Reports are telling us how more and more schools are having to rely on teachers teaching subjects they are not qualified in.

“Out-of-field teaching is defined as a secondary teacher teaching a subject for which they have not studied above first year at university, and for which they have not studied teaching methodology. Based on this definition, about 15 per cent of teachers at Years 11–12 are teaching a subject in which they have not specialised as part of their teaching load. In general, numbers are higher in remote as well as low-SES locations compared to metropolitan and high-SES locations.” *

Out-of-field teachers require more time for class preparation, as well as for evaluating the quality of material sourced. This may lead to them being overworked and hence stressed. Out-of-field teachers also require support from colleagues and school leaders while they develop their content knowledge and teaching approaches.

One way of supporting your out-of-field teachers on staff in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, is by subscribing their classes to HSC Study Lab’s courses for years 11 and 12.

HSC Study Lab is a comprehensive learning and teaching resource that has all the NSW Stage 6 science curriculum available online 24/7 in one place. It was developed at Macquarie University by expert science teachers and eLearning professionals to create a resource you can trust.

HSC Study Lab helps students understand difficult concepts, prepare for assessments, homework, and of course exam revision. The courses cover the whole preliminary and core HSC science syllabus, including all mandatory science experiments.

HSC Study Lab is FREE for teachers and discounted schools subscriptions are available for students. Contact our friendly team for the best package for your school. No minimum numbers are required, and set up is quick and easy. We look forward to hearing from you.

Krista Borg

Director - Development and Partnerships at Access Macquarie Limited, HSC Study Lab steering committee member

*Source: Paul R. Weldon, Out-of-field teaching in Australian Secondary Schools, ACER 2016