jinky

My wife is a primary school teacher from the UK with a Biochemistry degree from an excellent university, PGCE and 12 years teaching experience - including covering as deputy head. We have a 457 visa so she's allowed to work.

She applied for accreditation to teach in NSW and has been told by the NSW DET that she needs to go back to University to study 4 undergraduate modules (of pretty much anything) before she can be accredited.

Has anyone come across this before? It seems really bizarre. Is this meant to be how the system works? Is there anything she can do other than go back to University?

WS

I guess her degree was at least three years at university?

What type of PGCE was it, and did she also do it at a uni instead of a college?

Mazza12

This is a worry! I have similar qualifications and experience - a BSc and PGCE, 13 years teaching experience (4 years as DHT) and Education Advisor for last 6 years. I am applying for a de facto spouse visa and didn't envisage a problem getting accreditation to teach in NSW once I arrived in Sydney. I thought it was only the GTP that wasn't accepted. Hopefully someone on here with similar qualifications and background can clarify for us.

jinky

It was a 3 year Biochemistry degree and PGCE also at Leeds University - so pretty standard qualifications

WS

Was the PGCE primary? It wasn't post compulsory or anything?

Gems

Thats totally weird if its a Primary PGCE you shouldnt have a problem.

Hubby has a degree and PGCE and had no trouble getting WACOT registration and teaching in WA.

However I do know they are pretty strict on what your degree content is to got on a PGCE course here.
But you already have the PGCE so cant see why they have a problem.

Gems

jinky

It was a completely standard PGCE for primary - ages 5-11

Any guidance anyone who has come across a similar issue would be great!

Gems

Hubby is primary teacher with similar qualifications.
You shouldnt have to do these units, someone has got it wrong. Id contact them again. This cant be right

Gems

roamer25

I'd get assessed by Teaching Australia, or another state, too as this would be an extra argument for getting recognition.

http://www.aitsl.edu.au/ta/go/home/pid/418

The Mackay Mob

This happened to me too. I was told that my initial degree was too restricted in subject (I studied music) and was told that I needed to do study in other areas apart from the arts. It is still possible to teach in private schools or catholic schools. It is just the state schools.

Swerv-o

Yes, and me. In NSW the subjects you take in your undergrad degree are very important in terms of what you can and can't teach. They wanted me to go back to Uni and do a further 4 units IIRC. They also don't take into account anything that you may have done in postgraduate education either. I also had problems because I did my PGCE at a FE college and not at a Uni.

Needless to say I didn't do any more study, and moved on from teaching completely.

It's sadly all very proscriptive and inflexible in NSW - They are so unwilling to be flexible when something a little different comes along.


S

Mazza12

Hey Swerv-o, Can I ask what undergraduate degree you did? I did a BSc Technology and Business Studies followed by a PGCE also at a FE college (although it is now part of Glasgow Uni but all my certs state the name as a college). I don't relish the thought of more study after working in education for 20 years. Looks like I may also have to look at something completely different!

sarumgardiner

HI there

I have just been informed of the same things. I have a 3 year BA and Post Graduate Diploma of teaching from NZ. I have taught for 4 years in NZ and 2 years in UK and cannot get registration here as all my university papers were in a similar area-"Human Society and it's environment". I need to do some study in other areas completely irrelevant to teaching. Sounds very strange. Has anybody found a way around this or does anybody know a quick way to study and get these additional requirements ( for me it is 4 units with 2 different subject areas).

Very disappointing to find this out now we have committed to living here in NSW.

Mazza12

Hi All
Just been trawling this website to seek clarification.

http://www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au/Wh...ch-in-NSW.html

Below is a quote from the site

"To be eligible for accreditation to teach in a NSW government or non-government primary school you require:

EITHER a 4 year undergraduate integrated professional qualification, eg Bachelor of Education (Primary), or an undergraduate combined or double degree covering discipline knowledge and professional studies, eg Bachelor of Science/ Bachelor of Education (Primary).
Prerequisites for admission: Higher School Certificate English minimum Band 4 (Standard English, English as a Second Language or Advanced English) and Higher School Certificate General Mathematics minimum Band 4 or completion of Mathematics (2 Unit).

OR an appropriate Bachelor degree AND a graduate entry initial teacher education qualification, eg Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary), Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) or Master of Teaching (Primary).
Prerequisites for admission: undergraduate studies in a relevant undergraduate (and appropriate postgraduate) degree/s must contain: EITHER one full academic year (two semester units) of study in four key learning areas; OR two full academic years (four semester units) of study in one key learning area and one full academic year (two semester units) of study in two other key learning areas".

On the same page is a link to
"See Subject Content Requirements (abridged). "
If you click on this you are taken to another page where you can then select a PDF document called
"Summary of Subject Content Requirements for Primary Teaching - Mar 2009 - 34 KB"

This sets out the 6 key learning areas and allows you to ascertain whether your undergraduate degree is sufficiently wide to satisfy the requirements set out in red above. Hope this info helps and doesn't confuse us all further!

Swerv-o

I did a BSc in Engineering Science, which was rather heavy in Physics and Chemistry, and less so in biology. They wanted me to go and study I think it was 3 biology units, and a biochemistry one before they would register me.

I had other stuff in my degrees that they also wanted teaching - Electronics being one, various other engineering disciplines, however, these were only considered a 'second tier subjects' and didn't count towards my overall teaching eligibility, as your specialism had to be in one area - eg Physics - as opposed to relying on units drawn from a wider background.

Have a look at the links that Mazza12 has posted. There you will get a better idea of what I am talking about, and how horribly inflexible the whole system is...


S