9. Leave of Absence

This section applies to all accredited teachers in NSW who are taking leave from employment as a teacher and will return (or intend to return) to teaching within five years.

9.1. Taking a Leave of Absence

Accredited teachers may apply for a Leave of Absence from accreditation in their NESA online account (eTAMS) for a minimum of six months and maximum of five years. A Leave of Absence has the effect of putting a teacher’s accreditation timeframe on hold until they return to teaching.

The start-date of any application for a Leave of Absence must be on or after the date the teacher submits the application.  

When a Leave of Absence is approved, the teacher’s accreditation timeframe is extended by the length of the Leave of Absence in their NESA online account (eTAMS).

Teachers on a Leave of Absence are considered not to have active accreditation and, as such, are not eligible for employment as a teacher in a NSW school/service. A teacher’s name will not appear on the Public Register while on a Leave of Absence.

A teacher who is on a Leave of Absence from accreditation:

• is not required to complete PD (but may choose to) or to demonstrate practice against the Standards
• does not require a current WWCC clearance (until such time as they return to active or Non-practising accreditation)
• may not be required to pay the annual fee¹
• cannot make accreditation verifications/recommendations²
• may have their accreditation suspended or revoked by NESA (see Section 11); and
• cannot submit their final HALT module or participate in a Site Visit (if a HALT applicant).³

Teachers must make any adjustments to their Leave of Absence in their NESA online account (eTAMS). Teachers may: 

• change the end date of their Leave of Absence at any time before the current end date to:
  • reduce their leave (down to a minimum of six months)  
  • extend their leave (up to a maximum of five years); or
• cancel their Leave of Absence if they return to work less than six months from when their leave began.⁴

9.2. Returning from a Leave of Absence

A teacher’s accreditation automatically reactivates after the end date of a Leave of Absence, provided the teacher:

• holds a current WWCC clearance for paid employment⁵
• continues to meet the suitability to teach requirements; and
• has no outstanding accreditation fees.

Teachers who decide not to return to teaching or active accreditation at the end of a Leave of Absence may:

• apply for Non-practising teacher accreditation (see Section 8); or
• voluntarily cancel their accreditation (see Section 10). 

_{1. Information on when a teacher is not required to pay the annual fee when applying for a Leave of Absence is published on the Annual Fee page of the NESA website.}

_{2. Teachers on a Leave of Absence are eligible to be an Accreditation Supervisor, a HALT Assessor or an External Assessor.}

_{3. HALT applicants retain access to their NESA online account (eTAMS) while on a Leave of Absence and may continue to develop their application.} 

_{4. Where a teacher cancels their Leave of Absence within six months, their accreditation timeframe end date will revert to the original date before the Leave of Absence.} 

_{5. Teachers who do not have a current WWCC clearance on the date their Leave of Absence ends will not automatically reactivate until NESA receives and records a current WWCC clearance.}