On placement

Students need to be aware of the work, health and safety policy and practices of the school/service at the commencement of the placement.

Charles Sturt University students are covered under comprehensive personal, professional accident and liability insurance whilst they participate in University course-approved placements within Australia. Find out more about the Student insurance policy.

If any incidents occur, you should submit a Safety incident report. You can also reach out to the Workplace Learning team via email within 48 hours so that direction can be provided and the appropriate University staff can be advised.

Placement Engagement

To enhance your professional experience, it is recommended that you offer to undertake additional responsibilities and extra activities whilst on placement. This will provide greater support, strengthen professional networks and further demonstrate a practical understanding of your theoretical knowledge.

In your placement, you are regarded as temporary members of staff and, accordingly, will observe the same conditions as teachers, which include but are not limited to the following:

  1. Initial the sign-in book on arrival and departure each day as required (this is a WH&S requirement).
  2. Remain at the placement setting during the prescribed placement hours.
  3. Abide by the regulations of the education authority.
  4. Assist with duties undertaken by the supervising teacher.
  5. Assist with other expected on-site activities.
  6. Abide by the established policy on matters of dress, grooming, punctuality and mode of address.
  7. Abide by the regulations of the placement setting in relation to the use of technology during the placement. This includes appropriate use of social media, internet, email and any access provided by the placement setting.
  8. Complete the learning and teaching activities expected of them while on placement, which are detailed in the Guides to Professional Experience Placement for each subject.

Attendance

Teacher education students in school settings are expected to arrive at least thirty minutes prior to the start of the school day and leave no sooner than thirty minutes after the end of the school day. This may vary according to the needs of the school and the activities planned (for example, excursions, sporting events or concert rehearsals).

It is expected that a teacher education student in an early childhood setting will work the same hours as their supervising teacher. Failure to attend a professional experience placement for a minimum of seven (7) hours per day may result in a student being deemed to be at risk of failing the professional experience placement.

Teacher education students are expected to be in attendance for each day of the professional experience placement. In order to meet both the requirements of their Charles Sturt degree and the minimum standard requirements of NESA (or equivalent).

Students who need to take Leave of Absence for any reason during the placement must notify both the placement setting and the University Liaison Officer/Professional Experience Liaison Officer. A Leave of Absence Form must be completed as and submitted to your Subject Coordinator via Brightspace with your final report. Students should note the guidelines on Permitted Days Absent section below in relation to any requirement to make up missed days in order to ensure that they meet requirements for accreditation.

Courses with no permitted days absent. Students are required to make up all days absent due to exams, industrial action and sick daysCourses with some permitted days absent. Students are not required to make up days absent due to exams or industrial action, but must make up all sick days

Bachelor/Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Bachelor of Education (Secondary) Industry Entry

Bachelor of Education (HPE)

Bachelor of Education (Outdoor Education)

Bachelor of Education (TAS)

Bachelor/Master of Teaching (Primary)

Bachelor of Education (Birth-5)

Bachelor of Education (K-12)

Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary)

If industrial action is scheduled during a professional experience placement, you're advised to act cautiously. In accordance with the NESA Framework for High Quality Professional Experience in NSW Schools, teacher education students are to remain supervised at all times. If for any reason your concerned, please contact the Workplace Learning team.

Additional information

To avoid potential conflicts of interest for teacher education students on placement, the Workplace Learning Team uses the following guidelines to select appropriate placement. This is based on the premise that a teacher education student:

  1. Has every opportunity to attend each placement without any need to meet or overcome preconceptions drawn from staff members to whom they have previously known in another capacity and;
  2. In the event of a difficult or failed placement, avoiding a conflict of interest should reduce the risk of an awkward situation.

In order to avoid a conflict of interest arising from the personal circumstances of the teacher education student, they are advised that:

  1. The completion of a placement may be at a school they attended provided five (5) years has elapsed since the completion of the student's final year of attendance at the school
  2. Completing a placement at a school where their own child is currently a student is not permitted.
  3. Undertaking a placement in a school where they have worked in paid employment or as a volunteer in the past five (5) years needs to be avoided.
  4. Completing a placement in a school in which a close relative is currently working, either as a teacher or as a member of the non-teaching staff needs to be avoided.

Exemptions may be sought by sending an email to Workplace Learning (FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au) stating the grounds on which the exemption is sought.


Personal and financial planning

Teacher education students may need to make special arrangements with regard to childcare, employment, travel and short-term accommodation to complete their placements. Whilst it is the teacher education students’ responsibility for managing the personal and financial preparation to undertake placements information regarding potential financial assistance can be accessed via Charles Sturt Scholarships and Grants.

Charles Sturt support networks

The University will make reasonable adjustments to ensure students with a disability have access to and participate in Professional Experience, in accordance with the Disability Standards for Education 2005.

If you're experiencing difficulties while on professional experience placement, please seek assistance from our available university support services. These include academic support, disability services support and personal counselling.

Teacher education students need to be aware of the principles for the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases. Information can be found at Staying Healthy (pdf, 2.6MB) from the National Health and Medical Research Council website.

It is important to remember that ethical behaviour does not end at the school gate for teachers. Teacher education students should familiarise themselves with the foundations of ethical behaviour online found at the eSafety site.

Teacher education students engaged on a professional experience may be included in school or early childhood excursions at the discretion of the Principal or Director. Clear arrangements should be made regarding responsibility for any excursion costs, as these are not borne by the university.

Completion of placement

At the completion of the placement, you need to work with your supervising teachers to complete all sections of the final professional experience report.

It is important that the report is fully completed before the addition of any signatures. These must be entered sequentially: the report is 'locked down' as signatures are added, and editing after this occurs is not possible.

After obtaining all signatures, the supervising teacher must email the report to you. You'll submit the final Professional Experience Report to Charles Sturt University Brightspace, along with any other required documentation.

You should remember to thank your supervising teacher, Principal/Director and other staff for their assistance during the placement.

Waiver of Appendix B of the NESA Professional Experience Policy

The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) have provided a means for Teacher Education Students (TES) to complete their final professional experience as conditionally accredited teachers within a school where they are employed. This is known as the Waiver of Appendix B of the NESA Professional Experience Policy.

You need to meet the following criteria to submit your application:

  1. The TES must have undertaken a satisfactory placement in at least one other school prior to the current school location (to meet the placement in two schools’ requirement).
  2. The principal of the school supports the application in the interests of curriculum continuity, especially in crucial teaching areas, geographic isolation, or casual teacher shortages.
  3. The TES is currently employed as a teacher on a contract at a school.
  4. NESA approves the placement under the Waiver B conditions.

If you meet the above criteria, please complete the following forms and submit by emailing to FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au

  1. Application of a waiver of Appendix B of the NESA PEX Policy
  2. Charles Sturt Application for NESA Waiver B for Professional Experience

To assist with understanding the process of this application, please see the Process document.

Withdrawal from Professional Experience

If you wish to withdraw from a placement you should make telephone contact with your University Liaison Officer/Professional Experience Liaison Officer in the first place and then, irrespective of the reason, must also advise the following members of staff via email immediately:

  1. University Liaison Officer/Professional Experience Liaison Officer
  2. Supervising Teacher;
  3. The relevant site-based Professional Experience Coordinator and Principal of the School/Director of Early Childhood Service;
  4. Workplace Learning Team: FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au;
  5. The Subject Coordinator.

Student Placement Support and Review Process (SPSRP)

A student having difficulties in the course of a placement may be notified that they are at risk of failing professional experience. Following consultation between the school/setting and the University, a Developmental Support Plan will be put in place to assist students to reach the required outcomes of the placement.