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Employment

Employment Policy Casual/Sessional Tutors

Aim

The aim of this policy is to provide the highest possible quality service to our clients.

To achieve this, we must ensure that the College Casual/Sessional Tutors are appropriately trained, motivated and remunerated. It is therefore our objective to establish rates of remuneration, which recognise professional development and training. It is a further aim to set in motion an established system of professional development, which will develop a skill level and ethos appropriate to the Adult and Community Education (ACE) sector.

This is central to the achievement of quality aims embodied in the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF).

Rates

Rates shall be wholly inclusive of sick leave, all holiday leave, preparation time, minor associated course administration. There are two categories of rates.

  • Rate 1 (Casual/Sessional Tutor – teaching non-accredited courses) $45/hour
  • Rate 2 (Casual/Sessional Tutor – teaching accredited courses) $47.50/hour

These rates are paid for all teaching duties as described in the Duty Statement below.

  • Rate 3 (duties other than teaching) $25/hour

This rate covers duties other than teaching as approved in advance by the Faculty Manager.

Determinations
  • The Casual/Sessional Tutor has the minimum qualifications and experience described below or described in the documentation of the course to be delivered.
  • The Casual/Sessional Tutor is committed to participating in relevant professional development activities. This includes a minimum of two 2–3 hour in-house staff development sessions per year.
  • The Casual/Sessional Tutors teaching a VETAB accredited course is required to attend a minimum of two moderation/validation sessions per year.
  • The Casual/Sessional Tutor submits course planning and evaluation documentation as prescribed by the Faculty Manager.
  • The Casual/Sessional Tutor applies and responds to accepted evaluation techniques.
  • The Casual/Sessional Tutor is actively involved in minor administration of the course.

Minimum Qualifications

The minimum qualifications acceptable by the College are:

  • Prescribed in the documentation of the course being taught for accredited training.
  • Demonstrated vocational expertise and demonstrated experience delivering training and/or presentation skills.

Duty Statement, Casual/Sessional Tutor

The rate paid for Casual/Sessional Tutors shall be deemed to cover the duties on which the Casual/Sessional Tutors are engaged during the hours which they have been authorised to give actual class tuition and all the duties incidental to teaching including:

  • Attendance in the classroom 30 minutes before the commencement and until the last student has left at the end of each session.
  • Setting and marking of assessments and students’ practical work.
  • Preparing special lectures and lecture demonstrations.
  • Completing records and returns.
  • Familiarising with the syllabus.
  • Development and submission of lesson plans, preparation of lesson notes, preparation of teaching aids, collection and preparation of course consumables.
  • Ongoing course evaluation and improvement.

Quality Delivery

Casual/Sessional Tutors employed at Sydney Community College will be able to demonstrate their commitment to Quality Delivery through ongoing self evaluation by way of the standard evaluation form and any other methods agreed to by the Faculty Manager. Casual/Sessional Tutors will plan for their own Professional Development needs based on critical reflection of performance.

Professional Development

Sydney Community College upholds and supports the notion of Lifelong Learning and is striving to become a Learning Organisation.

To achieve this, the following is available by way of Professional Development.

  • All new tutors will be inducted into the College by way of a three hour online induction session prior to teaching with the College. Participation is mandatory and the College will pay three hours at the non-teaching rate of $25 per hour upon successful completion of the induction program. Click here to access the induction.

Topics covered will include practical information about administration and resources, OH&S, teaching and learning strategies, and information about evaluation.

  • The College will provide a minimum of two other Professional Development sessions each year.

Tutors will be encouraged to attend these sessions at no cost to them.

  • Tutors are also encouraged to attend scheduled Sydney Community College courses at no cost provided that they do not displace a fee paying student in that course.
  • Tutors not attending any of the above must be able to demonstrate how they have attended to their own Professional Development needs.
  • Tutors may be required to participate in an annual review with the Faculty. This review may be face-to-face or by phone or by way of written self evaluation based around a College pro forma.

