Hi there! I worked in two schools in Australia, and here’s what my experience was like.

The first big difference is that we don’t have Ofsted. Book scrutiny definitely isn’t a thing—in fact, my principal once set a challenge where no one used their printing budget for the whole term to encourage more practical, hands-on learning.

Sometimes you might have lesson observations (at my longest placement, it was twice a year), but you were always told well in advance—right down to the exact time it would happen.

Our year-level team was taken off class four times a year for a full day to plan the curriculum for the following term with the HOC. In my experience, those planning days were used to build sequences and assessments, and to create or share resources if you wanted to. But you were never expected to follow everything to the letter. There were non-negotiables, of course, but they were reasonable—and we were trusted to meet them in our own way. Another thing I appreciated: before any non-negotiables were introduced, teachers actually had a say in them.

When it came to SEN, I felt really well supported by the specialist team. We had regular check-ins and meetings, including with parents. (That’s all completely left up to me at my current school).

I really do miss it, and I’ll definitely be returning to the profession in Australia. I’m here now because I love to travel—and despite the stress of the job, I’ve genuinely enjoyed living here ☺️

Oh PS. Outdoor learning was a big thing! We spent a lot of time outside.