Education Qualification Partnership School - Placement Facilitator Form

Open Polytechnic ākonga enrolling in ITE Programmes require the support of a partner school to be accepted into the programme.

We have an applicant who has expressed interest in your school as a potential partner.

The role of the partner school

Open Polytechnic ITE programmes are designed to purposefully partner with schools to deliver high quality initial teacher education. To put it simply, the programme is designed to prepare ākonga for the classroom by being in the classroom.

The programme conditions require ākonga spend two days each week of their programme enrolment as an active member of a school community. This time in a school enhances opportunities for ākonga to directly connect educational theory delivered in the Open Polytechnic course materials with practical experience.

During this school-based experience, ākonga will observe and be exposed to a range of teaching and learning experiences while developing their teaching practice alongside qualified teachers. Ākonga are expected to contribute to the mahi of their partner school, based on their own capabilities and areas of skill or interest.

To support ākonga in these programmes partner schools are asked to:

• Incorporate ākonga into the life of the school during their time in the school.
• Provide a mentor teacher to guide and advise the ākonga throughout their time in the school. Mentor teachers work alongside ākonga to plan and guide their school-based learning activities (a payment will be provided for classroom release time). The mentor teacher will ensure the ākonga can experience a range of activities related to their online learning.
• Provide an associate teacher for one eight-week practicum (associate teachers are paid according to the relevant Collective Agreement).

The Open Polytechnic will provide a full package of resource material that details the respective responsibilities of ākonga, mentor teacher, and associate teacher, alongside regular contact and scheduled in school visits. If you would like more information before completing this form, please contact the ITE Regional Partnership Coordinator Team, ITEAdmin@openpolytechnic.ac.nz 

This form will confirm that the applicant has the support of a partner school and that the school has a staff member who is able to mentor the ākonga. 
Please note: the applicant’s enrolment cannot be completed until this form is returned.