Taken from this week’s email

The 2021-2023 Staffing Agreement between the department and the NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) has now been finalised and will commence operation from Day 1, Term 3, 2021.

The new Staffing Agreement represents a jointly negotiated, shared commitment of the department and the NSWTF to a state-wide staffing approach that will deliver on school improvement objectives, supporting students in all NSW public schools to succeed.

The new Agreement, while preserving important features such as incentive transfers, has a number of new inclusions that will enhance our system capacity to fill permanent teacher vacancies more efficiently while still including opportunities for principals to have access to a suite of local choice options to support you in the staffing of your school.

Key features of the new Agreement include:

• Changes to central appointments, including a 24-month currency period for transfers and enhanced principal certification aligned to Teaching Standards and PDP participation; new provisions to allow high performing pre-service teachers to be recruited 12 months earlier; and approval to teach candidates included as a new appointment type in centrally filled roles to secure more temporary and casual teachers in permanent roles.
• Nominated transfers to be given priority in placements in central and local recruitment types to expedite placement.
• Prioritised service transfers for teachers in 4 point non-incentive and 2 point ‘outer regional’ schools as part of the central appointment process. See the list of schools captured in this new provision.
• Opportunity to access a local eligibility list when filling a vacancy at local choice.
• Under Clause 4 of the Agreement, a new, time limited opportunity for 1 point schools to appoint an eligible temporary teacher to a full time vacancy when at local choice.

The Staffing Procedure document is currently being revised to reflect the provisions of the new Agreement and will be published for the commencement of Term 3.

During the new Agreement period, the Merit selection procedure for teachers, executive and Principals will also be revised and refreshed to support a more efficient and effective process for merit based selections.

To support the implementation of the new Agreement, online information sessions will be provided during Term 3 for DELs with local NSWTF organisers and principals and their school Federation representative. In addition, an information package will be prepared and provided to support principals to deliver a short, school-based information session with the school’s Federation representative during a staff meeting in Term 3. Teachers will also be informed of the new Agreement in this week’s Schoolbiz.

A dedicated inbox has been created exclusively for principals to answer any enquiries about the new Agreement. If you have a question, please email staffingagreementenquiry@det.nsw.edu.au