Information for schools and ITE provider about the School Onsite Training Programme (SOTP).
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Last updated 16 December 2024
The 2025 intake is now closed.
There were an additional 92 new SOTP places available for the 2025 intake, and there will be more places available in 2026. Funded places are available for primary and secondary teacher trainees.
Schools interested in joining in 2026
We will grow the programme for the 2026 school year with additional providers and schools having the opportunity to join.
Register your interest and be added to our mailing list to receive updates on the 2026 SOTP programme
ITE providers and associated schools were invited to submit an application for SOTP places starting from the beginning of 2025. All applications were assessed against a set of criteria based on priorities of the initiative.
Criteria matrix for place allocation
Programme criteria
Programme weighting
Programme meets all initial requirements detailed below
Pass/fail
Schools have already been identified; can host number of places requested
20%
Priorities criteria
Priorities weighting
Primary education sector places are provided
40%
Regions outside of Auckland are provided
15%
Māori Language Immersion levels 1-3 provided
15%
Rural/isolated schools provided
10%
Scoring
The programme criterion – 'schools have already been identified; can host number of places requested’ has a maximum score of 5:
Yes = 5
No = 0
The priorities criteria each have a maximum score of 5:
0-9% of total places = 0
10-19% of total places = 1
20-29% of total places = 2
30-39% of total places = 3
40-49% of total places = 4
50+% of total places = 5
Initial requirements (all must be met)
The programme to be delivered is:
an approved 1-year ITE programme that will lead to teacher registration
trainees will be selected jointly by the host school and ITE provider
trainees will be based in a host school for at least 3 days per week
a mentor teacher is available to support each trainee
a signed agreement between school(s) and provider will be established detailing the settings, requirements, and conditions of the programme.
Selection of teacher trainees
Schools and ITE providers are responsible for selecting which trainees are involved in the programme. The role of the Ministry is to distribute the funded places only. The Ministry is not responsible for choosing which schools are involved.
