Support staff team within the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Education are being encouraged to get out of the office and engage in some hands-on experience in classrooms across the state by heading back to school.
The School Experience Program (SEP) already has 75 participating groups locked in throughout 2024, with the initiative now expanded to include all office staff. With a SEP visit taking in everything from observing staff meetings, to being involved in lesson planning and delivery, overseeing playground duties, excursions and observing staff meetings, the program enables team members a chance to see what it’s like to work at an Australian school.
For 10 team members from Early Childhood Outcomes, the opportunity to spend Monday 8 April at Ultimo Public School saw the participants gain valuable insights into how impressionable young pre-schoolers can transition into primary school.
NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car and Department Secretary Murat Dizdar joined them to mark the official launch of the program’s next phase of expansion.
Expanded program offers more opportunities
In 2023, Mr Dizdar tried the program firsthand when he spent a week at Toongabbie East Public School when the program was trialled with new staff and executives and described the experience as deeply impactful.
“As a former teacher and principal in this system I know that whether you work at headquarters, in IT or procurement or HR or finance – the real action is in the 2200 schools and 95,000 classrooms, just like the wonderful classrooms here at Ultimo Public,” Mr Dizdar says.
“It’s really important that our people and new recruits embed themselves in the functioning operation of a school.”
Tailor-made approach offers hands-on insights
For Elizabeth Burford, Manager Policy and Strategy, Early Childhood Outcomes, it was a positive opportunity to speak directly with the principal and teachers to get their perspectives on the cognitive and social skills required for children to achieve success at primary school.
“From our perspective, it’s important to set kids up with a level playing field when they enter the classroom, so they make the most of it,” Ms Burford says.
The one-day SEP program is open for teams of up to 10 within the Department and can be tailor-made to align with the work of a given group. For example, a team working on an IT system can see the impact the system has in schools firsthand.
“It was just a really valuable experience to see a day in the life of a school and to interact with these amazing students and even more amazing teachers,” says her colleague, Leader, Business Support Early Childhood Outcomes, Alicia Peck.
She encourages team leaders responsible for arranging a one-day visit to contact the School Experience Program team.
Practical understanding of school transition
Ultimo Public School Principal Olivia Parry says the Early Childhood Outcomes team proved to be a great fit for the inner-city primary school.
“Some of things that we were talking about were transition programs with early learning centres and the challenges we face in that space, as well as some of the things that we are doing here to support students who are coming into kindergarten,” Ms Parry says.
“Being able to have those conversations face-to-face is so much more powerful.”