Casual/Sessional Tutor Selection Policy

Equal Employment Opportunity

The College recognises its responsibility to both existing Casual/Sessional Tutors and potential employees of ensuring that appointments are in adherence with accepted principles of Equal Employment Opportunity.

Merit Based Selection

The College adheres to the principles of merit based selection.

Selection Panels

The College Principal or Delegate and Faculty Manager (panel) will be responsible for recruiting all Casual/Sessional Tutors. In the case of advertised positions with more than one applicant, an interview panel consisting of the Principal or Delegate and the Faculty Manager responsible will be convened.

A subject expert may be coopted to the panel. The panel will consider each of the applicants based on the previously published and circulated selection criteria. The panel’s decision to make an offer of employment to an applicant will be based on:

  • The person’s expertise in the subject area
  • The person’s qualifications and ability as a Casual/Sessional Tutor
  • The person’s demonstrated commitment to community adult education
  • The actual demand for the course
  • The perceived market demand for the course
  • The viability of the course
  • And the perceived community need for the course.

Written Offers

Once the panel has decided to offer employment to the selected Casual/Sessional Tutor, a written offer stating the terms and conditions of employment will be sent. Their curriculum vitae and all relevant formal qualification details will be kept on file for the College’s information, and will be subject to the same privacy provisions covering all College records.

Letters of Appointment

Letters of Appointment to Casual/Sessional Tutors will contain:

  • The course title
  • A description of the course
  • Starting day, date and time
  • Venue
  • Duration of course/employment
  • Rate of pay
  • Arrangements for payment of wages
  • A “no obligation to proceed” clause failing adequate student numbers

Casual/Sessional Tutor Handbook

A Casual/Sessional Tutor Handbook is accessible to all Practitioners at the link at the end of this page.

Staff Supervision

The College Principal is ultimately responsible for the supervision of all Casual/Sessional Tutors. The Principal may however rely on feedback from the Faculty Managers, Site Coordinators, students, or course evaluations to carry out this supervisory duty.

Unsatisfactory Performance

Should a Casual/Sessional Tutor’s performance be found unsatisfactory during a term of employment, the Faculty Manager will discuss the issue with the Casual/Sessional Tutor concerned and develop a plan to assist the Casual/Sessional Tutor improve performance.
This may involve the Faculty Manager or an appropriate other person observing the Casual/Sessional Tutor’s class to monitor their performance and provide constructive feedback.

Serious Misconduct

The following is regarded as serious misconduct that will result in suspension pending investigation and may then lead to dismissal.

  • Violence of any kind
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Theft
  • Improper use of the College class roll
  • Privacy breaches


In the event of a Casual/Sessional Tutor being dismissed before the completion of a course the College Principal will be responsible for finding a substitute Casual/Sessional Tutor or explaining the situation to the students enrolled in the course and refunding their course fees.

Grievance Procedures

A disciplined or suspended or dismissed Casual/Sessional Tutor may apply in writing to the College Council for a review of action taken against him/her. The council will convene at its earliest convenience a committee that does not include the Principal. The committee will call for any relevant documentation and may call for verbal presentations from all concerned. The Casual/Sessional Tutor may choose to be represented by his/her union. The committee will adjudicate on the appeal. The decision of the committee will be final.

Dismissal Procedures

Dismissal may take place in accordance with the NSW and Commonwealth Industrial Laws and Statutes.

Laws and Statutes

All Casual/Sessional tutors must adhere to all laws and statutes pertaining to:

Working With Children Check

Child protection legislation makes it an offence for a person convicted of a serious sex offence to work with children under 18. The College accepts students from 16 years of age, and it is therefore College policy that all tutors need to complete a prohibited employment declaration before teaching at the College. (see WWC Check Policy)

Fitness For Work

see Fitness For Work Policy

Tutor Handbook
Student Handbook