School Onsite Training Programme

The School Onsite Training Programme (SOTP) provides funding for places in school-based Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. It gives student teachers the opportunity to gain practical teaching experience in a host school, while studying towards their teaching qualification.

Funding

The Ministry pays SOTP funding to ITE providers. ITE providers distribute this funding to schools and kura, and student teachers participating in their ITE programmes.

Each student teacher receives a bursary of $19,930 to support them while they are onsite and studying. ITE providers pay student teachers at regular intervals throughout the academic year. SOTP participants must cover course fees, and they can use their bursary for this.

Host schools and kura receive $2,000 per student teacher. This contributes to the cost of hosting onsite for the school year.

Applications

Applications are now closed. 

ITE providers complete applications with their host schools. ITE providers will then submit applications to the Ministry.

A panel will assess applications to ensure their programmes are aligned with the Government’s education priorities.

The Ministry will notify ITE providers of the results. ITE providers communicate these with their host schools.

Information for schools and kura  

Schools and kura wanting to be a host school should contact their partner ITE provider to express their interest.

Schools and kura who do not have a partner ITE provider can refer to the list of providers available on the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand website. We encourage schools and kura to contact ITE providers with programmes best suited to their needs.

Primary and secondary schools have different requirements.

Primary schools must:

• demonstrate solid understanding of the science of learning and its application in school
• demonstrate school-wide commitment to professional learning and development (PLD) in maths and structured literacy
• have an experienced mentor teacher (4 years or more teaching experience) who has completed PLD in structured literacy and structured mathematics.

Secondary schools must:

• understand the science of learning and its application in school
• have an experienced mentor teacher (4 years or more teaching experience).

Your school and kura is ineligible if:

• you are a charter school
• your student teacher is not a New Zealand resident or permanent citizen
• your student teacher has been awarded a TeachNZ scholarship.

Information for ITE providers

To be eligible for SOTP funding, ITE providers must deliver an approved 1-year graduate or postgraduate ITE programme that:

• will lead to teacher registration  
• is focused on primary or secondary education.

ITE providers must also:

• demonstrate understanding of and integrate work-based pedagogy in their programme delivery and design. They must work with host schools on this design and delivery.
• demonstrate how SOTP delivers wraparound support and structure for student teachers
  include explicit focus on preparing teachers to teach the new curriculum, including structured literacy, mathematics and the science of learning
• demonstrate how assessment includes authentic evidence generated through practice, including onsite assessment involving mentor teachers and other school staff where appropriate
• have clear agreements with schools that address how student teachers will be supported onsite by experienced mentor teachers
• offer opportunities for mentor teachers to enhance their mentoring skills
• have clear agreements with host schools on how they work together to select student teachers.

ITE providers' responsibilities:

• marketing and promoting their programme and SOTP-funded places
• providing programme governance
• programme monitoring and reporting
• providing ongoing learning and development for student teachers
• enrolling students in an approved ITE programme leading to teacher registration
• acting as a go-between for the Ministry and participating schools
• collecting data and meeting the Ministry’s reporting requirements.

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