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How to Become a Casual Relief Teacher in Victoria - ClassCover

How to Become a Casual Relief Teacher in Victoria: A Guide for 2024

    Interested in becoming a casual relief teacher in Victoria? Here’s everything you need to know from what to study, where to find work, relief teacher pay, and more. 

    How to Become a Casual Relief Teacher in Victoria 

    So you’ve decided that you want to become a casual relief teacher in Victoria—congrats! You’re almost ready to join thousands of dedicated professionals across the state making a difference in the lives of students. Before you can do that, though, there are some criteria you will need to tick off to make sure that you are ready to step into the classroom. For those interested in relief teaching in Melbourne and other parts of Victoria, the training and certification is the same as that for full-time classroom teachers. Here’s what you will need to do before you can become a casual relief teacher in Victoria.

    Gain your Teaching Qualifications 

    In order to work as a casual relief teacher in Victoria, you first have to gain the necessary qualifications. This is either a four-year Bachelor of Education, or some combination of a double degree or bachelor’s degree, followed by postgraduate study that is an approved initial teacher education course, or ITE. Here is a full list of courses that are ITE approved 

    Register as a Teacher 

    All teachers in Victoria—including casual relief teachers—must complete their registration before they can begin teaching. Relief teachers in Victoria don’t have their own category for registration, and instead can apply for either provisional or full registration depending on their experience. Here is an overview of the requirements for each registration category: 

    Provisional Registration

    Provisional registration is generally for recent graduates and those re-entering the industry after an extended break. Provisional registration is for those who can demonstrate their teaching qualifications but have not taught for 80 days in the past 5 years and who can’t demonstrate proficiency in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).  

    Full Registration 

    Full registration is for teachers who can demonstrate the above, have taught for a minimum of 80 days in the past 5 years, and have met the APST at the proficient level.  

    Here is more information on registration requirements for teachers in Victoria 

    Maintain your Professional Development 

    All casual relief teachers in Victoria who have full registration must complete at least 20 hours of professional development each year to maintain their registration. The definition for what constitutes professional development for teachers in VIC is fairly broad, and can include anything from seminars, conferences, workshops and online learning. Whatever professional learning you choose to do, it must be in line with the APST. Read on to learn about cost effective online PD options designed for relief teachers.  

    Learn more about the professional development requirements for teachers in Victoria.  

    Casual Relief Teacher Pay Victoria 

    Casual teacher rates in Victoria are on an hourly basis, starting at $69.57 per hour, up to a daily maximum rate of $417.31. Per the state government, casual relief teachers in Victoria must be paid for a minimum of 3 hours work on any one day. This information is correct for Victorian public schools as of November 2024. More information on casual teacher rates in Victoria 

    Casual Relief Teacher Jobs Melbourne and Victoria 

    Once you have gained your accreditation to work as a casual relief teacher in Victoria, you’re ready to go out there and find work. For those looking for casual relief teaching jobs in Melbourne and the rest of the state, there are three main ways to do it. 

    Reach out to schools directly 

    The original way for casual relief teachers to find work is of course to connect with schools directly, either by giving them a call or stopping by in person to drop off a CV. These days, while there are a lot of alternatives that can save time for teachers, some people still choose to reach out to schools directly to build relationships. While there is something to be said for introducing yourself in person, the time it takes to physically reach out to multiple schools can be cumbersome and put you on the back foot when you are trying to find work quickly.  

    Work with an agency 

    Another solution to find work is by partnering with an agency. While these businesses can make life easier by finding work for relief teachers, they typically take a percentage of the teacher’s daily rate as a finders fee. If you do opt to sign up with a teaching agency, it’s a good idea to read your contract thoroughly as many agencies lock teachers in and prevent them from finding and accepting work elsewhere for example, if a school directly offered you an extended contract.  

    Connect with schools near you on ClassCover 

    ClassCover was launched over 10 years ago by two former teachers who wanted to create a better way to connect casual relief teachers with schools. These days, tens of thousands of relief teachers in Victoria and around Australia use ClassCover on a daily basis to find and book work. The platform is completely free for teachers, meaning you will always be paid your full rate for every day you teach. 

    So how does it work?  

    The first thing you need to do is create your free teacher profile — click here to do that. Once you have completed your profile there are two ways to connect with new schools. 

    Reach out to schools in your area 

    Once you have created your teacher profile, you’re ready to start connecting with schools in your area. From the Find New Schools page, browse the list of schools near you or filter by post code, school name and more. 

    Here’s what it looks like searching for schools in Melbourne:  

    Find New Schools Near You on ClassCover

    Once you see a school you like the look of, you can request to be added to that school’s list of casual teachers. Your teacher profile will automatically be sent to the school with an overview of your qualifications, work experience and any other details you have added. Once the school accepts your request, you’ll begin getting booking requests for that school. It’s as simple as that.  

    Browse open job ads 

    Another great way to find work on ClassCover is by using our education-only jobs board, ClassCover Jobs. As well as callouts for casual teachers, ClassCover Jobs is your one-stop-shop for full-time, part-time, and contract teaching roles in Victoria and all over Australia. If you’re looking for a particular teaching role—say a contract English teacher role near Fitzroy—you can even set up a job alert to be notified when suitable jobs are posted.  

    Teacher Professional Development in Victoria 

    As we mentioned earlier, all teachers in Victoria, whether you are a full-time classroom teacher, a casual relief teacher, or sit somewhere in between, must complete 20 hours of professional development each year to maintain your accreditation. So, what’s the best option when it comes to professional development for teachers in VIC?  

    While full-time classroom teachers tend to have the benefit of being paid to undertake PD by their employers, most casual relief teachers aren’t so lucky. If you’re looking for a flexible, cost-effective way to complete your teacher PD, ClassCover Learn has over 100 hours of on-demand, online teacher PD that’s in line with the APST. Unlimited access is available for $12 per month or $99 per year. We even have a range of free professional development for teachers.  

    Learn more about ClassCover Learn. 

    Teacher Resume Victoria  

    Before you begin applying for casual relief teacher roles in Victoria, it’s a good idea to make sure your resume is up to scratch. We know it can be tricky figuring out which information to include on your resume as a teacher—particularly if you are new to teaching or haven’t updated it in a while. Here’s some key information to include on your Australian teacher resume:  

    Contact info 

    It may sound basic, but having up to date contact information displayed front and centre on your teacher resume can mean the difference between getting the teaching job of your dreams or being left high and dry. At a minimum, it’s a good idea to include your phone number and email address. If you’ve already created your teacher profile on ClassCover, you can even include a link to your ClassCover Teacher Portfolio, which acts like a digital CV.  

    Your availability 

    Particularly if you’re applying for applying for casual relief teaching roles in Victoria, it’s important to include your general availability for schools to see quickly. This will make life easier for the person doing the hiring and increase your chances of getting a callback.  

    Your work history 

    Your previous teaching work experience is also important to include on your CV. If you’re new to teaching, use this space to include in-school prac placements or any work experience that is related to the role you are applying for.  

    Qualifications and PD courses 

    To help you stand out from other candidates and help yourself snag the teaching role of your dreams, make sure you include any relevant qualifications and PD courses you have completed.  

    Free Victorian Teacher Resume Template — Click to download  

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