Professionalization

The professional status

The Teaching Profession Act has come into effect on 1 August 2017. The first part that teachers have to deal with is the professional statute that must be drawn up together with the school board. The charter contains agreements about the professional space of teachers.

From 1 August 2018, schools must show the Education Inspectorate that they have drawn up a professional status. The Inspectorate will check this from that moment on. That is why now is the time to think carefully about the statute and to enter into discussions with the management. After all, the professional status is the result of the agreements made about the authority of teachers. Involvement of the teacher team is therefore important.

Conducting a professional dialogue can be difficult. Often colleagues have a different opinion or it is the school administrators who have completely different views. How do you draw up a statute?

De AOb can help with that. Special trainers have been trained who can guide schools and teacher teams to make the process successful so that the professional status is within reach. AObtrainers can hold an information meeting at your school or supervise the entire process. The guidance by a trainer is tailor-made. Each trajectory is adapted to the specific wishes of the school. Interested? Please contact AObTraining via: 030 - 29 89 232 or mail to schooling @aob. Nl

Four steps are required for a good process:

Intake: Our trainers visit school and provide information about the Teaching Profession Act and the professional status. They then make an inventory of the school's wishes and needs.
Guidance in conversations between teachers: First of all, the conversation is conducted with all teachers to see what wishes teachers have in terms of control.
Guidance during discussions between teachers and competent authority: The trainers provide a safe setting for a professional dialogue between the school administrators and the teachers about control. The agreements about this will be included later in the professional statute.
Guidance on drawing up a professional status: When it is clear what should be included in the professional statute, the trainers help with formulating the agreements and drawing up the statute.

These steps can also provide guidance to school boards and teachers without the AOb draw up the statute. The AOb recommends involving as many teachers as possible in the conversation because the elaboration affects the teachers. Would you like to know more about the professional status? Consult the guide which has been drawn up jointly by the AOb, CNV and FvOv.

School group The Hague South-West held a meeting in November 2017 to discuss the professional status. Read more about the approach of this school on the website of labor market platform Voion. On the website you will find via with this link more information about the professional statute and other schools working on the statute.

Frequently asked Questions

What is a professional status?

From 1 August 2018, every competent authority in primary education, secondary education, special education and MBO has the obligation to draw up a professional statute in consultation with the teachers. In the professional statute, agreements are made about respecting the teacher's professional space.
Which professional space is it then?

It is about ensuring that the teacher has sufficient professional space in relation to the content of the curriculum, the resources used and how the curriculum is presented. The teacher must also have sufficient professional space with regard to the pedagogical-didactic approach to be used at the school and how this is implemented. This also includes the supervision of the pupils and contacts with the parents. There must also be sufficient professional leeway with regard to maintaining the competence of the teachers as part of the team.
Who checks whether a professional status is available and from when?

The Education Inspectorate can check for the presence of a professional status from 1 August 2018.
What is the term of a professional status?

There is no prescribed term. It is important to make agreements about the evaluation of the functioning of the professional status and the moments of review and to record those agreements.
Should the participation draw up the professional statute?

No, the law states that the competent authority draws up the professional status in consultation with teachers. The employee participation therefore has no formal role in the creation of a professional statute. The employee representatives can of course inquire about the state of affairs on the basis of the right of initiative.
Why is there no sample or model professional status available?

Every school is different and the professional statute gives teachers the space to give substance to their own say in consultation with school leaders and administrators. An example or model of professional status can provide too much direction. In addition, a good conversation is the most important basis for the statute and that happens differently at every school.