This article covers the pay rates for Casual Relief Teachers in New South Wales. For salary rates for full-time classroom teachers, see What is the Pay Rate for NSW Teachers?
Summary:
- Public school relief teacher pay rates.
- Catholic school relief teacher pay rates.
- Independent school relief teacher pay rates.
- Do the pay rates for NSW relief teachers increase?
- How do the pay rates for relief teachers in the NSW compare to elsewhere in Australia?
Public school relief teacher pay rates.
Casual relief teachers working in NSW public schools will be paid between $381.41 and $460.01 per day from the beginning of 2022.
The exact pay rate that you receive will be based on what tier you are on, which is based on experience. You can find your exact pay rate in the table below:
Band | Daily rate from 1/1/2020 | Daily rate from 1/1/2021 | Daily rate from 1/1/2022 |
1 | $365.45 | $373.78 | $381.41 |
2 | $440.76 | $450.81 | $460.01 |
See more: How to Increase Your Salary as a Teacher.
If you are just starting your teaching career, you will get paid at the Band 1 rate. You will only be able to move up to the Band 2 rate once you have worked for the full-time equivalent of two years.
This doesn’t mean that you move up to Band 2 automatically after your second year as a relief teacher. As a casual relief teacher, it is unlikely that you will be working every day. You will need to have worked for the same number of days as there are school days in two years.
In addition to having worked for the equivalent of two years, you will also need to have moved from the Graduate career stage to the Proficient career stage.
See more: How Much Tax Should Relief Teachers Pay?
Catholic school relief teacher pay rates
As a relief teacher in a NSW Catholic school, you will also be paid a daily rate. If you are working as a casual relief teacher in Catholic schools, you will be paid between $337.06 and $450.81 as of 2021 depending on your experience.
You can calculate your exact pay rate from the table below:
Classification | Daily pay rate from 1/7/2020 | Half-day pay rate from 1/7/2020 | Daily pay rate from 1/7/2021 | Half-day pay rate from 1/7/2021 |
Conditionally Accredited Teacher (Level 1) | $329.54 | $164.77 | $337.06 | $168.53 |
Conditionally Accredited Teacher (Level 2) | $365.44 | $182.72 | $373.77 | $186.89 |
Band 1 (Graduate) | $365.44 | $182.72 | $373.77 | $186.89 |
Band 2 (Proficient) | $440.76 | $220.38 | $450.81 | $225.41 |
NSW Catholic Education also gives specific rates for half days. Like in NSW public schools, there are two Bands and a teacher can move up to the second band if they have become a certified Proficient teacher.
See more: Is it Worth Becoming a Permanent Relief Teacher?
Independent school relief teacher pay rates.
There are a number of Independent schools across NSW that will set their own pay rates. If you are a relief teacher who is thinking about working in an Independent school, you will need to contact the school directly to find out how much you would be paid.
While public and Catholic schools in NSW are all governed by the same office, Independent schools work independently and each of them will pay a different rate to their relief teachers.
See more: 3 Skills All Principals Look For in a Relief Teacher
Do the pay rates for NSW relief teachers increase?
You will notice that the above table only goes up to 2021. This is because at the time of writing, the Catholic Education Office is in the middle of a new bargaining period. These pay rates will continue to rise by a certain percentage each year, but the percentage has not been determined yet. The pay rates in public schools will also increase by a percentage each year.
As these pay increases occur every year, the new agreement may start from 2022. If this is the case, you will still be paid the extra percentage as backpay once everything is finalised.
See more: How to Make Sure You Get Paid as a Relief Teacher
You will also move up tiers or bands as you become more experienced. Just like in the ACT, NSW casual relief teachers only have two different pay tiers. Both of these are dependent on a certain amount of time at a full-time teaching load as well as achieving your Proficient teacher certification. It can be much more difficult for relief teachers to accumulate enough days to move up a tier as you are unlikely to be working every day, and it is also more difficult to move to the Proficient career stage if you do not have a school supporting you.
If you have the required experience to move up a tier but your teaching experience was in another state, overseas, or in a different sector, you will be able to contact your previous schools to get a statement of service. You can submit this to your current employer (whether that’s an individual school, the Department for Education or the Catholic Education Office) and get your teaching experience recognised. Independent schools may also recognise your experience, but this will be up to the individual school.
See more: How to Pick a Realistic Side Hustle as a Teacher
How do the pay rates for relief teachers in the NSW compare to elsewhere in Australia?
Click on the below links to find out how relief teachers are paid in other states and territories around Australia:
WA
SA
VIC
NT
QLD
ACT
TAS
See more:
Work, Health and Safety in NSW Public Schools
Flexible Working Arrangements in NSW Schools
Understanding Allowances for NSW Schools: A Comprehensive Guide