THE PURPOSE OF CERTIFICATION
The purpose of Certification is:
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to highlight the importance of the need for all staff in Catholic Schools to gain qualifications and experience appropriate to their role and to continue to develop these so that the Catholic Special Character of the school is maintained and enhanced;
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to provide a means of official recognition by the Church for staff who have committed themselves to continuing their professional development;
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to provide a system by which staff suitability qualified for positions in Catholic schools can be determined and applied nationally;
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to ensure that teachers become as professionally competent in teaching ReligiousEducation as in other curriculum areas.
THE CERTIFICATION SYSTEM
Certification allocates credit-hours for courses related to qualifications and professional development in Religious Education and Catholic Special Character.
Teachers are expected to acquire credit-hours over a period of time and Certification verifies that this formation has taken place.
Certification is attained by meeting the requirements for each level. There are four levels of certification:
1. Foundation Level
2. Classroom Level
3. Leadership Level
4. Graduate Level
This continuing personal formation and qualification at each level will include, as appropriate, the major components of Catholic Theology, Scripture, Religious Education, Spirituality, Catholic Special Character and NCRS-approved electives.
While Certification can be attained through participation in a variety of courses it is preferable that teachers are working towards a recognised qualification in Religious Education or Catholic Special Character.
Credit-hours are gained by:
1) Attendance: the actual face-to-face contact time.
2) Assessment: the completion of assignments in Certificate, Diploma or Degree courses.
1. Catholic Special Character
Foundation Level
This is the basic induction Level required of all teaching staff in a Catholic school. It is achieved by attendance at a Diocesan-organised or an NCRS-approved course (of at least five hours) for Teachers New to Catholic Schools.
Classroom Level
This is the level required of all teachers holding tagged positions who do not teach Religious Education. Teachers holding non-tagged positions who do not teach Religious Education may also apply for this level.
There are three components:
i) 100 credit-hours of NCRS-approved formation spread across Catholic
Theology, Scripture, Spirituality, Catholic Special Character, Religious
Education and NCRS-approved electives, preferably leading to a recognised qualification. Some or all of these hours may have been acquired before teaching in a Catholic school.
ii) Two years in a Catholic school providing active support and/or leadership in Catholic Special Character.
iii) Appropriate appraisal.
2. Teaching Religious Education
Foundation Level
Classroom Level: Primary
For those teaching Religious Education in a primary school there are three components:
i) 100 credit-hours of NCRS recognised formation spread across Catholic
Theology, Scripture, Religious Education, Spirituality, Catholic Special Character and NCRS-approved electives, preferably leading to a recognised qualification in Religious Education. Some of these credit-hours may have been acquired before teaching in a Catholic School .
ii) Two years regular teaching of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference mandated national Religious Education Curriculum.
iii) Appropriate appraisal that includes the observation of a classroom Religious Education lesson.
Classroom Level: Secondary
For those teaching Religious Education in a Secondary school there are three components:
i) 100 credit-hours of NCRS recognised formation spread across Catholic Theology, Scripture, Religious Education, Spirituality, Catholic Special Character and NCRS-approved electives, leading to a recognised qualification in Religious Education. Some of these credit-house may have been acquired before teaching in a Catholic School.
ii) Two years regular teaching of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference mandated national Religious Education Curriculum.
iii) Appropriate appraisal that includes the observation of a classroom Religious Education lesson.
Teachers of Religious Education in Catholic secondary schools should aim to hold qualifications in Religious Education of at least the same level as their other teaching subjects.
3. Leadership Level:
Religious Education or Catholic Special Character
All teachers are encouraged to aspire to this level. This is the minimum level required of those holding, or aspiring to, the position of Principal, Director of Religious Studies and those in other significant leadership positions in Catholic schools.
There are three components:
i) For teachers with Classroom Level Certification in Religious Education, a further 75 credit-hours of formation beyond the Classroom Level which will include components selected from the following: Catholic Theology, Scripture, Religious Education, Spirituality, Catholic Special Character or NCRS-approved electives, preferably leading to a recognised qualification in Religious Education.
