Primary School teacher stories

[Leeds1877]

Hi

 

We are planning on coming out next year and are happy to live anywhere in SA.

 

What are your experiences on teaching jobs and supply teaching?

 

Has anyone on here found perm teaching work? How long did it take?

 

Anna

[hannybabe]

I'm very interested in this too. We're hoping to be out by next year too, be good to get work asap!

 

Hannah

[Karen_Jon]

Hi,

 

I am a primary teacher and we are going out in April to validate our visa, with a hope to moving out early next year. Anyhow from the threads I've posted and people have responded to, I've been led to believe teaching is quite different in Australia to what we are used to in the UK. Also, it can be extremely hard to secure permanent posts. Therefore I'm hoping to take my daughter around a primary school while we are over to 'see for myself' so to speak.

 

Hope this helps.

Karen

[Guest pixie7]

Hi I'm a primary teacher, just arrived in Adelaide and busy getting assessment and registration done (& courses) but will let you all know how I go. I think I'm going to go and volunteer at a school whilst I wait- will update thus thread or start anew one when I can x

[Leeds1877]

Hi pixie - how are you doing on the teaching front? Have you managed to register and / or how is the job hunt?

[DAVID.CHRISTINE]

Hi. Leeds1877 I'm not a teacher but also fron Leeds ,we need some more good teachers over here,good luck with your ventures also my daughter is in her first year at flinders uni doing a double degree to become a teacher, good luck

[sidestep]

Problem with securing a teaching job is that most people want to live in Adelaide where there isn't a shortage. Your chances improve markedly if you live somewhere like Pt Augusta or Whyalla.

[Guest Roo1]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm a Primary school teacher (as well as running Roo Rentals). I decided last July to get my qualifications recognised over here (Ive been living here 5 years but came in on my husbands visa) and boy what a ball ache its been!

Its taken me this long to have my skills recognised, UK Police checks, Mandatory Notification of Child Abuse course, First Aid course and Teacher Registration sorted.

Now finally I'm up and running, the next hurdle is getting some relief work.

Firstly you need to join DECds (state schools) where you sign up online and submit all your documents (listed above), you then receive an email from DECds which says you are able to work in SA schools. http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/

You then need to take this, along with a cover letter and Teacher Registration certificate (copy) to every school you wish to work at.

Some schools like you to fill in an application form and have a small interview with you (especially the Independant schools) and others are fine with you just dropping off your pack.

In most Primary schools it is the teachers responsibility to find cover if they are ill, so if you can get to know the teachers in your childs school, this may help.

There is also a "pool" where a number of schools in the southern suburbs (I'm sure they have this in other areas of Adelaide) have joined together and a lady will phone you up in the morning if supply cover is needed. The southern suburb "Pool" is on Elizabeth Rd at Christies Downs Primary school.

Best of luck! I have done 1 mornings work so far in the past 3 weeks! Its a slow start but I'm assured once the schools get to know you and your foot is in the door, they'll call you back and more work will be guarenteed. With the dark mornings and cold days drawing in, here's hoping for lots of poorly teachers! lol

Judi x

[Josie]

Hello!

Im a primary school teacher and I'm coming over in September this year. I've applied to go on the Mandatory notification of child abuse course but I'm not sure if we must still do the first aid course?? Does anyone know? Thanks!

[Guest Roo1]

Hi Josie, Yes its a must! I did a one day course with St. John ambulance. I think it was about $150. Best of luck, Judi x

[Guest Watkinsfamily]

I am coming out in July / August on a 176 visa validation trip. I have already secured a place on the 2 day 1st Aid course with St John Ambulance and the 1 day Child Protection and Abuse training. I have to get my skills assessed when I arrive - before or after I have done these courses?? Then on successful course completion and skills assessment I can register to teach in SA is this correct? Does anyone have a list of what documents I need to get my skills assessed please? Do I need to do anything else whilst I am there? I am in Adelaide for 4 weeks and want to get as much done as I can so that I can begin to try and secure work before we arrive next July (2013) if possible. At least then I can be ready to start some supply / cover work on arrival if any is available. Any advice and help gratefully received! I will make sure I bring lots of copies of my CV to drop in to as many local primary schools as I can whilst I am there along with copies of my certificates and registration to teach. Many thanks in advance. X

[Guest Roo1]

Hi Paula,

 

Your Skills Assessment can be submitted before you take up residence here, I believe. You will need your teaching certificate and course transcripts which stipulate you did a 4 Year B.Ed course or equivalent. Go to the Teacher Registration Board on Pirie Street and submit the application form. You'll need photo ID, so passport will do.

You might need to hire a PO Box so you have an address in which they can corresponde with or maybe if you know someone here you can use their address?

 

Once your Skills Assessment has been approved, you can apply for TR. Your assessment can take up to 4 weeks to 6 weeks.

 

However, your Teacher Registration can only be done when you are in residence here. As you will need a valid Police Check both from here (TR will do that one) and the UK (you must organise the UK one), Mandatory Notification, First Aid course all under your belt too before you can apply.

The TR can again take between 4 to 6 weeks to come through. Unfortuantly schools won't look at your CV until you have this approved.

 

Go to this site http://www.trb.sa.edu.au/ to download the forms so you know what you will have to submit. If you have any questions, give them a ring or go see them when you are here as they are friendly enough.

