriate registration category.}

 

During 2023–24, we received 12,600 teacher registration applications and approved 13,068 applications (refer to Table 2).

Based on the mutual recognition principle, we registered 995 teachers who were registered in another Australian state or territory or in New Zealand.

Table 2: Applications received and approved by type 2022–23 and 2023–24^(a)

Type of application	2022-23		2023–24
	Received	Approved	Received	Approved
New registration	4,535	4,212	4,594	4,584
Renewal of registration	4,710	6,005	5,448	5,731
Move registration category	2,576	2,666	2,461	2,621
Extension of Non-Practising Registration(b)	228	203	97	132
Total	12,049	13,086	12,600	13,068

_{(a) Number of applications received in one year may not be the same as number approved that same year as applications may be processed in subsequent years.
(b) Prior to 19 December 2023, the extension of Non‑Practising Registration was only approved when there were extenuating circumstances. From 19 December 2023, the extension of Non‑Practising Registration is no longer an option.}

 

Applicants can progress to Full Registration from either Provisional Registration or Non‑Practising Registration (refer to Table 3). Applicants must provide evidence that they meet the proficient level of the Professional Standards for Teachers in Western Australia, as well as meeting the other requirements.

Table 3: Approved applications to transition to Full Registration 2022–23 and 2023–24^(a)

	2022–23	2023–24
Provisional to Full Registration	1,747	1,324
Provisional (Graduate Teacher) to Full Registration	–	410
Provisional (Returning Teacher) to Full Registration	–	150
Non-Practising to Full Registration	445	334

_{(a) Provisional Registration was divided into 2 categories from 19 December 2023, Provisional Registration (Graduate Teacher) and Provisional Registration (Returning Teacher).}

 

Board determinations

We have delegated the granting of teacher registration to the Director, Teacher Registration. Applications considered by the director to require further examination are referred to us.

During 2023–24, we refused 49 of the 74 applications referred to us for further examination, as they did not meet one or more of the requirements for registration or the renewal of registration (refer to Table 4).

Table 4: Applications considered and refused by registration requirements 2022–23 and 2023–24

	2022–23		2023–24
	Considered	Refused	Considered	Refused
One requirement considered
Qualifications	13	7	14	8
English language	30	29	49	36
Professional standards	0	0	0	0
Qualifications/skills/expertise(a)	3	0	0	0
Fit and proper	6	1	7	2
More than one requirement considered
Qualifications and English language	0	0	3	2
Professional standards and fit and proper	1	1	0	0
English language and fit and proper	0	0	1	1
Total	53	38	74	49

_{(a) Specific to applications for Limited Registration.} 

 

Providing advice to prospective applicants

Prospective applicants can seek written advice from us on whether they meet the qualification requirements for registration, or if they would meet the fit and proper requirements for registration.

Of the 85 requests for qualifications advice finalised in 2023–24, 78 were determined as meeting requirements and 7 were deemed not to meet requirements.

Of the 3 unfinalised requests for fit and proper advice from 2022–23, we determined that 1 applicant would not be considered fit and proper. The remaining 2 applicants withdrew their applications.

 

Annual teacher registration fee

Registered teachers are required to pay an annual fee by 31 March each year to maintain registration.

In February 2024, we raised 59,065 invoices for the annual fee. The registrations of 1,877 teachers were cancelled, as they did not pay their annual fee by 6 May 2024.

As at 30 June 2024, we had reinstated the registrations of 117 teachers whose non‑payment was due to extenuating circumstances.

 

Unregistered teaching

When a concern about unregistered teaching is identified, the case is managed to ensure the obligations of the teacher and the employer are met. One unregistered teaching matter was referred for prosecution in 2023–24. 

 

Review by the State Administrative Tribunal

Teachers dissatisfied with a reviewable decision relating to registration can appeal to the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT). In 2023–24, one of our decisions was appealed to the SAT and is currently ongoing.

Our paramount consideration in dealing with disciplinary and impairment matters is the best interests of children. The Teacher Registration Act requires that only fit and proper people be registered as teachers, and places obligations on teachers, employers and certain other parties.

