Kersten

I have been in contact with DECS and been advised to apply for a teaching post due to the 5th August deadline. I am still awaiting my skillls assessment and my application will be incomplete awaiting my visa. I have never been to SA and would appreciate any help/ comments regarding the areas I should apply to. I have worked in schools with a variety of catchment areas and do not mind working in a tough school if the staff are supportive.

Which districts should I include within reasonable commuting distance to Adelaide? Also are there any schools I should exclude for any reasons.

I am a secondary school teacher of science so will be looking to teach Science to year 10 and possibly biology to year 12.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I will have to send my application soon.

Also any general comments / advice as to how teaching in SA compares with the UK would be good.

Thanks

LindyLoo

Hi Kersten

I have some bad news for you. In Australia it is assumed that you can teach 2 subjects. You are a teacher, therefore you can teach is the logic. As there are very few maths teachers it is assumed that anyone with a science degree can teach maths.:scared: I teach IT 14 - 18 year olds, on one of my contracts was to teach maths, junior science and one senior computing class. It was a complete nightmare. I'd look into this if I were you.

The bonus is you will never be short of work and you can pick and choose where you want to work.

As for teaching in South Australia state schools, it is assumed that one hour's travel to and from work is the maximum that they will send you. I was told to avoid Salisbury and a few places about 40 minutes south of Adelaide can't remember suburbs - sorry. You can't apply directly to schools until you have registerd with the South Australia Teachers' Authority and applied to teach for South Austraila Education department.

Good luck...
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=282487 has some more details.

Kersten

Thanks a lot for that, my maths is not too bad but will avoid it if poss. I teach years 7-10 (12 at a push as have not really done A level teaching here). I have sent in an application to the Education Dept who said they are happy to process it so far then complete the application as I get the required docs like TRB and visa. I have a friend from Adelaide and she helped me avoid most of the nightmare areas and those too far away. Can you tell me anything in general about teaching in Oz? Is it much different to the UK and if so how?

LindyLoo

In South Australia the system is very similar to the English system, SACE. You'll get most of the curriculum content there.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=302047



I have taught in 3 schools now. One term in South Australia and just into my second term in Queensland. It is night and day compared to Scotland. It is way better over here.

Discipline and the kids behaviour is much better, in my experience. It might be the sunshine having a positive effect, as opposed to the infamous "windy day factor".

It's a bit like starting out all over again. Almost as though you have just stepped out of teacher training college. I teach in high schools. They tend to think of you as a teacher, so you could be asked to teach anything, and I mean anything. If you can teach maths you will get a job instantly, but you will have other subjects to teach. So that can be a nightmare. They do expect you to be capable of teaching more than one subject wether you are qualified or not.

A new colleague informed me that he had an degree in English, but was really good at maths in school, so he now teaches maths in High school. Never studied it at University level, nor does he have any qualifications in it. He didn't think this was a problem!

Just getting to grips with the education babble and assessment has been the most difficult. The schools themselves have been really good.

Kersten

Thanks a lot for that. I have managed to find out lots about how to apply for jobs etc and submitted an application to DECS last week, but have found it hard to find out what teaching is like over there so that is really useful. What are the facilities in schools generally like? Has it made any difference with you being British (ie not Australian)? How have you found the different term pattern?

LindyLoo

I think South Australia is pretty much like UK system. State schools are good and bad depending on area and management and always under resourced - but I do teach Information Technology (so that's probably from my perspective). The staff in schools seem a lot more relaxed, certainly less burnt out.

There seems to be 3 tiers to teaching;
exclusive private schools, around $10000 fees per year per pupil (slightly better pay,but as they pay you directly they tend to use and abuse you). After school hours commitments, trips, extra curricular events etc.

private schools (normally religious denomination, Christian and catholic schools in the main). Students' pay around $2500 per year, this is mainly used to pay for resources, access to the Internet, sports facilities, trips etc. These can be good and bad, in my limited experience, the turn over of staff is very high...if you can't get a job, then you will get employed here! These schools can cut corners and accountability/transparency is sometimes questionable.

State schools, pretty much like in the UK.

Private schools love that you have a British education, it is held in high regard. I have had no problems with being Scottish in Aussie schools.

I haven't worked a full academic year, but teaching apart from teaching in July, that's the only odd thing I have found.

Kersten

Thanks Linda you have been really helpful, sounds great over there- just have the agonising wait for visa now!

bezzanbob

Kersten,

Can you explain your DECS application? I thought I lnew quite a bit about the application process - perhaps not?

Bezza

Kersten

Hi Berian

In Australia you apply to the Department of Education and they can offer you either permanent or temporary work. You are placed in a school by them so a bit different to UK where you apply directly to schools. Applications for the 'first round' have to be in by 5th August this year for the 2006 academic year. If you apply later than this you will still be considered if they have positions available. I am obviously talking about SA here but the process is similar in other states as far as I know but dates might vary slightly.

This bothered me at first not being able to choose the school but when you complete the application form you select districts where you are prepared to work and you can exclude up to 3 particular schools per district so it's not actually that bad.

I have sent in an application that is incomplete and apparently can add to it as we go along. Obviously I will not be offered a job until I have my visa. I will also need to register with the Teacher Registration Board which is basically a licence to teach and you are not allowed to teach without this. You also have to complete certain courses eg first aid prior to working in a school.

It is a bit of a hassle but I think most of this should be able to be done in the UK before arriving in Australia. It is similar for other states. If you search on the internet for the info you will find it, that is how I did it. It is confusing at first to get your head round everything but I have emailed DECS and they have been really helpful.

Hope this helps, any more questions let me know and I will try to help

Kersten

Pip+And

This thread is really helpful! We're moving to Adelaide at the beginning of September. I've had my qualification assessed, but am waiting on a reference from my previous job over here in the UK. Is it worth me emailing DECS and asking if I should be applying for the first round before I've got teacher registration? Quite concerned abut not getting a teaching job when we arrive.

Any advice gratefully received.

Kersten

Yes definately. Go to their website www.decs.sa.gov.au and you will find all the info you need. If you go into the employment as a teacher bit the recruitment email address is in there. You can also apply for TRB initial assessment from here and then provide them with any outstanding docs when you have them website <http://www.trb.sa.edu.au>
Good luck with that, I have looked and there seem to be quite a lot of jobs but I suppose it depends on your subject. What do you teach?

Pip+And

I teach ICT at Secondary and have also trained as a Primary teacher as well. Thanks for the info and link, will check it out