 

Best of luck,

Judi

[Guest Watkinsfamily]

Hi,

Thank you Judi for the advice. I have already downloaded the forms and have looked into what I need to do. I have a friend in Adelaide already whos address I can use for receiving post. I will look into the actual teacher registration when I am over and pay the offices a visit as I really want to get this done before I arrive in order to start looking for work. We can't afford to wait up to 6 weeks before I can even begin looking as this will be such a drain on our savings.

Thanks again for the help.

[Josie]

Hello! Please can someone confirm which first aid course I need to do to get my registration and with Australian Red Cross or st johns ambulance? Is there one that is recommended or is cheaper or more frequent than the other? Thank you hugely. X

[keldaz]

Hi. I am an infant school teacher living in Adelaide. Have been here now for 7 months. Have noticed nobody on here has mentioned that when you have your skills assessed as a teacher here, you will need to provide a letter from the university that you went to which states the course you did, how long it was and how many hours of teaching practise you did as part of it. Also, If you have a three year teaching degree SA won't recognise it and you will need to do a fourth year here - sorry! Obtaining a full time teaching post in state schools is pretty much a no go. It's very much who you know and not what you know here. If your catholic or fancy trying church schools there are jobs to be had. I hear supply teaching can be good and pay well but it does take time to build up schools that know you etc. If you fancy working with 3-5 year olds there are quite a few jobs in child care centres. This is what I have been doing for the past 5 months and am enjoying it. I got a full time, permanant job as a pre-school teacher quite easily. It's very different from working in a school but money is o.k and if your enthusiastic and willing this could be an option! Hoe that helps. Good Luck. Kelly. X

[Josie]

Hi Kelly,

Thank you for all your information. It's really helpful. We fly out in September this year and I'm nervous that I won't be able to get a job in teaching. Do you need a catholic teaching qualification to teach in a catholic school over there? I'm currently managing a Nursery over here but thought that I needed a pre-school teaching qualification to do that over there (I'm qualified as a primary teacher 4-11) - do you think it will be possible for me to teach pre-school over there? I really enjoy it! Thank you for your help.

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

Hi. I am an infant school teacher living in Adelaide. Have been here now for 7 months. Have noticed nobody on here has mentioned that when you have your skills assessed as a teacher here, you will need to provide a letter from the university that you went to which states the course you did, how long it was and how many hours of teaching practise you did as part of it. Also, If you have a three year teaching degree SA won't recognise it and you will need to do a fourth year here - sorry!

 

Just wanted to pop my head up and say generally that's because we've been through that horror in order to get the visa and those who haven't got 4 year degree and 45 days teaching prac. fall at that hurdle unfortunately, so if we're still in the running (as it were) we're past that one thankfully

 

Very interesting and good feedback from someone on the ground though, thanks for the heads up for us teacher lots (for our sins)

[Guest marcandjo]

hi all my hubby is a high school teacher, trained in nz and got registration here no problem last year, registration came through in about 3 weeks, but then it all went a bit pete tong !!! he applied for about 30 jobs through decs (public school pool) who are a bunch of idiots to say the least, you put your name forward for a job, you get notified if you have been selected in the pool for the position, but you do not get to be interviewed, when you are put forward you would expect to ahve some contact from the school, but you only get contacted if you are the top of the rank 1-4 in the pool, if no.1 doesnt accpet the job, then it goes to no.2 and so forth... so this is a paper exercise and not a bout people skills, doesnt fill you with much faith.

 

we applied for catholic schools and also independent schools, and they all have their own registration and selection process, and the catholic schools even have their own police clearance process. my husband has relented to relieving which has been good money, but not good professionally, as you can imagine. some schools are better than others for the way they manage relieving. marc has spoke to lots of schools now, and the general consensus is that you have to prove yourself, as although you may be a well qualified and experienced teacher it means nothing as its not been in SA schools. so be warned that if you dont have a job offer straight off you will most likely need to relieve. marc was offered a permanent position in Coober pedy, which is in the desert basically, and people live in undergorund houses..... needless to say with a family we turned it down. we have lived in port augusta when is did a short term locum there, its an experience but a massive culture shock.

[Guest Kelly O]

From my experience, if you want to be in Adelaide itself it is virtually impossible to get a permanent post in the state sytem BUT as you say you are prepared to live anywhere in SA you would get work in Whyalla, Port Pirie or Port Augusta ...and stay there 3 years...you would most likely get a permanent post in Adelaide but you have to do a stint in one of these places. It was not something I was prepared to do with a young family. This was the advice given to me by DECS.

[Guest Kelly O]

Forgot to say make sure you have the correct police check....I came with the wrong one and it caused an 8 week wait! Check with the TRB. There is a huge demand for relief teachers but doesn't do much for your career.

[Guest Watkinsfamily]

Is it not the same police check required for you to obtain a residency visa (176) thanks, if not I need to get onto it! X

[ails]

Hi

just jumping in .. it is quite simple to get into the catholic system. You don't have to be catholic or overly religious, you just have to keep to the spirit of their beliefs and do what they ask as a relief teacher. I did a lot of relief teaching in a catholic school and I loved it there.

When I registered for relief teaching with CESA they only needed all my normal registration papers and because I went within 6 months of arriving, they did not do another police check - was all very easy. The process may have changed of course.

[Josie]

Thank you!