Bachelor of Education (K-6 Teaching)

This degree contains 80 days* of professional experience in a school setting. These placements are integrated into EDUC106, EDUC206, EDUC306 and EDSP411.  All professional experience placements in a school setting must meet the following requirements to be counted for placement. The school must:

  • Assess teacher proficiency against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers;
  • Use NESA approved syllabuses or equivalent Australian syllabuses;
  • Be a NESA registered or a NSW Department of Education school (or equivalent interstate settings). For information regarding international schools, please read the OPL's Important Information.

All placements must be in a mainstream classroom unless otherwise specified.

Before undertaking the final placement, all teacher education students in this degree must complete and pass both components of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students.

*Students undertaking a specialisation in Languages will require an additional placement in a school setting in EDLA315.

Please select your unit from the list below to see more in-depth information about your placements in this degree:

EDUC106 (Online PrEx 10 days)

The unit EDUC106 is an innovative approach to the observation placement undertaken by teacher education students by introducing them to foundational theories, principals and skills for effective student and teacher learning. It meets the requirements of 10 days of professional experience by allowing students to observe structured lessons taught by classroom teachers. No school is organised for this placement. More information regarding this unit and its assessment and professional experience requirements can be found on the Course and Units Catalogue.

EDUC106 Teaching Development 1: Online PrEx 10 days

EDUC206 (PrEx15) - 1st In-School Placement

EDUC206

This 15 day placement is integrated into the unit EDUC206. The placement component requires students to complete an assignment while on professional experience as part of the unit. Teacher education students should consult the Course and Units Catalogue for more information regarding the assessment component and other requirements of the unit.

Specific Requirements

This is a 15 day block placement in a primary school setting where the teacher education student will be assessed against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Teacher education students may be placed in classrooms with another student as part of the Triadic Model for professional experience. EDUC206's Specific Requirements outline how the Triadic Model will work in a classroom.

Teacher education students who undertake the placement individually will follow a different set of Specific Requirements.

EDUC206 Specific Requirements (PDF, 468.81 KB)

EDUC206 Weekly Review Sheet  (PDF, 234.91 KB)

Teaching Load

  • Week 1: Classroom immersion, focussing on building professional rapport with students, small- group and team-teaching, assisted planning and teaching of up to two lessons by Day Five. Supervising teacher to model teaching and provide examples of planning and resources.
  • Week 2: With guidance from the supervising teacher, planning and teaching of two lessons each day building to whole sessions (e.g. morning, middle, afternoon) teaching up to a minimum of 10 hours per week
  • Week 3: Formalised, less guided and more independent approach to planning and teaching up to a minimum of 10 hours per week. Focus on providing students with clear and well- directed instructions and effective progression and continuity when lessons are sequential.

Report Requirements

  • Interim Report - at the midpoint of the placement
  • Final Report - on the final day of the placement

Placements that can be accepted

  • Mainstream primary classrooms
  • Distance Education settings*

*For a Distance Education setting, students should make contact with the OPL to discuss the requirements.

Placements that cannot be accepted

  • Work in a tutoring agency
  • Working as an au pair
  • Employment as a governess (or equivalent position)
  • Employment as teacher's aide (or equivalent position such as a Learning Support Officer).
  • Release from Face-to-Face (RFF) Placements
  • Library placements
EDUC306 (PrEx20) - 2nd In-School Placement 

EDUC306

This 20 day placement is integrated into the unit EDUC306. The placement may require students to complete an assessment task while on professional experience as part of the unit. Teacher education students should consult the Course and Units Catalogue for more information regarding the assessment and other requirements of the unit.

Specific Requirements

This is a 20 day block placement in a primary school setting where the teacher education student will be assessed against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

EDUC306 Specific Requirements (PDF, 479.69 KB)

EDUC306 Weekly Review Sheet (PDF, 258.7 KB)

Teaching Load

  • Week 1: Classroom immersion focussing on building professional rapport with students, small-group and team-teaching, assisted planning and teaching of up to two lessons per day by Days Four and Five.
  • Week 2: Some independent and predominantly guided formal planning and teaching of two lessons each day building to whole sessions (e.g. morning, middle, afternoon) building to a teaching load up to a minimum of 12 hours per week.
  • Week 3: Mostly independent planning and teaching of up to 12 hours per week with a focus on effective transitioning of students between activities and awareness of the importance of keen organisational skills and preparation of resources.
  • Week 4: Independent planning and teaching for of up to 12 hours for the week, taking full responsibility (where appropriate) for classroom organisation, students’ learning and engagement.

Report Requirements

  • Interim Report - at the midpoint of the placement
  • Final Report - on the final day of the placement

Placements that can be accepted

  • Mainstream primary classrooms
  • Distance Education settings*
  • Special Education settings*

Teacher education students may only complete the EDUC306 placement in a Special Education setting.

*For a Distance Education setting, students should make contact with the OPL to discuss the requirements.

*For Special Education settings, the curriculum must align with the NSW/Australian Curriculum and the class must be in a primary school.

The Special Education settings are:

  • A Special Education School
  • A Special Education unit
  • A Special Education development unit
  • An inclusive school environment which includes students with identified special needs

Placements that cannot be accepted

  • Work in a tutoring agency
  • Working as an au pair
  • Employment as a governess (or equivalent position)
  • Employment as teacher's aide (or equivalent position such as a Learning Support Officer).
  • Release from Face-to-Face (RFF) Placements
  • Library placements
EDSP411 (PrEx35) - Final Graduate Placement 

EDSP411

This 35 day placement is integrated into the unit EDSP411 and is the final placement for this degree. The placement requires students to complete the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment while on professional experience as part of the unit. Students should consult the Course and Units Catalogue for more information.

