Providing public education

The Quality Teaching Strategy (QTS) is our position on effective teaching and the aspects of school culture that support improved teaching practices. The strategy articulates the supports to strengthen the effectiveness of classroom teaching and whole‑school practice. It is based on research and developed by the profession.

The QTS aims to strengthen the quality of teaching across the system to support progress and achievement for every student, and includes 3 supports:

• Teaching for Impact provides guidance to teachers about what constitutes effective teaching practice, providing a common language to improve student outcomes and bringing together the elements of good teaching in one place. The Teaching for Impact overview outlines what effective teachers believe, know and do. Supporting resources elaborate on the what, why and how of the elements identified as having significant impact on student outcomes. The overview and resources are accessible online for all Western Australian public school staff.
• The School Culture Survey is a tool to support principals to assess and identify the aspects of their school’s culture needed for optimal quality teaching.
• The Leading Cultures of Teaching Excellence professional learning program supports principals and leadership teams to lead a high performance and development culture in their school. In Semester 1, 2024, 30 principals commenced the program.

A core component of the QTS is a strengthened profession‑led model of support which leverages the expertise in our schools. In 2024, 26 QTS lead schools, 4 DigiTech schools and 5 Western Australian Centre for Excellence in the Explicit Teaching of Literacy schools supported the implementation of Teaching for Impact, including through the use of instructional coaches. In February 2024, leaders and teachers representing these schools came together to continue to co‑design their operational models and further strengthen support for the QTS. The forum provided an opportunity to build the QTS community of practice.

The QTS partnerships initiative further amplifies school engagement with Teaching for Impact by linking partner schools with a lead school. We launched the initiative at a one‑day workshop on 24 May 2024, and will conclude at the end of Term 4, 2024. Eighty‑one schools from across the state, including 26 QTS lead schools, 4 DigiTech schools and 51 QTS partner schools are participating in the initiative.

We provide support to early career teachers through the Graduate Teacher Induction program. Support includes professional learning for graduate teachers and access to an in‑class coaching program. In 2023–24, 4,101 teachers completed components of the professional learning modules and 636 accessed the in‑class coaching program. All support is aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Teachers who provide and support high quality teaching in schools are recognised through our level 3 classroom teacher and senior teacher programs. In 2023, 65 exemplary teachers achieved level 3 classroom teacher status and 1,297 teachers became senior teachers. Senior teachers are experienced teachers committed to high quality teaching and ongoing professional learning.

The Leap program addresses emerging Department and local school workforce demands by qualifying current teachers in areas of need through graduate certificates offered at local universities and micro‑credentials tailored to specific areas of expertise. In 2023–24, Leap trained 308 teachers in secondary mathematics, languages, design and technology, English, education support, humanities and social sciences, agriculture, physics and chemistry.

We continued providing funding to facilitate industry work placements to ensure teachers and trainers have contemporary industry skills relevant to the training they are delivering. The program, an election commitment of the state government, supports teachers and trainers to deliver high quality vocational education and training (VET) that meets the needs of industry. In Semester 2, 2023, additional funding was approved for VET teachers, trainers and support staff to complete or upgrade to the new version of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, complete or upgrade their industry qualification and attend professional learning. This was expanded in early 2024, to allow completion of Certificate IV in Training and Assessment skill sets to deliver VET in schools.

We acknowledged schools and collective excellence in both whole‑school leadership and in teaching and learning through the annual WA Education Awards.

The reduction of workload and red tape for teachers and school leaders is a government priority, with the Focus 2024 call to action stating ‘we will examine ways of reducing red tape and administrative burden on teachers and school leaders’.

