5. Maintaining Proficient Teacher accreditation

This section applies to all teachers with active Proficient Teacher accreditation in NSW. 

Teachers accredited at Proficient Teacher have already demonstrated their practice meets the Standards. The focus of maintaining Proficient Teacher is to stay up to date with professional practice by meeting professional development (PD) requirements. Teachers who meet PD requirements will remain accredited at Proficient Teacher unless grounds for suspension or revocation of their accreditation arise. 

5.1. Proficient Teacher maintenance requirements 

To maintain Proficient Teacher accreditation, teachers must participate in ongoing PD that relates to the Standards. By the end of each maintenance period, the teacher must:

• complete a minimum of 100 hours¹ of PD² aligned to the Standard(s);
• retain a PD log that records required information³ for 12 months after the end of their maintenance period⁴ ; and
• continue to meet the conditions of accreditation in Section 1.  

5.2. Finalising Proficient Teacher maintenance

In the final three months of each maintenance period, a Proficient Teacher must log into their NESA online account (eTAMS)⁵ to:

• confirm their employment and contact details; and
• declare that they have completed their PD requirements in line with Section 5.1.

5.3. Teachers not maintaining their Practice at the Standards

The employer must have internal procedures to address issues relating to a teacher’s practice as and when they arise (see Section 14.6), including advice to the teacher of the employer’s obligation to notify NESA where grounds for suspension or revocation have been determined in line with Section 11.  

If a principal/service director determines that a teacher has not maintained their practice at the Standards following a completed process, the principal/service director or employer must:

• provide written notification to NESA of the decision within 28 days of the date of the decision in line with Section 11.4
• include in the written notification evidence relating to the teacher’s failure to maintain the Standards in line with Section 11.5.1. 

If a teacher fails to maintain their practice at the Standards for Proficient Teacher, a principal/service director or employer cannot notify NESA of the decision unless the principal/service director has notified the teacher of the issues with their practice, including:

• the reasons for the principal’s/service director’s decision, including the Standard Descriptors that the teacher does not meet
• details of the appropriate and timely support and advice provided to the teacher regarding maintaining practice at the Standards
• the feedback and support provided to the teacher, which may include intervention strategies or an improvement plan to support the teacher, and the outcome of implementing those strategies/plans/support; and
• the teacher’s right to respond to the written notice within 28 days and address the issues identified.  

5.4. Maintenance of Proficient Teacher accreditation decision

5.4.1. Teachers who maintain accreditation at Proficient Teacher

Where a teacher has met all maintenance requirements outlined in Section 5.1 by the end of a maintenance period, NESA will make an accreditation decision that they have maintained their accreditation. The teacher will start a new maintenance period the day after their current period ends⁶.

5.4.2. Teachers who fail to maintain accreditation at Proficient Teacher  

A Proficient Teacher will fail to maintain their accreditation if:

• they fail to meet the PD requirements by the end of their maintenance period; and/or
• their principal/service director or employer has notified NESA of the decision that the teacher’s practice does not meet the Standards for Proficient Teacher at any point during their maintenance period in line with Section 5.3 and Section 11. 

5.4.2.a. Failure to meet PD requirements

A teacher fails to meet the PD requirements if they:

• do not meet the PD requirements (see Section 5.1); or
• do not provide their PD log⁷ where requested by NESA; or
• fail to declare by the end of their maintenance period that they have met the PD requirements in their NESA online account (eTAMS) (see Section 5.2).  

Where a teacher fails to meet their PD requirements, NESA will issue 14 days’ written notice⁸ of an intention to suspend their accreditation, in line with Section 11.9.   

5.4.2.b. Notification to NESA of a teacher’s failure to meet the Standards

Where a principal/service director or employer notifies NESA that a teacher’s practice does not continue to meet the Standards in line with Section 5.3, NESA will:  

• contact the principal/service director or employer to request further information or documentation if required (see Section 11.5.1); and
• make an accreditation decision within 28 days of the notification.

If NESA finds that the teacher has failed to maintain their accreditation, NESA will:

• issue 14 days’ written notice of an intention to revoke or suspend their accreditation, in line with Section 11.9; or
• place conditions on the teacher’s accreditation in line with Section 11.7. 

5.5. Timeframes for maintaining accreditation at Proficient Teacher

Teachers employed on a full-time basis have five years to complete maintenance requirements.  Teachers employed on a casual or part-time basis have seven years to complete maintenance requirements, in recognition of the nature of their employment⁹.

5.5.1. Applying for an extension of the maintenance period

Teachers who have been limited in their opportunity to meet the requirements for maintenance by the end of their timeframe may apply for an extension in the final six months of their maintenance period, and as soon as possible within the final six months. Teachers must apply in their NESA online account (eTAMS), providing evidence of the grounds for their request. Grounds for an extension to a teacher’s maintenance period may include:

• illness and misadventure
• carer responsibilities
• undertaking further study; or
• other applicable professional or individual circumstances. 

_{1. Some PD activity types may have a maximum number of hours that can be included in the required 100 hours. A list of any specified PD activities with a maximum hour limit will be available on the NESA website.}

_{2. Teachers should use the NESA Professional Development Framework, available on the NESA website, to guide the selection of PD activities.}

_{3.  A list of the required information that must be recorded on a teacher’s PD log and an optional template is available on the NESA website.}

_{4. In the event of an audit, a teacher must provide their PD log to NESA within 28 days (excluding school holidays), if requested.}

_{5. Non-school/service based teachers who want to maintain must contact NESA to finalise their maintenance if they are not employed by the NSW Department of Education, Catholic Schools NSW/Dioceses, the Association of Independent Schools of NSW, the NSW Teachers Federation or the Independent Education Union (NSW/ACT).} 

_{6. Pre-2004 teachers who were accredited on 1 January 2018 and whose maintenance period ends between 31 December 2022 and 31 December 2023 or between 31 December 2024 and 31 December 2025 will start their second maintenance period the day after NESA decides they have maintained their accreditation. This only applies to pre-2004 teachers with a maintenance due date between 31 December 2022 and 31 December 2023 or between 31 December 2024 and 31 December 2025 and only for the first maintenance period. Early childhood teachers who were accredited in 2016 with a maintenance due date of 17 July 2023 will start their second maintenance period the day after NESA decides they have maintained their accreditation. This only applies to early childhood teachers accredited in 2016 with a maintenance due date of 17 July 2023 and only for the first maintenance period.}

_{7. Teachers must provide their PD log to NESA within 28 days (excluding school holidays), if requested.}

_{8. The 14-day written notice period includes school holidays and employer shutdown periods.}  

_{9. This includes teachers who have been employed on a casual or part-time basis at any point during their current maintenance period. Teachers must provide NESA with evidence of casual or part-time employment to adjust their timeframe.}