Casual and temporary teaching
The majority of teachers commence their careers in the NSW public education system as casual or temporary teachers.
As a casual teacher you are employed on a day-to-day basis to meet relief needs within the school. You will be paid a daily rate based on your years of training and experience, which is loaded to include a component for sick leave and holiday pay. To begin looking for work, create a profile with our preferred casual teacher booking solution, ClassCover.
As a temporary teacher you are employed full-time for four weeks to a year, or part-time for two terms or more. Temporary teachers receive most of the entitlements of permanent teachers, including annual salary, on a pro-rata basis. To begin looking for work, subscribe to our weekly update of permanent and temporary teaching positions, JobFeed.
Becoming a casual or temporary teacher
To work as a teacher in a NSW public school, you will need to apply for approval to teach in NSW public schools, which includes:
- Completing teacher education studies at a recognised Australian teacher education institution.
- Obtaining teacher accreditation with NESA.
- Holding a valid Working With Children Check clearance.
Teachers submitting an application for approval to teach in NSW public schools must successfully meet all requirements, including their suitability interview, before receiving approval to teach.
Returning teachers
If you are an approved Department of Education teacher who separated in the last 12 months and want to return to casual teaching, you can apply using the online Casual Approval after Separation from.
If you are a qualified teacher returning to teaching in NSW public schools after an absence of five years or more you will need to re-apply for approval to teach.
Benefits of casual and temporary teaching
Casual and temporary employment provides valuable experience for teachers just starting out as well as for those seeking variety and new experiences in their careers. It is a preferred option for teachers wanting flexibility in order to balance work and family responsibilities. For teachers seeking permanent appointment, casual and temporary employment provides great opportunities to further refine your skills, gain demonstrable experience contributing to a school, and develop professional relationships.
A casual or temporary teacher could gain an offer of permanent employment through the Teacher Employment Priority Scheme (TEPS), which enables you to enhance your priority date for permanent employment. Depending on the schools in which you work, your priority date for permanent employment may be enhanced by up to 18 months for every 50 days of casual or temporary service in NSW public schools.
Other benefits of casual and temporary employment include:
- flexible hours
- opportunities to travel throughout NSW - a great way to experience living and working in a different area without the commitment of a permanent job
- the opportunity to experience teaching in other aspects of the curriculum
- the rewards of enjoying different experiences daily.
In addition, temporary teachers may benefit from locality and climate allowances in rural and remote areas, a range of extra leave options and vacation pay.
Your contribution as a casual or temporary teacher
Whether employed on a day-to-day basis or in blocks, casual and temporary teachers carry out a vital role in public schools throughout NSW on a daily basis and we value your contribution. Casual and temporary teachers are responsible for providing proper and adequate delivery of the NSW curriculum and supervising classes or areas, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students at all times.
As a casual or temporary teacher, you are expected to work consistently to provide relevant and educationally appropriate activities for all classes.
Your role involves:
- knowing your lesson content well
- preparing lessons
- providing homework where appropriate
- participating in whole school activities
- performing any rostered playground duty
- contributing to school or faculty activities, special events, excursions or meetings
- understanding the school community.
Finding employment
Once you receive your approval to teach, you are eligible to work as a casual or temporary teacher in our schools. Graduating teachers who have received their interim casual teaching approval can do the same.
Casual and temporary teaching positions are not generally advertised in the same places as permanent positions. Often, an effective way to find casual and temporary employment is to approach schools directly. To do this, contact the school and provide a resume outlining your experience and availability, together with a copy of your approval to teach, for consideration by the school executive.
There are opportunities for casual and temporary teaching in most areas of NSW. You will greatly increase your chances of obtaining employment if you seek teaching engagements in non-coastal country, rural and remote areas.
JobFeed
Subscribe to receive JobFeed, a weekly update of permanent and temporary teaching positions in NSW public schools. Schools often advertise their temporary teacher vacancies on JobFeed.
ClassCover
ClassCover is Education's preferred casual teacher booking solution.
