Mandatory Report Template about Alledged Serious Misconduct by a Teacher
This template letter is for reporting to the New Zealand Teachers Council if you have reason to believe that a registered teacher has engaged in serious misconduct. It can be combined with another mandatory report for teacher dismissal or resignation if necessary.
You can copy and paste it into your own word processing programme to edit and print out on school letterhead.
You should send this report to the New Zealand Teachers Council as soon as possible after determining that you have reason to believe the teacher has engaged in serious misconduct.
[insert date]
The Manager Teacher Practice
New Zealand Teachers Council
PO Box 5326
WELLINGTON
I am writing to report on behalf of [insert name of employer] to inform the New Zealand Teachers Council that we have reason to believe a teacher employed at our school/centre [delete whichever is not applicable] has engaged in serious misconduct.
The teacher's full name is [insert].
The teacher's maiden name/former name is [insert if applicable].
The teacher's registration number is [insert].
[Please note this is not the teacher's Ministry of Education number]
The teacher's date of birth is [insert].
The teacher's last known address is [insert].
The conduct which the employer has reason to believe is serious misconduct comprises:
[Provide full details including names and contact details of relevant and attach all relevant documentation*]
The employer took the following action with respect to the possible serious misconduct:
[Provide details including information about responses or actions of the teacher and enclose all relevant documentation*]
The following people can provide further information about this matter (if applicable):
[Provide contact details of relevant persons. This could include relevant government agencies and the police]
In my opinion, an appropriate outcome for this matter would be [insert]
(Examples of possible outcomes could include that the teacher receives support and guidance from relevant people, the teacher should be referred to an impairment process, the teacher should have conditions placed on his/her registration, the teacher should be censured, the teacher should have condition of his/her registration or the teacher should be deregistered].
[Signature]
[Name]
[Position]
Relevant documentation means documentation that provides evidence of the matters complained of or reported about that could include but is not limited to:
- statements of complainants, witnesses and any other persons;
- letters of complaint received by the employer about the teacher (including staff, parents, and students);
- letters between the employer or professional leader and the teacher concerning the complaint or matter of concern;
- any statement or responses, or records of these statements or responses received from the teacher or his/her advocate;
- the teacher's letter of resignation (if applicable);
- minutes of Board of Trustees meetings at which the matter was discussed;
- recent performance appraisals of the teacher;
- examples of the teacher's planning, assessment and evaluation (if applicable)
- reports of independent investigators (if applicable); and
- any other relevant information provided by other persons or by the police.
The New Zealand Teachers Council normally sends the teacher a copy of all of the initial information that is received concerning him or her, in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993 and the rules of natural justice. The teacher must be given an early opportunity to answer the allegations that have been made against him or her, and an opportunity to correct any information held on his or her file. The New Zealand Teachers Council will not generally consider any documents that the teacher has not seen. If you require any additional clarification of this aspect of the process, please contact the New Zealand Teachers Council.