Staff in the classroom.

Teacher

The teacher is the most important staff member for you and your child. They teach your child and see your child regularly. The law sets the requirements a teacher must meet. These are called competence requirements. The school is responsible for the teachers’ competence and keeps track of their development in a file. The collective labor agreement says what a teacher must do and know. It also gives an overview of all possible jobs in education.

Primary school

In primary education, your child is taught all day by the same teacher. This teacher is responsible for the class. Often, children are taught by several teachers who take turns during the week. Each teacher has a diploma from the teacher training college.

There are extra requirements for gym lessons. Every teacher can give gym lessons to groups 1 and 2, but to teach gym to groups 3 to 8, special permission is needed. In special education, every teacher can give gym lessons until children reach seven years old.

Secondary school

In secondary school, children get different teachers for each subject. These teachers are responsible for results in their subject. The contact person for students and parents is often the mentor, who gives mentor hours besides the regular classes. In secondary education, teachers can have two types of permission:

• First degree teaching qualification: these teachers can teach all classes at higher general secondary education, pre-university education, and preparatory secondary vocational education.
• Second degree teaching qualification: these teachers can teach the first three classes at higher general secondary education and pre-university education and all classes at preparatory secondary vocational education.

Classroom and teaching assistant

The classroom assistant supports the teacher by setting up and cleaning up lesson materials. The teaching assistant also guides small groups of students in learning. Both work under the teacher’s responsibility. They should not stand in front of the class alone or do tasks they are not trained for or paid to do. If a teaching assistant does stand in front of the class, it must always be under the responsibility of a qualified teacher. This teacher is also the contact if problems arise.

Intern

An intern in training is not allowed to teach a group of students alone. The intern can teach and do tasks alone under the supervision and final responsibility of a qualified teacher. How much independence the intern has depends on the context and the judgment of the qualified teacher, under the school governing body’s responsibility.

Teacher in training

A teacher in training is a student nearing the end of teacher training and teaching in a school. They do not have a teaching qualification yet, but may teach without a teacher’s supervision. The school and the teacher in training make agreements about the tasks and activities the teacher in training does. The national government gives more information about the rules for a teacher in training.

Teaching without qualification

Education can also be given by an unqualified teacher in rare cases. This can happen in these situations:

• The teacher is still in training, as described above.
• If a teacher is ill, an unqualified teacher may take over the lessons for a maximum of one year. This can only happen if the school has no other options.
• The teacher is a lateral entrant: someone who wants to become a teacher from another job or get permission to teach another subject. A lateral entrant must get the required teaching qualification within two years.
• Second degree teachers may teach the upper classes of higher general secondary education or pre-university education for a maximum of one year. This must be at most 50% of their lessons. The rest must be in lower classes. The school must inform the education inspectorate about this.
• For some subjects, there is no teacher training. Then a teacher may teach if they meet the competence requirements.

Declaration of Admissibility

All teachers and many other school staff need a declaration of admissibility.