We undertook significant research, including extensive consultation across the sector, and commissioned Understanding and Reducing the Workload of Teachers and Leaders in Western Australian Public Schools, to investigate the major drivers of excessive teacher and school leader workload. The report’s actionable recommendations were accepted, and we are implementing a range of initiatives to reduce workload and red tape for teachers and school leaders. In 2023–24, initiatives under the ‘Clearing the way’ banner included:

• a trial of 16 FTE complex behaviour support coordinators based at schools to help teachers to support students with disabilities and learning challenges
• simplifying the process and strengthening support to schools in relation to student exclusion requirements
• changes to key financial rules to provide greater autonomy and flexibility
• a new automated financial reporting tool for schools
• the delivery of a new online criminal screening system
• the expansion of ‘Connect and Respect’, including the creation of new templates to limit after‑hours contact with public school staff
• exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to streamline curriculum planning and improve classroom teaching, including a cross‑sectoral generative AI pilot, which will be funded in part by the Australian Government’s Workload Reduction Fund
• the digital forms pilot, funded in part by the Australian Government’s Workload Reduction Fund, to reduce paperwork and administration through a range of digital solutions
• the roll‑out of an innovative software platform, Kaartdijin, expected to deliver significant time savings and eliminate duplication of tasks.

An attraction and retention incentive was provided to new and existing eligible teachers and school administrators at regional and remote schools experiencing significant recruitment pressures identified in our Regional Incentive Framework. A $12.4 million package applied to 48 schools for 2023. A further $15.49 million package was provided to expand the initiative to 68 schools for 2024. Payments vary between $5,000 and $17,000 per employee, paid in 2 instalments.

In February 2024, the Minister announced a grant to retain pre‑service teachers working as education assistants (EAs) in public school education support settings. Grants of $5,000 are available to eligible EAs in 2024. As at 30 June 2024, 34 EAs had received the grant.

In 2023–24, we supported 53 secondary science, technology and mathematics pre‑service teachers with stipends while completing their professional experience in a metropolitan public school, with the aim of them accepting employment at a Western Australian public school.

In 2023, we awarded 2 Bob Hawke Aboriginal teacher scholarships to support aspiring Aboriginal secondary teachers to complete their teaching qualification. We have launched the 2024 scholarship program and will award a further 2 scholarships later in the year.

We continued to arrange and subsidise housing to attract and retain staff in our rural, regional and remote public schools. In 2023–24, $93.5 million was paid in rent for an estimated 2,350 properties occupied by our staff and mostly owned or leased by the Government Regional Officer Housing Program ($78.8 million for an estimated 2,265 properties in 2022–23). Of this, we subsidised 78% (76% in 2022–23).

An international teacher recruitment campaign continued to target teachers from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, the Republic of Ireland and Canada. Overseas teachers were appointed to positions in public schools where no local, suitable or available teacher could be found. The attraction package includes fully funded relocation, visa sponsorship and a possible pathway to permanent residency. In 2023–24, 102 international teachers commenced in public schools, with the majority appointed to positions in regional and remote schools across Western Australia.

In 2023–24, through the Pre‑Service Development Program, we supported:

• 183 professional experience placements undertaken by pre‑service teaching and school psychology students in regional areas. Support included an orientation, followed by professional learning and networking opportunities delivered centrally and locally through regional pre‑service teacher hubs. Stipends and travel allowances were provided.
• 37 professional experience placements undertaken by pre‑service teaching students in metropolitan education support centres or schools.
• 52 pre‑service teachers to complete short Horizons courses to upskill in areas of workforce demand such as mathematics, digital technologies and education support.

Through the Internships for Pre‑Service Teachers project, 13 pre‑service teachers were supported financially to undertake an internship in a public school. This project aims to increase capacity and work readiness by delivering practical learning that integrates theory into classroom practice. We accepted applications from high‑performing pre‑service teachers in all learning areas to enhance teacher supply across Western Australia’s public schools.

In 2024, 25 Teach for Australia associates commenced teaching in 12 regional and 5 metropolitan secondary schools, joining the 35 associates teaching in 26 schools in their second year of the program. Associates are high‑calibre graduates who work in eligible schools for 2 years while completing a Master of Teaching (Secondary).

The pilot On Country Teacher Education program, developed with and delivered by Curtin University, continued to support Aboriginal allied professionals in our schools to complete a Bachelor of Education (Primary Education). In 2024, 11 participants continued in the program.