For teachers with Classroom Level Certification in Catholic Special Character, a further 75 credit-hours of formation beyond the Classroom Level which may include components of the following: Catholic Theology, Scripture, Spirituality, Catholic Special Character, Religious Education or NCRS-approved electives, preferably leading to a recognised qualification
ii) A further three years of regular teaching of the Religious Education Curriculum or active support of, and leadership in, Catholic Special Character.
iii) Appropriate appraisal. For Religious Education, this would include an observation of a Religious Education lesson.
4. Graduate Level:
Religious Education or Catholic Special Character
For teachers who have completed appropriate graduate studies, for example, Bachelor of Theology, Graduate Diploma in Religious Education, Master of Religious Education or a Master of Leadership in a Catholic School .
There are three components:
i) Evidence of an NCRS-approved degree.
ii) For Religious Education: five years regular teaching of the New Zealand Bishops' Conference mandated national Religious Education Curriculum and/or holding a leadership position in a Catholic school.
For Catholic Special Character: five years active support for the Catholic Special Character of the school.
iii) Appropriate appraisal.
Special note:
Teachers holding positions of Secondary Director of Religious Studies, HOD Religious Education or their equivalent, which require subject specialist knowledge, should have appropriate Graduate Level qualifications.
5. Endorsement
As a means of recording continuing professional development and formation in the areas of Catholic Special Character and Religious Education each staff member certificated at Leadership or Graduate Level will be issued with an Endorsement Certificate by the Diocesan Office. Current endorsement is valid for three years from the date of endorsement.
This Endorsement Certificate will:
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Be issued every third year on application (see Application Form p. 34).
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Record that a teacher has in the previous three years achieved 36 hours of additional NCRS-approved courses.
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Link with a school's appraisal system to verify that a teacher has undertaken the specified amount of professional development for the level concerned.
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Be recorded on a diocesan database.
6. Supplementary Notes
6.1 Definitions:
1) Diocesan Religious Education Authority normally refers to Managers or Directors of Diocesan Education/Schools Offices.
2) Credit-hours refer to the time spent in face-to-face learning and assignment time.
6.2 Notes:
i) If it is evident that a teacher is teaching a substantial part of each day in Religious Education i.e. they are effectively a specialist Religious Education teacher, the Diocesan Religious Education Authority may lessen the number of years of teaching required for Certification. The minimum requirement for this dispensation would be at least 7 hours per week teaching the Religious Education Curriculum for one year.
ii) The Diocesan Religious Education Authority may exercise discretion in regard to the number of teaching hours required for a Principal to fulfil the teaching requirements for Certification. When Principals are being appraised for Certification their participation in Religious Education will be assessed as appropriate for the role of Principal. The following professional qualities from the Handbook for Boards of Trustees of New Zealand Catholic Integrated Schools will be used as the criteria:
a) assume leadership of the religious aspects of the school;
b) be ultimately responsible to the board for the religious programme of the school and for its religious observances;
c) take religious education lessons whenever the organisation of the school requires it;
d) be a suitable role model for staff, students and parents in a Catholic school;
e) assume an appropriate leadership role in liturgies and Prayer.
Handbook for Boards of Trustees of New Zealand Catholic Integrated Schools . (2007) par.7.1.2. p.34.
iii) Credit-hours for Religious Education need to be spread across: Catholic Theology, Scripture, Spirituality, Religious Education and Catholic Special Character.
Credit-hours for Catholic Special Character while focusing on Catholic Special Character, may be spread across: Catholic Theology, Scripture, Spirituality and Religious Education.
For more information on Certification please contact:
Cushla O'Connor: Primary Adviser (Religious Education)
Ph: (03) 366 9869, email: coconnor@chch.catholic.org.nz
Charles Shaw: Secondary Adviser (Religious Education)
Ph: (03) 366 9869, email: cshaw@chch.catholic.org.nz
Accuracy of the Certification Database
All reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the information recorded on the Catholic Education Office's teacher certification database is up to date and accurate. If a teacher intends to rely on the information contained on the certification database for any purpose and/or believes that the information contained on the database relating to them is not accurate they are invited to contact one of the following Catholic Education Office personnel directly to discuss their certification record:
Cushla O'Connor (Primary Religious Education Adviser): coconnor@chch.catholic.org.nz
Charles Shaw (Seconadry Religious Education Adviser): cshaw@chch.catholic.org.nz
Mike Nolan (Manager, Catholic Education Office): mnolan@chch.catholic.org.nz