In Budget 24, the Government announced an expansion of the School Onsite Training Programme (SOTP) to grow the number of funded places available for teacher trainees from 600 to 1200 over the next four years.
The SOTP pathway is designed to provide teacher trainees with experiences of the classroom environment while they study. It has proven popular with schools and teacher trainees, with both finding the additional classroom time invaluable.
The response since the Minister’s announcement to expand the programme has been positive and we are pleased to provide you with an update on how the programme expansion will be implemented.
2025 – the expanded programme will be open for applications from ITE providers and interested schools and kura including primary from 22 August.
In 2025, the SOTP will be delivered through a combination of the current providers, as well as new ITE providers, schools and kura entering the programme to fill the expanded number of places.
This will be an opportunity for ITE providers and schools to jointly indicate their preparedness to join the programme – to train, and host SOTP-funded teacher trainees for the 2025 school year. There are 92 new funded places available.
New places will include places for the primary sector.
If you are a school or kura who wants to be involved but doesn’t currently have a relationship with an ITE provider, then we’re here to support you. A link will be made available on 22 August 2024 to register your interest. We will provide you with more information as well as contact details for ITE providers to help you establish that relationship.
ITE providers and participating host schools have told us the importance of supporting all parties to understand their roles and responsibilities in the programme, so teacher trainees have an excellent learning experience. This expansion and application process builds on the existing design strengths of the programme, where host schools have played a key role in the selection process for teacher trainees, and in supporting them.
It is also available on the SOTP webpage. The application form captures essential information needed to allocate the funded places.
We will need to know the number of schools and teacher trainee places being planned for, which ITE programme is planning to be offered, and the school type/s and locations.
The Ministry will not play a role in determining what schools or teacher trainees are involved. The process that we have designed is fair and transparent for those wishing to apply, for the limited number of places available.
Not ready now, but interested in future intakes?
We will grow the programme for the 2026 school year with additional providers and schools having the opportunity to join the SOTP.
More information on the programme is available on our Applying for a School Onsite Training Programme | Education Workforce or email Info.sotp@education.govt.nz
