WIL: Organisation and conditions
Information for pre-service teachers about when, where, and how professional experience placements are organised.
Organising placement
All professional experience placements are organised by the WIL Placement Office.
Pre-service teachers must not contact education settings directly, as this can disrupt processes and may affect future placement opportunities.
If you wish to request a specific placement setting, contact the WIL Placement Office with the relevant information. A member of the team will contact the setting on your behalf and provide updates on the outcome.
Distance to attend placement
Placements are arranged according to the unit and course requirements. Wherever possible, placements are located close to your home; however, travel of up to one hour each way may be necessary.
Placement confirmation
Once a placement is secured, the host school, mentor teacher, and pre-service teacher will receive an official confirmation email from the WIL Placement Office, which includes:
- site coordinator details
- site location
- placement dates
- mentor teacher and class
The confirmation email will be sent to your student email address. Confirmed placements can also be viewed in InPlace student portal.
Site induction and Pre-Placement meeting
After confirmation, pre-service teachers must arrange a meeting with the site coordinator and/or mentor teacher prior to commencing the placement.
The placement requirements and guidelines, site induction guide, and student agreement can be used to support this discussion.
Timing of placements
Pre-service teachers are expected to undertake placement on a full-time basis in order to meet unit requirements, guidelines, and course accreditation standards.
A professional experience placement is defined as an experience that:
- is an authorised block of time measured in days
- is a structured component of a specific unit
- occurs in an approved educational setting
- is attended by a pre-service teacher
Pre-service teachers must complete the required theory before starting placement. Placements can then commence from the dates published on the Requirements, Guidelines and Assessment Reports page.
Requests to vary placement
Pre-service teachers with extenuating circumstances may apply to vary the timing conditions of their placement.
Any variation requests to full-time placement conditions must be discussed with the WIL Education Placement Office prior to your placement being confirmed and must be approved by the Associate-Dean WIL.
Once your placement has been confirmed, any variation to the approved placement dates without prior approval from the WIL Placement Office may result in a Fail grade for the unit.
Diverse settings
Professional experience must be undertaken in as diverse a range of settings as practicable (AITSL, 2021). Unless extenuating circumstances apply, each placement must occur in a different setting.
If extenuating circumstances exist:
- a maximum of two placements may occur in the same school or centre
- each placement must be with a different mentor and different class
Provided that all professional experience requirements can be met, pre-service teachers may undertake one placement in any of the following specialist or alternative settings:
- remote Aboriginal education
- Christian education
- Steiner or Montessori education
- outdoor education
- environmental education
- distance education
- special education
Requests to undertake any professional experience placement in a special needs school, or in an alternative or specialist setting, should be discussed with the WIL Placement Office before any arrangements are made. Formal approval must be granted by the Associate Dean - WIL.
Remote aboriginal education
Placements in remote Aboriginal communities are available for pre-service teachers who have an interest in, and understanding of, teaching Aboriginal students whose first language or dialect may not be English.
Pre-service teachers may be eligible for a one-off Remote Education Placement Travel Grant, which can support travel and accommodation expenses up to $1,000.
All travel arrangements must be negotiated through the WIL Placement Office.
Christian education
Pre-service teachers who are practising Christians are encouraged to undertake a placement in a Christian school.
To ensure a suitable match between the pre-service teacher and the school community, some Christian schools may request a signed statement of faith and/or conduct an interview before agreeing to support a placement.
Special education
Teaching children with special needs is a specialist area that requires specific knowledge, skills, and understanding. To be considered for a placement in a special education setting, it is essential that:
- you have prior experience, or a clear interest and understanding of working with children with special needs
- you are able to meet all requirements of the placement
To ensure an appropriate match and a successful placement experience, some special education settings may request an interview with the pre-service teacher before agreeing to provide a mentor.
Travel grants
Priority Placement Travel Grants are available to support travel and accommodation expenses for pre-service teachers.
The grant provides up to $1,000 (when booked through the WIL Placement Office) for placements more than 100 km from your primary place of residence.
Please contact the WIL Placement Office to discuss your circumstances, eligibility and the application process.
Conflict of interest
Pre-service Teachers are required to declare any conflict of interest they may have in an education setting prior to the confirmation of a placement. The perceived or actual conflict of interest declaration enables CDU to implement a management plan to ensure that all stakeholders are informed of potential biases and to enable transparency and integrity in the decision-making process.
This declaration is supported by an Authorised Person in the education setting (principal, director), who agrees to provide a supporting letter or email from the Authorised Person directly to Inschool@cdu.edu.au.
Some examples of a conflict of interest can include, but are not limited to, the Pre-service Teacher:
- is or has recently been employed by the education setting in some capacity
- is or has recently been a volunteer in the education setting (within the previous 12 months)
- has a family member, close friend/relative employed by OR attending the education setting
- has recently been a student at the school (within the last 6 years)