uk teachers to NSW any advice

[The McT's]

Hi all, having trawled thru teachNSW site & actually spoken to a person, I've just found out that I can't even apply for the overseas teachers course until they consider my degree transcripts.

I did an communication studs deg & a primary PGCE. I can remember having to supply details of having sufficient 'suitable' content within my comm. studs degree to satisfy the PGCE course requirements, so I'm hoping it will be the same over here.

Anyone else had a similar experience, or even a knock-back? It would make life difficult if I couldn't work in Australia as a teacher, after 12years of doing it in the UK.

Am I worrying about nothing?

[Ellie 2]

Don't know if this is any help, but here goes. I assume you have English qualifications. I have taught in NSW for many years and had no trouble with my Scottish qualifications. I know at that time not all English quals. were acceptible in Scotland. If it's easier to find if they are accepted in Scotland I would say to do that and you would have a better idea if they would be accepted in NSW. Good luck.

[Quoll]

I cant think why there should be a problem - the three year degree (I am assuming it is a bachelors?) plus pgce is usually enough AFAIK. The usual problem is that people have a 3 year bachelors in education which doesnt cut it with education departments here so some very experienced and in some ways better trained people are turned down. Dont be put off by the ed department, they are always going to be very defensive in the first instance and until they have checked that you really do have a bachelors and that you have done the required amount of teaching practice - your transcripts are going to be vital.

Be prepared for the application process in NSW though - I dont know if Iemma got his changes through but the plum jobs generally go to people who have done their time in the harder postings - Western Sydney or rural/remote schools. Iemma was wanting to make school appointments the responsibility of the principals but the teacher unions were somewhat anxious about that because it disadvantages their members who have done the hard yards and are desperate to be moved into "nicer" areas.

[The McT's]

Thanks folks,
Quoll, I do have a BA Hons so ought to be OK, but who knows the way Aussie bureaucracy goes?

Interesting your comments on the teaching situation in NSW. As an ex-inner city UK teacher I've got a lot of sympathy for the hard yards argument. As a parent in NSW leafy suburb I see my children's school staffed almost fully by 50+ age teachers who have made it to a 'cush-ier' school, and are just going thru' the motions. There's no passion, no spark, no nice young NQTs to liven the place up.

After the last decade of nat curriculum, literacy & numeracy hours, OFSTED, sats league tables, value added, threshold etc etc etc in the UK; I find it wonderfully laid back here, but my goodness NSW needs a shake-up. Lets hope Mr Rudd doesn't nick too many of Blair's bright ideas.

It won't affect me too much anyway if I do get to teach here. I'm going to do casual work, mainly to keep myself in fancy hats for Randwick Race meetings - honnest.