Specific Requirements

This is a 35 day block placement  in a primary school setting where the teacher education student will be assessed against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Teacher education students will undertake this placement individually as outlined in the Specific Requirements. In schools with applicable agreements, this placement can progress to an Internship once all conditions have been met.

EDSP411 Specific Requirements (DOCX, 126.9 KB)

Teaching Load

  • Week 1: Classroom immersion on Days One and Two, small group and team-teaching on Day Four, independent planning and teaching of up to two lessons per day by Days Four and Five.
  • Week 2: Collaborative planning and teaching of two (2) lessons each day focussing on identifying the varied needs of learners, implementation of differentiated learning outcomes for individuals within the class.
  • Week 3: Mostly independent teaching of no less than 12 hours per week where responsibility for planning/programming across the Key Learning Areas incorporates a range of assessment tasks to evaluate student/class outcomes.
  • Week 4 - 7: Independent planning and teaching of no less than 14 hours per week, taking full responsibility for the class (individually and collectively) by guiding them to achieve planned goals and learning outcomes. This may be for day-to-day planning or for integrated units of work. Demonstrating the ability to act accountably as a classroom teacher who interacts professionally and pro-actively with colleagues, parents, students and the wider school community at all times. Completing their Graduate Teaching Performance Assessment task.

Report Requirements

  • Interim Report - at the midpoint of the placement
  • Final Report - on the final day of the placement

Graduate Level Placements

This is the final placement where the teacher education students are assessed against all of the Australian Professional  Standards for Teachers at the Graduate level as per the requirements of NESA.

During the final professional experience placement, Teacher Education Students are required by NESA to complete a Graduate Teaching Performance Assessment (GTPA). For more information please see the Final Placements and the GTPA page.

Teacher education students will be advised about the details of what is required to complete the GTPA in their final trimester of study. It will involve gathering evidence to demonstrate the impact on the learning of three students in the class with different ability levels.

Primary teaching courses include an AITSL primary teaching specialisation in English/Literacy. Some courses also include a NESA primary teaching specialisation in Mathematics, Science and Technology, and Language.

Depending on your course, your GTPA must focus on your teaching specialisation:

Bachelor of Education (K-6 Teaching)

  • If you undertake the AITSL primary teaching specialisation in English/Literacy only, you MUST focus your GTPA on the primary English KLA
  • If you undertake both the AITSL primary teaching specialisation in English/Literacy and a NESA primary teaching specialisation in Mathematics, Science, and Technology, or Language
    • You focus on primary English and the NESA primary teaching specialisation in your final two professional experience placements – one specialisation per placement.
    • You can choose to focus your GTPA on either primary English or your NESA teaching specialisation area
  • To determine which primary teaching specialisation/s you have undertaken, consider the units you have been completing/have completed:

Placements that can be accepted

  • Mainstream primary classrooms

Teacher education students may only complete one placement in a  Distance Education, or Special Education setting in EDUC206 or EDUC306. Please refer to EDUC206 and EDUC306 for more information.

Placements that cannot be accepted

  • Any placement type that varies from a mainstream classroom setting.
    • Release from Face-to-Face (RFF) Placements
EDLA315 (PrEx 20) - Language Specialisation Placement*

EDLA315 Teaching in a Bilingual Context

This 20-day placement applies specifically to teacher education students electing to complete a 20-day primary teaching specialisation professional experience, in a language that is other than English. Students should consult the Course and Units Catalogue for more information.

Specific Requirements

This is an elective 20-day block placement in a primary school setting where the teacher education student will be assessed against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Planning for teaching this subject should align with the NSW Languages K-10 Framework.

Teacher education students will undertake this placement individually as outlined in the Specific Requirements. Approval for this professional experience can only occur after initial consultation with the Office for Professional Learning as the type of school setting will determine the outcomes for the placement.

EDLA315 Specific Requirements

EDLA315 Pre-Placement Plan

Teaching Load

  • Week 1:  
    • Classroom immersion, establishing students’ prior knowledge of the language, some observation.
    • Small group and team-teaching, assisted planning and teaching (at least two full lessons by Day Five with guidance from the supervising teacher.
  • Week 2:
    • Working towards teaching two lessons each day.
    • Continued close collaboration with the supervising teacher.
  • Week 3:
    • Exploring a range of teaching strategies with clear learning goals, and assisted planning by teaching of up to 10 hours for the week.
    • Implementing planning through a variety of innovative and multi-modal resources
  • Week 4: 
    • Planning for and teaching up to a minimum of 10 hours per week.
    • Possible implementation of a whole class or whole school culminating cultural activity/project.

Report Requirements

  • Interim Report - at the midpoint of the placement
  • Final Report - on the final day of the placement

Placements that can be accepted

  • A primary school where the subject of Language other than English (LOTE), is part of the school’s curriculum.
  • A primary school where the subject of Language other than English (LOTE), is not part of the school’s curriculum and through negotiation with the supervising teacher, will introduce the language to the class/classes by way of a pre-planned unit of work.
  • A primary school where the subject of Language other than English (LOTE) is part of the school’s language immersion or bilingual program.

Placements that cannot be accepted

  • Any setting that is not a primary school.