NESA recognised programs
Organisations can apply to have their program accredited as a NESA recognised program, which can then contribute to a teacher’s Highly Accomplished or Lead (HALT) application.
What is a NESA recognised program?
NESA recognised programs are individual professional development programs that are approved by NESA to support teachers to fully demonstrate Standard Descriptors at the Highly Accomplished level.
For one module only, Highly Accomplished applicants can complete a NESA recognised program and be verified for successfully demonstrating between 6 and 10 Standard Descriptors at the Highly Accomplished level.
Benefits of NESA recognised programs
Supporting teachers through a NESA recognised program provides applicants with the opportunity to:
- develop and demonstrate their practice and impact aligned with the Highly Accomplished Standards
- streamline their application and expedite their achievement of HALT accreditation as it removes the need for participants to duplicate evidence for their application.
Requirements for a NESA recognised program
Applications for recognition of professional development programs are made directly to NESA and must:
- be developed by or in partnership with a school/early childhood service, employer, organisation and/or sector/system
- support teachers to fully demonstrate 6 – 10 nominated Standard Descriptors at the Highly Accomplished Teacher level
- provide explicit opportunities for participants to contribute to their colleagues’ learning to improve practice and improve student/child outcomes
- include a NESA trained program manager to verify participants’ demonstration of the nominated Standard Descriptors.
Applying for a NESA recognised program
Applications for approval of a NESA recognised program should be made directly to NESA.
Once approved, NESA recognised programs will be listed on the NESA website. Applicants must contact their school/early childhood service/employer/organisation/sector/system directly for access to these programs.
For a program to be approved as a NESA recognised program, it must demonstrate the following seven principles of a NESA Recognised Program for Highly Accomplished Teacher accreditation.
The program uses evidence-based practices to improve quality teaching
The program:
- uses an evidence-base to underpin improved quality teaching
- addresses 6 – 10 Standard Descriptors at the Highly Accomplished career stage
- provides opportunities for participants to apply and model effective evidence-based teaching and learning practices.
The program involves the analysis of student/child data to improve teaching practice
The program:
- measures, analyses and evaluates student/child progress over time
- describes how impact on student/child learning will be demonstrated
- enables teachers to develop effective teaching practices that address the learning strengths and needs of students/children
- enables teachers to support improvement of colleagues’ teaching practice.
The program demonstrates coherence
The program:
- aligns with the language of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (the Standards) at the Domain, Standard, Focus area and Standard Descriptor level
- aligns with NSW Curriculum and/or Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (where applicable)
- aligns with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements, policies and/or sector priorities
- has content and activities that are logically sequenced and directed towards improving teacher practice and learning outcomes for students/children
- provides opportunities for teachers to work with colleagues to improve their teaching practice.
The program has sustained duration to bring about ongoing change
The program must:
- be at least 6 months in duration (the program provider must verify that a participant has been involved for a minimum of 6 months). The program may extend beyond participants’ demonstration of Standard Descriptors
- provide opportunities for participants to demonstrate their practice and impact over time
- provide ongoing evaluation that participants are meeting program requirements and have fully demonstrated the nominated Standard Descriptors upon completion.
The program recognises highly skilled teachers who work with colleagues to improve their practice
The program:
- selects teachers to participate based on data, performance or employer nomination and/or interview
- identifies how the teacher will contribute to their colleagues’ learning
- identifies how impact on the professional learning of colleagues will be measured
- is relevant to the participant’s professional experience and role.
The program is job-embedded and provides opportunities to support collegial learning and active collaboration
The program provides opportunities for:
- transference of learning into teaching and learning practice
- participants to initiate and engage in professional discussions with colleagues
- collaboration that participants undertake within or beyond their educational setting or teaching and learning context.
The program supports opportunities for feedback and reflection
The program requires participants to:
- give and receive feedback on teaching practice
- reflect on their own teaching practice and the teaching practice of their colleagues
- document and report the impact over time on improving the outcomes for students/children and the professional practice of colleagues.
For more information, contact NESA at HALTAssessors@nesa.nsw.edu.au.