Teaching Jobs

Our commitment to you

The Northern Territory Department of Education and Training recognises and rewards all of our teachers through a range of allowances, competitive rates of pay, professional development and mentoring, especially those who accept the challenges of working in very remote Indigenous communities.

Pay and conditions available to all Northern Territory Teachers
Additional benefits to remote teachers
Professional support for remote teachers

Pay and conditions available to all Northern Territory Teachers

As a teacher working in the Northern Territory you will be entitled to a range of benefits including:

• Salary and allowances
  
  Northern Territory teachers are among the highest paid in Australia. You can earn up to $83,065 a year, plus substantial allowances for working in remote schools.
  
  Teacher and educator salary rates in the NT
  Conditions of Employment Handbook
  
  
• Relocation and storage
  
  You may be offered assistance if you are required to relocate to, or within, the Northern Territory.
  
  Relocation and Storage Policy (pdf 40 kb)
  
  
• Laptop computers
  
  We are one of the few Australian jurisdictions to provide all of our teachers with a laptop computer at no cost to the teacher.
  
  You will receive a laptop for the duration of your employment as part of our commitment to assist you to develop and deliver education programs using up-to-date technology, giving you greater flexibility in how you work and prepare lessons.
  
  
• Leave
  
  All teachers are able to access paid or unpaid leave for a variety of purposes.
  
  As a teacher you are entitled to 6 weeks recreation leave per year (taken during school holidays). In general however, you are not required to attend school during school vacation periods although you may use this time to undertake professional development or some preparatory work.
  
  Term dates
  
  
• Maternity/parental leave
  
  After working for 12 months in Northern Territory Government schools, you are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity/parental leave, of which 14 weeks will be paid leave at full pay or 28 weeks at half pay.
  
  
• Personal leave
  
  We recognise the importance of the personal and family responsibilities of our teachers. You can access to up to three weeks paid personal leave each year. This leave can be used to cover personal illness or injury, or to provide care and support to an immediate family or household member.
  
  
• First aid allowance
  
  If you have a current accredited first aid qualification, you may be eligible for fortnightly first aid allowance from the department subject to approval from the school principal.
  
  
• Four-wheel drive (4WD) training
  
  We offer four-wheel drive (4WD) training to teachers and educators who live in, or regularly visit, schools in very remote locations and who require the skills to drive a 4WD to travel for work. You can do the 4WD training at the start of your employment as part of the teacher orientation program or by request.

Additional benefits for remote teachers

As a remote teacher the additional benefits you are eligible for will depend on the category of your school (pdf 41 kb). Benefits include:

• Remote incentive allowance
  
  As a teacher living and working in a remote community you will receive a fortnightly incentive allowance in addition to your normal salary. A higher remote incentive allowance will be offered if you have recognised dependants.
  
  
• Remote retention payment
  
  You will receive one lump sum payment from the department after completing 12 months of continuous service in an eligible remote location.
  
  
• Special study leave
  
  You will be eligible to apply for one semester of study leave at full pay or two semesters of study leave at half pay after completing a minimum of four years of service in a remote school.
  
  For each year of service in a remote community you accrue points towards special study leave. You need 20 points to be eligible for special study leave. The points you can accrue annually vary between 2 and 5 points per year depending on the remoteness of your location.
  
  
• Free housing for teachers recruited to remote communities
  
  You will be provided with rent free government employee housing. The department funds the local school to provide basic furnishing for the houses including beds, lounge and dining suites and essential white goods.
  
  
• Fares out of isolated locations
  
  As a remote teacher you can access up to three airfares per year out of an isolated town or remote community for yourself and your recognised dependants. These airfares can be used to fly to Alice Springs or Darwin, depending on the location of the remote community.
  
  You may also be entitled up to three days accommodation allowance to use in conjunction with fares out of an isolated town or remote community.
  
  
• Family travel assistance
  
  If you are required to participate in professional development in an urban centre, you may be eligible for travel assistance for your family members to accompany you once a year.
  
  
• Leave to attend to business outside the remote community
  
  In recognition of the limited services that may be available in remote communities, you can use up to four business days each year to access services not available in the community where you teach.
  
  
• Guaranteed transfer
  
  To acknowledge the commitment and increased skills of a teacher who has worked in remote Indigenous communities for three or more years, you will be guaranteed a transfer to Darwin, Alice Springs or Katherine.
  
  
• Special teaching allowances
  
  Under certain circumstances such as teaching students with special needs or teaching in a one-teacher school, you may be eligible to collect a special teaching allowance.

Professional support for remote teachers

The Remote Teaching Service provides a range of professional and personal support services for teachers working and living in very remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. Remote teachers will be offered the following:

• Tailored orientation
  
  The 'Orientation in the Territory' program has been designed to welcome and support all new teachers, starting with a five day orientation event in Darwin called 'Arriving in the Territory'. The orientation will introduce you to the services, systems, networks and contacts that support your teaching career, as well as prepare you for what it is like to teach in the Northern Territory.
  
  A wide range of topics are covered including an introduction to the professional knowledge and standards needed to teach in the Northern Territory, cross cultural training, building relationships with peers and mentors and hands on experience with online systems and resources.
  
  
• Teacher forums
  
  A program of forums will provide additional professional development opportunities over a two-year timeframe. Forums include - 'Thriving in the Territory', 'Achieving in the Territory' and 'Succeeding in the Territory'.
  
  The forums will give you the chance to meet other teachers face-to-face, share experiences and support each other outside your classrooms.
  
  The forums are also designed to give feedback on the timeliness, effectiveness and relevance of existing support networks and programs.
  
  
• Induction program
  
  No two schools and communities are the same. Upon your arrival, the school principal will provide you with specific information about your school and community to support your transition to your new role.
  
  
• National remote teachers conference
  
  You may apply to attend our annual remote teachers conference with other remote teachers from across Australia. The conference will bring you up-to-date with developments and teaching trends to ensure your skills and practices remain current.
  
  
• Professional teacher network
  
  In 2011, an online teaching and learning network will allow new teachers to be mentored and coached by experienced teachers.
  
  The online network will enable communication with your peers, access to a range of resources including lesson plans, videos showing examples of teaching excellence, lists of helpful websites and frequently asked questions.
  
  You will be able to access the network through emails, teleconferences and online forums and connect with other remote teachers and the wider teaching community for advice and support.
  
  
• Ongoing professional development opportunities
  
  We offer a range of professional development opportunities to teachers throughout their careers in the Northern Territory.
  
  As a new teacher in a very remote Indigenous community, you will be supported to complete a fully-funded Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Indigenous Education through Charles Darwin University. This course is offered as an intensive block and online study.
  
  
• Remote Teacher Support Officers
  
  Remote teachers have access to a Remote Teacher Support Officer, who will be available in each of the Northern Territory's five regional centres.
  
  Remote Teacher Support Officers are your first point of contact to help resolve any issues or answer any questions.
  
  These officers will identify continuing issues and proactively support teachers in very remote Indigenous schools. They report directly to the Directors of School Performance in each region.