National Teacher Certification (HALT)
Recognition you deserve,
for the profession you love.
High performing teachers
Teacher certification
Term 1, 2025
12 months
Online and in-person
ISV Member Schools: $2,350
(Staged payments over 12 months.)
Are you an experienced teacher looking to take the next step in your career? National Teacher Certification for Highly Accomplished or Lead Teachers (HALT) supports professional growth and strengthens quality teaching across the sector.
National Teacher Certification aims to:
- recognise and promote quality teaching
- provide an opportunity for teachers to reflect on their practice
- establish a reliable and nationally-recognised indication of quality teaching.
National Teacher Certification provides a high quality, nationally consistent approach to identifying and certifying teachers according to the advanced career stages of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).
The Independent Schools Victoria Certifying Authority (ISVCA) is responsible for administering HALT certification for teachers at Victorian Independent schools, in collaboration with the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL).
“At a midpoint in my career I realised that nobody was really watching me teach. And what I was learning, I was learning in a vacuum … I really wanted to know what I was good at, and what I need to be better at.”
— Sally Oliver, St Margaret's Berwick Grammar
How can you achieve HALT certification?
What's involved?
HALT certification is open to early learning, primary and secondary teachers.
To achieve certification as a Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher, applicants are required to:
- Engage in professional learning and development through reflection that includes self and peer review.
- Demonstrate an understanding of what quality teaching is based on the advanced career stages of the APST.
- Work with a school-based mentor to deeply reflect on your practice as it aligns to the Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher career stage.
- Collect, collate and annotate evidence of practice at Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher career stage.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Highly Accomplished teachers are highly effective and knowledgeable classroom teachers. According to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST), Highly Accomplished teachers are characterised as advocates of the profession, who contribute to the professional learning of peers through a range of activities that include (but are not limited to) supporting, working with and assisting their colleagues.
Lead Teachers are exemplary classroom teachers. They are committed to quality teaching and learning, and their leadership positively impacts students and their colleagues across and/or beyond their school. Lead teachers regularly innovate, initiate, evaluate and review programs and practice across the school.
You will need to have an authentic teaching role and be given responsibility for an ongoing teaching program. There needs to be opportunities to be observed in a classroom setting. Ideally your school could provide a mentor and release time to attend certification workshops at ISV.
School leaders are part of all stages of the certification process and encouraged to provide support and constructive feedback throughout.
The Principal/Supervisor must provide a referee statement and be prepared to discuss your practice with reference to the teacher standards.
Schools are not expected to provide time release to prepare an application.
ISV will conduct information sessions for applicants and will provide access to timelines, guides and other resources. ISV will appoint assessors to evaluate evidence, conduct interviews and observe classroom practice. Assessors will provide constructive feedback after the first submission of evidence. ISV will also support and promote a network of Highly Accomplished Teachers and Lead Teachers.
If you change schools or roles during the process you may continue with your application as long as you are able to show that you are working at the Highly Accomplished stage. You can use evidence from your previous school or role but it must be able to be verified. Your current supervisor and colleagues must be able to confirm your ability to meet the appropriate standards during the site visit and you must have some evidence relating to your current setting.
To withdraw you will need to put a request in writing. Any refund will be at the discretion of ISV. You are unable to postpone your application, but you can reapply in the following year.
Applications for 2025
Applications to pursue HALT certification will open in early February 2025.
More information
Julie Baud
Principal Consultant
Independent Schools Victoria
julie.baud@is.vic.edu.au
(03) 9825 7200