As a casual teacher, ClassCover is your online resume, giving you direct access to hundreds of schools. Free to use and featuring comprehensive support and modern functions, this platform is already in use at more than 2,000 NSW public schools.
To start using ClassCover now:
- Visit the ClassCover website and create your free profile.
- Enter your details, including qualifications, experience, and preferred subjects (use the ClassCover checklist as a guide). Upload any documentation, such as certificates.
- Verify your profile with NSW Department of Education. This is done via ClassCover and, once complete, lets schools see, at a glance, that you are approved to teach and your mandatory training is up-to-date.
- Update your availability so schools know when they can book you.
- Use the website or mobile app to manage your availability, bookings and preferences. Check out Everything you need to know to get booked as a relief teacher on ClassCover for tips.
Schools use ClassCover in different ways, but most a shortlist on the app they go to first. A good way to find work is by reaching out to schools and asking to be put on this booking list.
ClassCover contact
For information of setting up and managing your ClassCover account, visit the ClassCover support page or call 1300 650 442
Mandatory training
There is a range of mandatory training that new and existing school-based staff must complete to comply with legislative and departmental requirements.
These include:
- Fraud and Corruption Control (update annually)
- Code of Conduct Online (update annually)
- Child Protection Update (update annually)
- Data Breach Response Plan - Reporting Data Breaches (update every 5 years)
- Cyber Security NSW Essentials training (update annually)
- Anti-Racism Policy Training (update every 2 years)
- Aboriginal Cultural Education training (update every 3 years)
- Anaphylaxis e-Learning (APTSs) Teaching and Administrative Staff (update every 2 years)
- WHS induction for employees (complete once only)
- e-Emergency Care (update every 3 years).
Most of these training courses must be revised and kept up to date, along with any other mandatory training courses that arise. As a casual teacher, it is your responsibility to ensure you are up to date with all training.
The latest ClassCover feature allows you to review your status at the point of booking.
For more information, visit the department's induction portal (staff only)
Your first casual or temporary assignment
When you commence employment in a NSW public school, you must provide your bank, tax and superannuation details to the department. You will need:
- Photo ID
- Your current Approval to Teach
- Salary Deposit Notification form
- Tax File Number Declaration form
- Superannuation Standard Choice form.
Teachers in Hunter and Central Coast, New England, North Coast, Northern Sydney and Western Sydney region schools should email completed forms to EDConnect.Newcastle.Forms@det.nsw.edu.au
Teachers in Illawarra and South East, Riverina, South Western Sydney, Sydney and Western NSW region schools should email completed forms to EDConnect.Wollongong.Forms@det.nsw.edu.au
Taxation and superannuation
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) requires all employees to supply their Tax File Number to the department. Tax is deducted automatically by the system in accordance with a formula provided by the ATO.
The department makes employer superannuation guarantee contributions (SGC) to your nominated superannuation fund, calculated by your fortnightly gross earnings.
Changing personal details
Once your employment has commenced and you are set up on the payroll, you will be able to update your personal data through the Employee Self Service (ESS) SAP Portal. This includes your address, personal email, bank account, family member or dependents and emergency contact details.
Teacher Employment Priority Scheme
Under the staffing agreement, one possible pathway to permanent employment is direct appointment from the employment list, which comprises applicants who have the required staffing codes and location preferences for a particular vacancy. Under this staffing option, teachers with the earliest priority date will have an advantage over the other teachers in the pool.
Generally, your initial priority date is determined by the date you applied for employment with us, however the Teacher Employment Priority Scheme (TEPS) offers teachers a chance to enhance their priority date by rewarding those who work as a casual or temporary teacher in our schools.
TEPS applies to casual and temporary service in all NSW public schools. Depending on the school, your employment priority date may be enhanced by 6, 12 or 18 months for every 50 days of casual or temporary work.
Schools and their TEPS benefits are detailed in the Organisation of public schools in NSW by staffing area (XLS 0.35MB).