Teaching interview questions and practice
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Registration and your first certificate
To teach in New Zealand you need to be registered and hold a current practising certificate. Registration alone does not let you teach. Once your initial teacher education provider confirms you have graduated, you apply through the Teaching Council's My Rawa portal to register and for your first certificate.
That first certificate is the Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Tōmua | Provisional Practising Certificate. It means you have not yet had the chance to show you can independently meet the Standards, because you are new to teaching in New Zealand. It is issued or renewed for three years and is designed to be held for a maximum of five years: you are expected to complete induction and mentoring and gain Tūturu | Full (Category One) within that time. See Apply for a Tōmua | Provisional Practising Certificate.
The certificate types
| Certificate | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Tōmua | Provisional Practising Certificate | New and beginning teachers, and overseas-trained teachers new to NZ. You meet the Standards with support while completing induction and mentoring. |
| Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Tūturu | Full Practising Certificate (Category One) | Teachers endorsed as independently meeting the Standards. |
| Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Pūmau | Full Practising Certificate (Category Two) | Experienced teachers who previously held Tūturu but whose current role does not allow endorsement on all the Standards. |
Source: the Teaching Council's types of practising certificates page.
Induction and mentoring
To start an induction and mentoring programme, you must be employed in a teaching position (not a volunteer or teacher aide role) of at least 0.5 FTTE in an early childhood centre, school or kura. Your employer should provide a formal programme of at least two years, and your mentor must hold a Tūturu | Full Practising Certificate. With your mentor and professional leader you will:
- set goals
- reflect on your progress
- keep records of your learning and development
- show how you are meeting the Standards.
You should have regular, timetabled time for the programme: observing other teachers, meeting your mentor, professional reading and courses. Full details are on the Council's induction and mentoring page.
Your professional leader
Your professional leader (in a school, usually the principal or a senior leader they nominate) oversees your programme. At the end, they make an evidence-based decision about whether you are ready for Tūturu | Full (Category One) and endorse your application. They will rely on your records and your mentor's judgement, so keep both up to date.
When you can apply for Tūturu
According to the Teaching Council's change your practising certificate type page, you can apply for Tūturu | Full (Category One) if you:
- hold a Tōmua | Provisional Practising Certificate
- have evidence of completing formal induction and mentoring for at least two years in New Zealand (or one year, if the Council has approved evidence of at least one year of overseas induction and mentoring)
- have been endorsed by your mentor and professional leader
- work at least 0.5 FTTE
- can show you meet the Standards independently.
You apply through My Rawa. Once you hold Tūturu, you will never be required to return to Tōmua.
Keeping the right records
The Council may ask for evidence of your two-year programme when you apply. It suggests documentation from the beginning, middle and end of each year, all dated, showing:
- regular meetings with your mentor
- formative and summative feedback
- observations of your teaching throughout the programme
- your regular reflections
- professional learning you took part in.
It wants to see a coherent programme and to ‘hear’ both your voice and your mentor's. If you change schools, take your records with you so your progress continues. Our guide to Standards evidence for beginning teachers shows what to collect.
The Standards change on 1 January 2027, when the 2026 Standards take formal effect for endorsement. If you expect to apply for Tūturu in 2027 or later, ask your professional leader to record your evidence against the 2026 Standards. See the Council's Move to the 2026 Standards page.
If you only do relief teaching
Day-to-day relieving and one-on-one tutoring are not role types for induction and mentoring, so relief work alone will not get you to Tūturu. What you can do:
- Look for a long-term relief or fixed-term role of at least 0.5 FTTE. You can combine two part-time teaching positions to reach 0.5 FTTE, as long as your mentor observes you in both.
- Keep your Tōmua certificate current. You can renew it if you haven't completed induction and mentoring. Check the Council's renew after time away page if you have had limited teaching.
- Keep notes and feedback from relief days. They don't count as induction but they are useful evidence and interview material.
Read relief teaching tips for getting on schools' lists, and practise for the fixed-term interview with the free teaching interview questions tool.
Requirements can change. Check the Teaching Council's current guidance before you apply, and contact the Council directly if your situation is unusual.