Official Bodies
Government
These are the official bodies that hand down what we teach, how we should teach it and who also make sure that we do!
Seriously though, check out these sites, they are full of useful info that is relevant now, not just when you're out teaching.
Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST)
This department is a federal government one. The policies and topics covered here relate to many education modes (not just schooling) in all states and territories, and so tend to be more general. Main areas of concern outlined here include literacy and numeracy levels, educational spending provisions, and indigenous education. You'll find information these topics and more here:
www.dest.gov.au/audience_segments/for_teaching_staff/for_school_teachers.htm
This section is specifically for teachers. Topics covered include professional development, helping students plan beyond year 12, democracy and literacy. There are also links to other sites that support governmental policy.
Department of Education and Training, NSW
We had hoped to be able to include a selection of relevant DET documents on this CD, but were refused permission due to the DET's concerns over version control. In real speak, this means that as policies are updated the material on the CD would soon be outdated. So if you're using one to reference in an assignment, make sure it's the latest version.
The following webpage is part of the DET's Beginning Teachers site, and has links to departmental policy.
www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/
As a matter of interest, you won't find a policy on bullying because there isn't an agreed, co-ordinated action plan. It's up to individual schools to deal with the issue as they see fit. No kidding.
Board of Studies, NSW
This website is the portal for BoS and, as such, has links to everything. But there is a definite bias toward secondary schooling in the direct links - from HSC-approved scientific calculators to Visit Gallipoli. Worth checking out whether you're primary or secondary.
This site is aimed squarely at the primary stages. The site is easily navigable, is regularly updated and has loads of helpful links. You can also download the complete outcomes for all KLAs as well as syllabus documents (the latter are useful but the hard copies are cheap enough).
New South Wales Institute of Teachers
The New South Wales Institute of Teachers is an important one to know about if you are considering employment in NSW. All beginning teachers must gain accreditation through this body in able to be approved for work in the NSW system. This site is also helpful for any assignments dealing with "teacher competencies" or "teaching standards" - lots of information about those here.
National Childcare Accreditation Council
The NCAC is a council in charge of the administration and organisation of Quality Assurance systems for the childcare profession. The information on this site applies to family day care schemes, outside school hours care services and long day care centres. This site has a great section for researchers and students - providing documents on statistics, history, policies and reports in the childcare sector.