what is accreditation?
BOSTES Accreditation means you have a license to teach in NSW K-12 schools, and a responsibility to keep it up (IEU, 2015). Accreditation supports quality teaching, recognises the invaluable role teachers play in the community, helps train and develop teachers and improves student learning outcomes. To start or return to work as a teacher in a NSW school, you must be provisionally or conditionally accredited by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES).
You will need to be accredited if you started teaching after 1 October 2004 or returned after a 5 year gap to teaching in NSW state. However, from 1 January 2018, all teachers will need to be accredited to continue, return to or start teaching in a NSW school.
You must then achieve and maintain Proficient Teacher Accreditation. Higher levels of accreditation are also available to teachers who want to extend themselves professionally and be recognised for stand-out achievements.
You will need to be accredited if you started teaching after 1 October 2004 or returned after a 5 year gap to teaching in NSW state. However, from 1 January 2018, all teachers will need to be accredited to continue, return to or start teaching in a NSW school.
You must then achieve and maintain Proficient Teacher Accreditation. Higher levels of accreditation are also available to teachers who want to extend themselves professionally and be recognised for stand-out achievements.
Levels of accreditation:
Conditional = still finishing teaching qualifications (on condition that you finish your degree) Provisional = qualification complete Proficient = professional competence (required to maintain this accreditation level while teaching in NSW) Highly accomplished = highly-skilled teachers who routinely work to improve their practice and are knowledgeable and active members of their school Lead = exemplary teachers who have demonstrated consistent practice and are well-respected by colleagues, parents/carers and the community |
how long do I have to complete my accreditation?
Most employers will have a timeline they will want you to get achieve provisional accreditation by. Listed below is the time BOSTES gives teachers to gain proficient accreditation.
Provisional
Permanent full time - 3 years Casual/part time - 5 years |
Conditional
Permanent full time - 4 years Casual/part time - 6 years |
the accreditation process: gathering evidence
Your Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA) is your employer like a principal or a supervisor at the school. Your TAA should mentor and monitor your progress towards achieving the proficient standards. You will be observed teaching by other teachers/your supervisor against the professional teaching standards. You will provide documentary evidence (such as lesson plans, reflections and work samples) of your proficiency and annotate it with explanations against the Australian Descriptors at Proficient level. Your TAA will write a report on your practice all all this will be sent to BOSTES. Even if you are casual teaching, start gathering evidence (remember to sign and date) which shows that you are achieving the professional teaching standards and ask the school to sign off what you have done to save time and effort later on.
Professional development
Maintaining proficient teacher accreditation requires 100 hours of professional development.
Click here to go to the Professional Development information page.
Click here to go to the Professional Development information page.
for more information
references
PowerPoint slides from NSW/ACT Independent Education Union (IEU) professional development "Starting Strong" on 3/7/2015.