Powells

I have to agree with Sammi. Much as I love my teaching job here in Victoria we have regular peer observations, a structured review process and the expectations on teacher time are pretty similar to the UK. I work at home and have meetings either with parents or staff meetings before and after most school days and data is King. That said I work with excellent colleagues and students and love where I live so wouldn't change anything. Job security can be an issue in Victoria with many roles being contract however where we are IT is still a role that is in demand. Nicky

I probably wouldn't choose to live there either but it is more of a city than where we are. There are some issues with the centre after dark but to be honest you get that most places and I could say the same about Wodonga after working there for a while. Shepparton has some nice areas and housing is very affordable but my choice would always be to love out of town and commute in if I was working there. I love where we are and find the scenery around Shepparton a bit flat and dull compared to our hills. Nicky

Who is enjoying the new public holiday in Victoria? It seems to have split the state between those who are loving it and those who are hating it. Personally it is in our school holidays so I'm not gaining anything but we have enjoyed the sunshine. Just wondering what people are doing today? Nicky

Yes we are about 2-3 hours away from Melbourne along the Hume and I'm not really up to date on Melbourne suburbs sorry. There are trains but they are pretty useless and tend to be replaced by a bus more often than not (this has been the case for a number of years). We are in a lovely country area with Wangaratta, Wodonga and possibly Shepparton our nearest towns. They are called cities but in UK terms they are more like towns. Our eldest daughter has just moved to canberra for Uni and loves it but we have no intention of moving any time soon. This area is great for those who prefer a slower pace of life and love the beautiful countryside, great food and wine and cycling/ skiing. Our children have had the best time growing up in the countryside and we regularly head down to Melbourne or over to Canberra for culture or shopping. Nicky

If you can fit them in bring them. Not all rooms have built in robes and you will always find a use for them. Nicky

It reads to me that you would be OK with your paid work after ITE rather than having to wait until after the degree. Early Childhood teaching is very different to my P-12 course and has gone through some changes here in Victoria so I suggest that you ask for further clarification. I had an issue with my qualifications and was lucky enough to be able to retake a diploma of education while we were here. Good luck. Nicky

Psychology is taught at senior levels in Victoria and is included in science usually before that. With your mix of subjects you should be able to apply for science positions in Victorian government and private schools. It might also be worth keeping an eye on the Catholic school vacancies although different areas require different levels of knowledge or adherence to religion. Nicky

I'm a secondary teacher (English, Drama) in North East Victoria. Happy to help with info/ advice if I can. Nicky

Hello all I have been away from this forum for a few years and thought that I would drop in and see how things are travelling. We moved to Wangaratta 10 years ago and are now happily settled on 8 acres in Ned Kelly country. We came over on a 457 visa and have since got PR then citizenship and are currently sponsoring my parents who live in a 2 bed unit on our property. It has been a wild ride at times and there have been some very tough moments in these past 10 years but we are all very settled with kids now either at High School or out making their way at Uni. Happy to give advice about some of the prettier Victorian areas to live and about some of the things to watch out for along the way. Good luck to all of those starting along this road. Nicky