8. Non-practising Teacher Accreditation

This section applies to NSW teachers accredited at Proficient Teacher who are not currently teaching in a school/service and who opt to remain accredited members of the profession. Non-practising teacher accreditation provides for a seamless return to teaching in a school/service at any point in the future. A teacher is eligible for Non-practising accreditation if they are:  

• accredited at Proficient Teacher;¹ and
• not employed to teach in a NSW school/service.

A teacher with Non-practising accreditation cannot be employed to teach in any NSW school/service and must return to active accreditation to be eligible for employment as a teacher. 

8.1. How to become accredited as a Non-practising teacher

Eligible teachers can change their active accreditation² to Non-practising accreditation at any time in their NESA online account (eTAMS). A teacher cannot change their accreditation status to Non-practising retrospectively.  

A teacher may remain accredited as a Non-practising teacher indefinitely, provided they continue to meet the conditions for Non-practising accreditation. 

8.2. Conditions for Non-practising accreditation

A Non-practising teacher:

• must pay the annual teacher accreditation fee
• must hold a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) clearance 
• remains subject to suitability to teach requirements
• is listed on the Public Register as ‘Non-practising’
• is not required to complete PD (but may choose to) or to demonstrate ongoing practice against the Standards
• is not permitted to finalise their maintenance requirements; and
• cannot make accreditation recommendations or verifications.³

8.3. Timeframes for Non-practising teacher accreditation

There is no minimum or maximum timeframe for Non-practising accreditation. There are no restrictions on the number of times a teacher can hold Non-practising accreditation.

When a teacher is accredited as Non-practising, their maintenance of accreditation timeframe is placed on hold and is adjusted if and when they return to active accreditation.⁴

8.4. Returning to active accreditation

Non-practising teachers can return to active accreditation and teaching in a NSW school/service at any time without re-applying for accreditation.  A Non-practising teacher returning to teaching in a NSW school/service must:

• notify NESA of their return to teaching in their NESA online account (eTAMS) before they return to teaching; and
• continue to meet the conditions of accreditation at the applicable level.

Where a Non-practising teacher returns to active accreditation within five years, their previous maintenance timeframe will be adjusted⁵  according to the length of time they were accredited as a Non-practising teacher.⁶ 

Teachers who have held Non-practising accreditation for more than five years will start a new maintenance of accreditation timeframe at such time as they return to active accreditation.⁷

_{1. A teacher with HALT accreditation who changes their status to Non-practising may return to active accreditation at HALT within five years. A teacher accredited at HALT who has held Non-practising accreditation for more than five years will revert to Proficient Teacher accreditation if and when they return to active accreditation.}

_{2. Teachers returning from a Leave of Absence can apply to be accredited as a Non-practising teacher. A teacher whose accreditation has been suspended is not eligible for Non-practising accreditation until such time as their suspension is removed by NESA.}

_{3. Non-practising teachers are eligible to be an Accreditation Supervisor, a HALT Assessor or an External Assessor.}

_{4. Teachers who return to active accreditation within six months of changing their accreditation to Non-practising will not have their timeframe adjusted.}

_{5. Except in cases where a teacher returns to active accreditation within six months of changing their accreditation to Non-practising}

_{6.  Teachers previously accredited at HALT will revert to Proficient Teacher if returning to active accreditation after five or more years of being accredited as a Non-practising teacher.} 

_{7. Any PD activities completed by the teacher during the previous maintenance timeframe will not be transferred to the new maintenance period.}