Teaching in a public school

Teaching in a public school offers you a rewarding and dynamic career. You will teach students from a variety of backgrounds, have opportunities to work in various public schools and have access to professional learning that will enhance your teaching skills and provide opportunities to further your career.

As a teacher in a public school, you will perform a variety of tasks. Most of your time will be spent in class teaching. The remainder of your time will be spent doing non-teaching duties, such as:

• lesson planning
• giving students extra support with their work
• going to staff meetings
• attending professional learning
• marking students' work
• assisting with school activities or events.

During school hours set time is allocated for you to teach and complete some of your non-teaching duties. You are given the choice of when and where you complete the rest of your non-teaching duties. You have the flexibility to complete them before or after school, at weekends or during school holidays. 

Teaching time
The school week is from Monday to Friday with the starting and finishing times of schools varying.

Most schools have classes from about 8.30am through to about 3.00pm each day with a lunch break and two recess breaks during the day. Some schools in the north of the State have earlier starting and finishing times because of the warmer climate.

Most of your working week will be spent teaching in the classroom. In 2009 the maximum weekly hours for face to face teaching are as follows:

• secondary teachers – 21 hours and 20 minutes
• primary teachers – 22 hours and 10 minutes
• pre-primary teacher – 21 hours and 20 minutes.

Non-teaching time
Preparation time scheduled into the week so you can prepare for classes and do duties other than face to face teaching is known as DOTT time (Duties Other Than Teaching).

In 2009 teachers have the following DOTT time:

• secondary teachers – 5 hours and 20 minutes
• primary teachers – 3 hours and 40 minutes
• pre-primary teachers – 5 hours and 20 minutes.

Full-time, part-time and casual options
Teaching can offer you great flexibility. You can choose to work full-time, part-time or casually, depending on which positions are available.

You may consider working:

• full-time – for a term, semester or year
• part-time – for a reduced number of hours a week
• relief teaching – providing temporary teaching services to schools of your choice when requested (sometimes known as supply teaching).

You may be interested in a job share arrangement where you share a full-time position with another teacher. Both of you work part-time and your duties, pay, holidays and other entitlements are split according to the number of hours you each work.

Contact Teaching WA to find out what options are available.

School profiles

To find out more information about individual schools in WA visit Schools Online.

Schools Online is a directory of public schools in WA and contains information about programs offered and student numbers at each school as well as general school information.

To find out information about a specific school district, you can access their website via the district education offices web page. You’ll also find district maps.