EPT524

Final Professional Experience: Consolidating Practice in the Secondary Context

Thank you for Supporting CSU's Professional Experience Program

We appreciate your participation in Charles Sturt University's (CSU) Faculty of Arts and Education Professional Experience Program.

Before placement begins, supervising teachers are encouraged to review AITSL's 'Components of Effective, High-Quality Professional Experience' (Section 4) for guidance on best practices in supervision. Below, you'll find key information and links to essential documents needed to support your CSU pre-service teacher (PST).

Supervising a Pre-Service Teacher (PST)

Pre-service teachers (PSTs) in their final professional experience placement are typically in the final session of study in the Master of Teaching (Secondary). By this stage, they have completed their discipline-based studies and the majority of their education-based coursework. At a minimum, their completed subjects have covered:

  • Classroom management
  • Curriculum and pedagogy across most primary teaching areas
  • Child and adolescent development and learning
  • Assessment principles and practices
  • Inclusive education and supporting diverse learning needs

Role of the PST in the Final Placement

During this up to 30-day placement, the PST will:

  • Observe experienced teachers and classroom dynamics
  • Plan and deliver lessons aligned with curriculum requirements
  • Assess student learning and adapt teaching strategies
  • Reflect on their teaching practices for continuous improvement

By Weeks 5-6, the PST is expected to take on up to an 80% teaching load, demonstrating increasing independence and confidence in the classroom. Their progress should align with the NESA Evidence Guide for Supervising Teachers, ensuring they meet the expected professional teaching standards.

Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA)

As part of their final professional experience, PSTs must collect and submit evidence of their ability to:

  • Plan effective learning experiences
  • Teach with a focus on student engagement and achievement
  • Assess learning outcomes and provide feedback
  • Reflect on their impact to enhance teaching effectiveness

GTPA Information Sheet

Supervising teachers play a critical role in mentoring and guiding PSTs as they transition into the teaching profession. Your support helps shape the next generation of educators and contributes to high-quality teaching and learning in schools.

Teaching Progression

During this 6-week professional experience placement (EPT524), pre-service teachers (PSTs) will progress through structured teaching responsibilities, as outlined in the EPT524 Teaching Progression.  These are minimum expectations and may be adjusted based on the needs, context, and development of the PST.

Daily Feedback Sheets

Supervising teachers must complete a Lesson Feedback Sheet for each lesson taught by the PST. Both the supervising teacher and PST must sign these forms. See Section 4.2 for details on providing ongoing feedback.

Mid-Placement Review (Day 8)

At Day 8, supervising teachers and PSTs should engage in a collaborative review using the Professional Experience Report. This process identifies strengths and areas for development for the remainder of the placement.

Addressing Concerns

If concerns arise about the PST’s progress, immediately complete a Notification of Concern Form and email it to the Workplace Learning Team at FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au. If there are no concerns, this form is not required.

Completion of placement

The Professional Experience Report must be completed at both mid-placement and at the conclusion of the placement.

  • Before editing, download and save the report. Then reopen the PDF on your device
  • Use the Evidence Guide for Graduate Teachers to support your assessment
  • Final report must be completed on the last day of placement

Please do not hesitate to contact the Workplace Learning Team at FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au should you have any questions or concerns regarding this report or your assessment responsibility.

Signing Order (Important!):

  1. Pre-service teacher
  2. Supervising teacher
  3. Principal (final signature locks the report)

Once the principal signs, editing is no longer possible. After obtaining all signatures, email the final signed report to the PST.

The PST is responsible for submitting it as a mandatory assessment task via CSU’s Brightspace learning system.

To ensure timely payment for supervising a pre-service teacher (PST), please submit all required forms by the final day of placement.

Payment Options

Supervising teachers can choose one of the following payment methods:

Option 1: Payment to the Individual

If you wish to receive personal payment for this placement, please submit the following completed forms to FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au upon completion of the placement:

Option 2: Payment to the School/Service

If the payment should be directed to the school/service, please forward the invoice template to your school/service office. Payment will be processed after the Professional Experience Report is submitted by the PST via Brightspace.

Important: Payments (to individuals or schools) cannot be processed until all required documents have been submitted.

Rates of Pay

Effective Date Supervision Rate Coordination Rate

01 Jan – 31 Dec 2024

$37.15 per day

$1.85 per day

  • Schools/services requesting direct payment must add 10% GST to these rates.
  • Charles Sturt University has not yet confirmed the 2025 payment rates. If adjustments are made, payments will be revised accordingly.

Some users may experience issues when digitally signing the required Adobe forms.

  1. Ensure you have the latest version of Adobe Reader – Download for free here
  2. Save the form to your computer before completing it:
    • Option 1: Right-click the form link → Select "Save link as..." → Open in Adobe Reader
    • Option 2: Open the form in your browser → Save to your computer → Open in Adobe Reader
  3. Set up a digital signature to complete the required fields.

For assistance, please contact the Workplace Learning Team at FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au.

Addressing Placement Concerns

If you or the University Liaison Officer (ULO) have concerns regarding a pre-service teacher's conduct or competency during placement, please take the following steps as soon as possible.

Concerns About Professionalism

If concerns arise regarding the professional conduct of a pre-service teacher (PST):

  • First, contact the ULO to discuss strategies for improvement.
  • If concerns persist, email the Workplace Learning Team at FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au. A Workplace Learning Coordinator will then provide further guidance.

Concerns About Competency & AITSL Teaching Standards

Concerns related to a PST’s ability to meet the AITSL Teaching Standards must be addressed through the Student Placement Support and Review Process (SPSRP).

  • In consultation with the ULO, implement the SPSRP to support the PST’s progress.
  • Early intervention is key—raising concerns before the mid-placement review provides the PST the best opportunity for improvement.
  • The SPSRP can be formalised at any stage of the placement if necessary.

Supporting SPSRP Documentation:

  • Daily Feedback Sheet (Primary or Secondary) – Must be completed daily by the Supervising Teacher.
  • Student Leave of Absence Form – All absences must be documented with supporting evidence (e.g., medical certificate) and submitted to the Subject Coordinator via Brightspace with the final report.

Important: Please download and save forms to your desktop/computer before editing.

All CSU pre-service teachers are covered under the university’s insurance policy while completing approved professional experience placements. This coverage includes:

  • Personal accident insurance
  • Professional liability insurance

Download Insurance Letter

Claims and Reporting:

  • Any accidents during placement must be reported to the Workplace Learning Team (FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au) within 48 hours.
  • Car accidents while traveling to/from a placement should be claimed through Third-Party Insurance.
  • Transporting other PSTs: If a PST accepts monetary compensation for transporting others, it may invalidate their Third-Party Insurance.
  • Overseas placements are not covered under CSU’s insurance policy.

For any questions or concerns about a PST’s placement, please contact the Workplace Learning Team at FOAE-WPL@csu.edu.au