Beginning teacher support entitlement
Direction and guidance for schools on Beginning Teacher Support Entitlement, provided to support the induction and professional development of eligible beginning teachers.
Audience
Beginning permanent and temporary teachers, supervisors, principals, school executive and relevant department staff (Directors, Educational Leadership and School Workforce directorate).
| Version | Date | Description of changes | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
V02.0.0 |
30/01/2025 |
Updated to reflect changes to beginning teacher support entitlement. |
Executive Director, School Workforce |
| V01.0.2 | 11/11/2024 | Updated to include link to Beginning teacher support entitlement familiarisation document. | R/Director, Attraction and Engagement Programs, School Workforce |
| V01.0.1 | 30/08/2024 | Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, document moved from Beginning teachers support funding policy. No change to intent. |
Chief People Officer |
| V01.0.0 | 09/04/2024 | Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, a new procedure was created and incorporates details of the department-wide approach to beginning teacher support funding. | Executive Director, School Workforce |
| Ongoing union consultation is occurring and amendments may be made from time to time. |
About the policy
The department is committed to maintaining a skilled and competent workforce through a suite of professional development, performance and accreditation initiatives. This includes providing additional, temporary entitlement to schools to support beginning teachers’ induction and professional development as a key strategy to assist new teachers entering the profession.
These procedures relate to the Workforce planning and management policy.
Principals:
- implement Beginning Teacher Support Entitlement appropriately in their schools as follows:
- schools with eligible, first year beginning teachers will be provided with 0.084 FTE entitlement for 12 months (additional 2 hours release per week), to be used as release for the beginning teacher
- schools with eligible, second year beginning teachers will be provided with 0.042 FTE entitlement for 12 months (additional 1 hour release per week), to be used as release for the beginning teacher
- report on use of entitlement as required to their Director, Educational Leadership
- ensure eligible beginning teachers are made aware of the support available under this procedure.
Beginning teachers:
- work collaboratively with their supervising teachers and/or mentor to develop their practice
- work towards their accreditation at Proficient Teacher level.
School executive and beginning teacher supervisors/mentors:
- provide induction support, professional learning opportunities and feedback to beginning teachers
- work collaboratively with other staff to support the professional development of beginning teachers
- ensure that a program of practice-based mentoring support is developed for eligible beginning teachers
- support permanent and temporary beginning teachers to work towards their Proficient Teacher accreditation requirements.
Directors, Educational Leadership:
- monitor the implementation of Beginning Teacher Support Entitlement across schools.
School Workforce directorate:
- manage the allocation of entitlement to schools.
What needs to be done
The Beginning Teacher Support Entitlement is a temporary, short-term entitlement provided to schools for eligible permanent and temporary teachers.
Schools do not need to apply for the entitlement, which is part of the school staffing allocation.
1. Determine eligibility
The School Workforce directorate will assess and update teacher eligibility and entitlement each month, and will amend as needed (refer to section 3).
Permanent and temporary teachers are eligible for the temporary entitlement if they meet the criteria outlined below.
Permanent teachers are eligible if they:
- are employed in their first permanent teaching appointment with the department
- require mandatory accreditation
- have not yet achieved accreditation at Proficient Teacher level at the date they enter on duty (for first year entitlement)
- have not yet achieved accreditation at Proficient Teacher level prior to second year (for second year entitlement).
The following permanent teachers are not eligible for the entitlement:
- counsellors, home school liaison officers, teaching or non-teaching executives or principals
- teachers who previously received any past Beginning Teacher Support Funding.
Temporary teachers are eligible if they:
- are employed in their first, consecutive 4-term (calendar year), full-time temporary engagement
- are employed under temporary engagements and approved in SAP by 5pm on 1 March in the year of engagement
- require mandatory accreditation
- have not yet achieved accreditation at Proficient Teacher level at the date they commence their temporary engagement.
The following temporary teachers are not eligible for the entitlement:
- casual teachers
- counsellors, home school liaison officers, teaching or non-teaching executives or principals
- teachers who previously received any past Beginning Teacher Support Funding
- temporary teachers who are employed for less than 4 consecutive terms in a calendar year.
2. Determine the entitlement
The entitlement received will depend on whether the teacher is a first or second year teacher, or if they are a part-time permanent teacher (refer to Table 1).
Table 1 Entitlements for eligible teachers
| Teachers | School entitlement |
|---|---|
Eligible first year teachers |
0.084 FTE temporary entitlement for 12 months, which equates to 2 hours additional release per week |
Eligible second year teachers |
0.042 FTE temporary entitlement for 12 months, which equates to 1-hour additional release per week |
Eligible part-time permanent teachers |
Will be provided on a pro-rata basis according to the number of days worked by the teacher under their permanent appointment |
3. Review financial information
The Beginning Teacher Support Entitlement (BTSE) will appear on the school’s published Actual Entitlement report in OMSEE. Starting from the 2025 SBAR Adjustments, this entitlement will be delivered through the SBAR as part of the school staffing allocation. It will also be seen as FTE on the staff planning page of the eFPT.
The School Workforce directorate will assess and update eligibility and entitlement monthly. If there is a change in eligibility, School Workforce will:
- include or amend the entitlement on the school’s published Revised Entitlement report in OMSEE
- email the school about the adjustment.
Updated entitlement in the school’s published Revised entitlement will be seen as an FTE entitlement adjustment (increase/decrease) on the staff planning page of the eFPT.
When an eligible teacher resigns or is promoted to teaching or non-teaching executive or principal position within the school or at another school or transfers to another school, School Workforce will reduce or transfer FTE entitlement. This will be reflected in updated FTE on the staff planning page of the eFPT and schools will need to adjust their plans.
Supporting tools, resources and related information
- Beginning Teacher Information Hub
- Further information on 2025 Beginning teacher support entitlement (staff only)
- NSW Education Standards Authority – Australian Professional Standards for TeachersExternal link
Policy contact
Manager, School Workforce
BTSentitlement@det.nsw.edu.au
The Executive Director, School Workforce directorate monitors the implementation of this policy, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.