 

Notifications required by the Teacher Registration Act and complaints about teachers

Notifications are received about registered teachers from employers, teachers, the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions. More than one notification may be received for a matter.

Complaints may also be made to us about registered teachers, or a person who was a registered teacher at the time the alleged conduct occurred. More than one complaint may be received for a matter.

In 2023–24, we received 95 notifications and 14 complaints (refer to Table 5) relating to 108 matters.

Table 5: Notifications and complaints received 2022–23 and 2023–24^(a)(b)

	2022–23	2023–24
Notifications from teachers
Legal actions (section 38)	7	2
Loss of qualifications (section 39)	0	0
Issued Working with Children Negative Notice (section 40)	0	0
Notifications from Director of Public Prosecutions or Commissioner of Police (section 41)	2	3
Notifications from employers
Serious incompetence (section 42)	6	6
Serious misconduct (section 42)	48	84
Complaints from the public/other (section 51)	12	14
Total	75	109

_{(a) As per the specified section in the Teacher Registration Act.
(b) More than one notification or complaint may be received for a matter.}

 

The status of ongoing and new matters is shown in Table 6.

Table 6: Status of ongoing and new matters at 30 June 2024^(a)

Status of matters	2023–24
Matters ongoing at 30 June 2024
Still to be decided (section 51(3)(a))	4
Investigations continuing (section 53(2))	39
Completed during the reporting period
Cancellation of registration (section 27(2)(b))	9
Complaint not required (section 45(c))	7
Not within power (section 57(1)(a))	33
Other person or authority (section 57(1)(b))	40
Without substance (section 57(1)(c))	7
Referred during the reporting period
Disciplinary committee (section 53(1)(c))	4
Impairment Review Committee (section 53(1)(d))	0
State Administrative Tribunal (section 53(1)(e))	5
Total	148

_{(a) As per the specified section in the Teacher Registration Act.}

 

Disciplinary committee

During 2023–24, 4 disciplinary matters were referred to a disciplinary committee. Of those matters, 1 has been finalised and the remaining 3 are ongoing.

A disciplinary committee also considered 4 disciplinary matters which were referred in a previous reporting period. This figure includes 1 disciplinary matter that was held in abeyance from the 2021–22 reporting period. Of those matters, 3 have been finalised and the remaining 1 is ongoing.

Of the 4 finalised matters:

• 3 teachers received reprimands
• 1 teacher was referred to the SAT seeking cancellation of registration and disqualification for a period.

 

Impairment Review Committee

No matters were referred to the Impairment Review Committee in 2023–24. 

 

Referral to the State Administrative Tribunal

We referred 5 matters to the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) in 2023–24. All 5 matters are ongoing.

Of the 3 ongoing matters from 2022–23, the SAT ordered:

• 2 teachers be disqualified from applying for registration for a period
• 1 registration be cancelled and the teacher disqualified from applying for registration for a period.

 

Interim orders

Under the legislative changes that came into effect on 19 December 2023, interim disciplinary orders are now referred to as interim orders.

We have the authority to make interim orders that include placing conditions on registration or suspending registration. The interim order committee and the Director, Teacher Registration under delegation from the Board also have this authority.

With respect to interim orders, under the Teacher Registration Act, the Board:

• may make an interim order where it believes, on reasonable grounds, that a teacher may pose a risk of harm to any person or student, or that a suspension is necessary to protect a student (section 59 of the Act)
• must make an interim order suspending a teacher’s registration if the teacher is charged with an actionable offence (section 60 of the Act).

The interim order committee met to consider 2 matters pursuant to section 59(2) of the Teacher Registration Act. In both matters, interim orders were made to suspend the teacher’s registration.

The Director, Teacher Registration made 6 ‘section 60’ interim orders. Subsequent to these orders being made in each instance, interim negative notices were issued resulting in the cancellation of registration.

