Originally published in Education Quarterly, Issue 18 2026
Are school assemblies counted as teaching time?
School assemblies are counted as teaching time and teachers are required to attend assemblies, in accordance with the Department’s Attendance and Student Supervision factsheet.
I am a beginning teacher currently teaching on a casual basis. If I get a 12-month engagement as a temporary teacher or a permanent appointment, am I entitled to additional release?
As a temporary teacher you are eligible for two hours of additional release time through Beginning Temporary Teacher Support Funding when all of the following apply:
- are employed in your first, consecutive four-term, full-time temporary engagement within a calendar year
- are approved in SAP by 5pm on 1 March in the year of engagement have not yet achieved accreditation at Proficient Teacher level at the date you commence the temporary engagement
- have cumulative past experience with the Department of equivalent to, or less than, two years of full-time experience, excluding all casual experience. The additional release is intended for you to work collaboratively with your supervising teachers and/or mentor to develop your practice and work towards your accreditation at Proficient Teacher level. Teacher classifications not currently eligible for the entitlement are:
- casual teachers
- counsellors, home school liaison officers, teaching or non-teaching executives or principals
- teachers who previously received any Beginning Teacher Support Funding
- temporary teachers who are employed for less than four consecutive terms in a calendar year.
If you meet the criteria and are not receiving Beginning Temporary Teacher Support funding, please contact your Organiser or Federation’s Professional Support section.
My allocation of supervision duties seems discriminatory. What are the guidelines?
Principals must plan rostered supervision duties in consultation with teachers (see Determination 1 of 2026). Supervision duties must be allocated in a fair and equitable manner. The principal must take into account a teacher’s family, work and care responsibilities among other factors.
I am a secondary teacher. Does roll call count as part of teaching time?
In secondary schools, a standalone roll call of 10 minutes or less is not counted as teaching time in accordance with the Department’s Attendance and Student Supervision factsheet.
However, when a school incorporates roll call into a reading, pastoral care or other education program, the time scheduled to deliver the program and mark the roll is counted as teaching time.
Is it true that all I have to do is ask for a Health and Safety Representative (HSR) and we get one?
The Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation only requires one worker to formally request that a HSR be elected to start a mandatory process (within 14 days) that would generally lead to at least one HSR being elected. The Department publishes clear information about the process — search for “HSR election” when logged into the Department Portal and then follow the link to Work Health and Safety Consultation Procedure. TAFE has similar information available. You do not need to ask anyone’s permission to formally request that a HSR be elected. It is a right provided to all workers in NSW under the WHS Act.
My principal asked if we want a Health and Safety Representative (HSR) or a Work Health and Safety (WHS) Committee. Can we have both? And what would be the benefits of having a HSR?
Yes, you can have both! In fact, one of the best models is to have a HSR and a WHS Committee. HSRs have the power to investigate matters, seek resolutions to issues and to escalate matters to SafeWork NSW if they cannot be resolved. HSRs can represent all the workers on a site (including the principal, who is also a worker as defined by the Act) in WHS matters. Federation’s long-standing position is that in most schools and TAFE campuses, members would be best represented in WHS matters by electing a HSR and having an active WHS Committee.
In regard to my employment status, what’s the difference between an engagement, a contract and a permanent appointment?
In NSW public schools, teacher employment on a temporary basis is known as an engagement rather than a contract. Temporary engagements may cease early only under specific circumstances with a notice period of four weeks. Teachers are encouraged to seek advice if they are informed that their temporary engagement will cease.
The Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award clearly defines the employment categories that determine how teachers are engaged as a casual or temporary teacher.
Temporary engagements are for a period of four weeks or more on a fulltime basis, or two terms or more on a part-time basis.
Permanent appointment refers to placement of a permanent teacher in a Department of Education school. Permanent teachers may be transferred from one position to another in accordance with the
Staffing Agreement.
Questions are answered by:
- Anthony Brereton, Officer attached to Casual Teachers
- Sam Clay, Deputy Secretary (Research, Industrial and Professional Support)
- Damian Purins, Work Health and Safety Officer
References
- Attendance and Student Supervision factsheet
- Determination 1 of 2026
- Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award
Originally published in Education Quarterly, Issue 17 2026
What are my hours of duty?
Hours of duty are defined and specified by Determination 1 of 2026 — Attendance and Supervision, and
clarified in the Attendance and Student Supervision factsheet (2026). Both are available in the Teachers’ work section in the Member Portal.
