The data in the ABS Schools Australia report does not reflect the total number of teachers in NSW, including crucially temporary teachers who are backfilling a permanent position.

Over the past decade, the overall number of full-time teachers in NSW public schools has increased by 14 per cent, or nearly 10,000 roles, compared with growth in student enrolment of just 7.6 per cent.

The figures used by the ABS are from the National Schools Statistics Collection. This has very specific counting rules, which does not reflect the total number of teachers engaged or paid within a year and does not align with the figures the Department publishes which do not make these exclusions.

The ABS explicitly excludes:

• All casual teachers
• Temporary teachers with a substantive holder i.e. those that backfill a permanent teacher
• Teachers in non-school locations, John Brotchie and School Sports Unit
• Counsellors/Home School Liaison officers/District Guidance Officer

Based on the Department’s data, we have almost 95,000 teachers across the state, and filled 8,600 positions last year – half of them with teachers in their first permanent appointment.