Eight teachers from the New England have joined a record number of teachers from across the state to be recognised for achieving the highest levels of accreditation, in a prestigious ceremony held at The State Library of NSW.
86 teachers who achieved Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation over the past 12 months join 446 of the state’s exemplary teaching cohort – a growing community of teachers whose expert practice and educational leadership are lifting student outcomes across schools and early childhood settings.
Among those teachers recognised, 21 are from regional and remote school communities and 65 are from metropolitan schools.
NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) CEO Paul Martin said achieving HALT accreditation in NSW is a significant accomplishment.
“It is a delight to recognise this new cohort of HALTs. The talent and commitment of these teachers make them an asset to their classrooms, learning environments, and broader communities.” said Martin.
“These are just some of the teachers in NSW who demonstrate exemplary practice and innovation in teaching, and they deserve to be celebrated,”
The record number of new HALTs being recognised in 2025 comes after NESA overhauled the HALT application process to ease the administrative burden on teachers, while maintaining the program’s rigour.
The simplified application process reduces the amount of evidence required and offers more flexible ways to submit evidence.
“HALT accreditation doesn’t just celebrate individual achievement – it builds leadership within our schools and strengthens the teaching profession from the inside out.”
“I congratulate every teacher recognised and encourage more of our brilliant educators to step forward and be celebrated for the impact they have every single day,” Mr Martin said.
New England teacher recognised
Jacqueline Wait- Holy Trinity School
Elise McRae- Duri Public School
David Partridge- Armidale Secondary College
Rebecca Partridge- Armidale Secondary College
Tricia Saunders- Gunnedah High School
Amanda Scott- Office of Diocese of Armidale
Timothy Unwin- St Nicholas’ Primary School
Katie Daley- St Nicholas’ Primary School
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