The factsheet goes into further detail about consultation in developing the school supervision plan, conditions deemed reasonable for requiring a teacher to be on duty beyond the school day and what is deemed reasonable notice.
Members are advised to carefully read the Determination and factsheet and seek clarification from their Organiser or Professional Support, if any issues are encountered.
I am a primary teacher. How many hours am I required to teach face-to-face each week?
The Department’s Attendance and Student Supervision factsheet states that a primary school teacher may be required to teach face-to-face for 4 hours and 45 minutes each day.
“Over a week this equates to 21 hours and 45 minutes face-to-face teaching time per week for a full-time teacher, excluding RFF time,” the factsheet states.
Will I go back down the pay scale if I have an extended break in my teaching as a casual or temporary teacher?
No. Any teacher who is being paid a lower rate as a result of a break in service should contact Federation for advice on 1300 654 367.
If you gain work as a temporary teacher, you should be placed on the same band of the salary scale as you were on for your previous permanent or permanent part-time teaching position with the Department.
Backpay for salary determinations will only apply when made:
- within six months of receiving an
approval to teach; - within six months of becoming
permanent; or - for teaching service since approval
to teach was granted, or between
periods of employment with the
Department, from your date
of application.
There could be limited provision to recognise relevant industry experience in fields other than teaching, particularly where the teacher has been in a Department retraining scheme.
The Department does not recognise some overseas teaching experience.
Reference: Salary determination
Three new students have just enrolled in my class. How many students can I be asked to teach?
The Staffing Agreement 2024–2029 states: “Class sizes will be planned generally on the following
basis and will have regard to the needs of the school.”
Primary schools and primary departments of central schools
- Statewide average class sizes are 20 in kindergarten, 22 in year 1 and 24 in year 2
- No class need exceed 30 students for years 3–6
High schools and secondary departments of central schools
Years 7–10: The principal, in consultation with staff, is responsible for determining actual class sizes based on the curriculum needs of the school, student needs, community expectations, and the expertise of the teachers. Principals also take account of work health and safety issues when forming classes.
No class need exceed 30 students.
Practical classes years 7–10:
- The organisation of industrial technology, agriculture and visual arts on the basis that no class need exceed 20 students
- The organisation of food technology and textiles technology in years 7–10 on the basis that no class need exceed 24 students
- The organisation of technology (mandatory) classes in years 7–8 and design and technology (elective) classes in years 7–10 on the basis that no class need exceed 22 students
When forming classes, principals of secondary schools also take into account the following advice:
Years 11-12: No class need exceed 24 students.
Other schools: Class sizes not listed above will be determined by the principal in accordance with formulae current as at the commencement of this agreement.
If you have concerns after reading the information above, please contact your Federation Organiser or Professional Support on 1300 654 367.
A nearby school has an elected Health and Safety Representative (HSR) who has helped to sort out an issue with their staffroom facilities. Why doesn’t my school have an HSR?
Your school is not unusual. Despite the HSR position being created in NSW as part of the Work Health and Safety Act in 2011 for all workplaces, only around 8 per cent of public schools have an HSR. It may be a surprise, but the reason that most schools and TAFEs do not have an HSR is that the workers have not requested one.
What are the face-to-face teaching hours for a high school teacher?
The Attendance and Student Supervision factsheet states the Award provisions as follows:
Teachers (other than teachers in training, head teachers and deputy principals in high schools) may be required to teach the following periods (or their time equivalent):
| Classification | Teaching periods per week | Periods per week, as determined by the principal, for sport (refer to subclause 16.6) |
| Teachers in high schools | 28 | Up to 3 |
| Head teachers in high schools | 22 | Up to 3 |
| Deputy principals in high schools | 14 | Up to 3 |
A ‘period’ in a high or central school is defined in Clause 2.42 of the schools Award as a 40-minute teaching period.
Where schools have operational arrangements such as periods of a one-hour duration, cyclical timetables etc., the time equivalent or average number of minutes over the week, fortnight or cycle length must remain the same.
For information relating to teaching high school classes outside normal school hours, in lieu of duties, alternate periods and sport allocation please refer to Clauses 15–17 of the Award, which can be accessed at Awards and determinations.
Questions are answered by:
- Anthony Brereton, Officer attached to Casual Teachers
- Sam Clay, Deputy Secretary (Research, Industrial and Professional Support)
- Damian Purins, Work Health and Safety Officer
References
Teachers’ work section in the Member Portal
Attendance and Student Supervision factsheet
Salary determination
Staffing Agreement 2024–2029