Unless the order is revoked, we must refer all matters for which an interim order has been made to the SAT within 14 days. The 2 interim orders made by the interim order committee were referred to the SAT within 14 days of being made.

We are responsible for accrediting initial teacher education (ITE) programs delivered by Western Australian higher education providers. The accreditation of ITE programs is directly linked to teacher registration. For a person to be eligible for Full Registration or Provisional Registration under the Teacher Registration Act, they must have a teaching qualification from an accredited ITE program, one that we recognise as equivalent to such a qualification, or a teaching qualification and teaching experience that the Board considers sufficient.

Applications from ITE providers for program accreditation or re‑accreditation are assessed against the Western Australian Standards for the Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs by a panel of education experts we appoint. The standards are based on nationally agreed accreditation standards.

Approved programs are accredited for up to 5 years and recognised for the purposes of teacher registration by other Australian state and territory teacher regulatory authorities. For the number of accredited ITE programs in Western Australia, refer to Table 7.

During 2023–24, we approved the accreditation of 1 new teacher education program and the re‑accreditation of 8 existing programs.

The Graduate Diploma in Teaching offered by Edith Cowan University and the Graduate Diploma in Education offered by Curtin University are 1‑year postgraduate ITE programs. Neither of these programs are eligible for ITE accreditation given that the minimum duration of postgraduate ITE programs for the purpose of ITE accreditation is 2 years. The graduate diplomas, in combination with a 3‑year undergraduate degree, are approved for the purposes of teacher registration.

Table 7: Accredited initial teacher education programs at 30 June 2022–23 and 2023–24

ITE Programs	Undergraduate		Postgraduate		Total
	2022–23	2023–24	2022–23	2023–24	2022–23	2023–24
Early childhood	4	4	1	1	5	5
Early childhood/primary	1	1	2	2	3	3
Primary	5	6	3	3	8	9
Primary/secondary	1	1	0	0	1	1
Secondary	5	5	5	5	10	10
Early childhood/primary/secondary	0	0	2	2	2	2
Total	16	17	13	13	29	30

We aim to provide clear and consistent information about registration requirements and processes to assist stakeholders to understand our regulatory and compliance requirements. In addition, engagement with stakeholders provides the opportunity to improve our regulatory services.

In 2023–24, we published a video, a summary information sheet and a detailed landing page on our website to provide stakeholders with clear and timely information about legislative changes to the Teacher Registration Act. We also ran a series of webinars for stakeholders to provide information and answer questions about the amendments.

In 2024, we ran a dedicated employer obligations webinar for employers to explain and answer questions about how the legislative changes that came into effect on 19 December 2023 affect them.

Employers of teachers are contacted annually about their obligations under the Teacher Registration Act and are reminded:

• to provide notifications when required
• to appoint, employ or engage only registered teachers to teach in educational institutions, including in accordance with any conditions on their registration
• of the renewal of registration process
• of the due date for payment of the annual fee
• of the benefits of using the Teacher Register Information (Professional) online service (TRIP).

The TRIP online management tool for employers is available for use by all schools. It provides principals and employers with up‑to‑date information on the registration status of current and prospective teachers, including:

• any conditions placed on a teacher’s registration
• the annual fee due date
• the registration expiry date
• the most recent fit and proper determination date.

Teacher Registration directorate staff delivered face‑to‑face and online presentations to pre‑service, early career and returning teachers about the requirements and process for registration.

We supported the Australian Teacher Workforce Data initiative for the fourth year by providing registered teachers with access to the Australian Teacher Workforce Survey. This data collection provides insights into the national teacher workforce.

We consulted with a number of educational institutions and stakeholders about moving applications for Limited Registration to an online format. Feedback about the change was positive, with processing time anticipated to be significantly reduced.

We continued to engage with other regulatory authorities, education sector representatives and higher education providers to exchange information, provide advice and guidance on regulatory requirements and seek feedback on our regulatory services.

Feedback from applicants and teachers is important to us and informs improvements to regulatory services, online services, communication and policies. Feedback can be made in person, by email or by mail.