How to become a Primary or Secondary School Teacher in Australia

How to become a Primary School Teacher or Secondary School Teacher in Australia

Are you interested in pursuing a career as a teacher? As a teacher, you’ll educate, inspire and shape future generations. It is also great timing to become a teacher in Australia right now. The Australian Government listed education as one of Australia’s top three growth industries, with primary and secondary school teachers in high demand. Primary school teacher is currently on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) while secondary school teacher is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). Therefore, if you are drawn to the diverse career opportunities offered by the education industry and enthusiastic about inspiring the future generation of Australians, becoming a teacher could be the right career choice for you.

Become a Primary or Secondary School Teacher

People usually struggle to decide whether they should become primary school teachers or secondary school teachers. In the following section, we will briefly discuss the main difference between being a primary school teacher and a secondary school teacher and their duties.

Primary School Teacher

Primary school teachers plan and conduct educational programs for children aged 5 to 12 years old, generally from Year 1 through Year 6, following the prescribed curriculum developed by the government. They assist with the development of children’s numeracy and literacy skills, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and social skills. They prepare lesson plans teaching a range of subjects, such as English, math, technology, physics, social science and humanities, arts, and health and physical education. They monitor and assess the progress and abilities of each student and provide reports to parents and administrators regularly to ensure the students gain as much as they can from their primary education and prepare for high school education.

Tasks performed by primary school teachers (ANZSCO 241213) include:

teaching literacy, numeracy, social science, creative expression and physical education skills to primary school students
presenting prescribed curriculum using a range of teaching techniques and materials
developing students’ interests, abilities and coordination by way of creative activities
guiding discussions and supervising work in class
preparing, administering and marking tests, projects and assignments to evaluate students’ progress and recording the results
discussing individual progress and problems with students and parents, and seeking advice from Student Counsellors and senior teachers
maintaining discipline in classrooms and other school areas
participating in staff meetings, educational conferences and workshops
liaising with parent, community and business groups
maintaining class and scholastic records
performing extra-curricular tasks such as assisting with sport, school concerts, excursions and special interest programs
supervising student teachers on placement

In order to become a primary school teacher, you will need to be friendly, calm, patient, and caring. You will possess outstanding communication skills and the ability to build rapport with the students. You need to be organised and ready to devote yourself to the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of the students. You must be knowledgeable and enjoy working with all children with diverse backgrounds.

Steps to become a primary school teacher in Australia

Step 1: Complete your high school education.
You will need to successfully complete your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (HSC, QCE, VCE etc) and qualify for enrolment into a university course.

Step 2: Complete a bachelor degree or higher.
You must complete a Bachelor of Education (Primary) or higher with an accredited education provider. During your studies, you will need to undergo work placement and work closely with registered teachers. This will allow you to gain valuable experience in the field and you will have the chance to face the daily duties involved in Primary School Teaching. If you already have a bachelor’s degree in another discipline, you can also go for a postgraduate degree, such as a Master of Teaching focusing in Primary Education.

Step 3: Apply for registration.
Once you have completed your education, you must register yourself with your state’s Teacher Registration Authority to obtain permission to teach and become a qualified teacher. Teachers who are registered interstate or in New Zealand or completed their initial teacher education (ITE) or early childhood (EC) education studies overseas are required to provide additional documentation when applying for teacher registration in Victoria.

Secondary School Teacher

Secondary school teachers help students with their academic growth and progression through high school. They are responsible for teaching students in Years 7 to 12, with children aged between 12 and 18. They need to create a welcoming learning environment for teenage students, which can be challenging from time to time. They develop lesson plans to teach specific subjects to students. It is also their responsibility to ensure their teaching methods, lessons, and assignments meet the curriculum requirements set out by their state or territory.

Tasks performed by secondary school teachers (ANZSCO 241411) include:

presenting prescribed curriculum using a range of teaching techniques and materials
developing students’ interests, abilities and coordination by way of creative activities
guiding discussions and supervising work in class
preparing, administering and marking tests, projects and assignments to evaluate students’ progress and recording the results
discussing individual progress and problems with students and parents, and seeking advice from Student Counsellors and senior teachers
maintaining discipline in classrooms and other school areas
participating in staff meetings, educational conferences and workshops
liaising with parent, community and business groups
maintaining class and scholastic records
performing extra-curricular tasks such as assisting with sport, school concerts, excursions and special interest programs
supervising student teachers on placement

In order to become a secondary school teacher, you will need to be creative and possess the ability to design engaging lessons. You must enjoy working with teenagers and have the patience when facing students with different abilities and cultures. You will also need strong interpersonal and communication skills. You must be enthusiastic and have the knowledge, skills and ability in your area of teaching.

Steps to become a secondary school teacher in Australia

Step 2: Obtain a bachelor’s degree in the area of education. This usually incorporates a Bachelor of Education (Secondary). You can also complete a two-year Master of Teaching, designed for students who have previously attained tertiary qualifications, like a minor and major in at least two curriculums acknowledged by Australian secondary schools.

Ausdirect Migration for Primary or Secondary Education

For International Students:

If you are an international student with passion to work as a primary or secondary school teacher in Australia, we highly recommend you get in touch with us to arrange your enrolment in the most suitable courses and prepare for your skilled migration journey.

For Registered Primary or Secondary School Teachers in Australia:

If you are already working as a registered primary or secondary school teacher in Australia and wish to apply for a permanent for Australia, Ausdirect Migration can assist you in navigating every step of the process during the journey.

For International Primary or Secondary School Teachers overseas:

If you are an international primary or secondary school teacher and wish to come to Australia for work or apply for immigration, please contact our specialist team today and we assist with your immigration and also link to the employers that we work with in Australia.