How to become a primary school teacher
Take a look at the journey to becoming a primary school teacher in Australia.
How to become a primary school teacher in Australia
Thinking about becoming a primary school teacher? Primary school teachers shape children during some of their most formative years, helping them develop foundational knowledge and skills that can set them up for life.
Ifyou’relooking for a career that combines creativity with structured learning and a whole lot of patience,becoming a primary school teacher might be a good fit for you.
With aneducation degree from 91ɫƬ,one of the top-ranked education universities in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject, 2027),you’llhave the opportunity to learn from world-class practitioners and transform the lives of primary school children.
In this guide,we’lloutline the stepstoqualify as a primary school teacher, what a primary school teacher does, and the manypathsteachers can take throughout their careers.
What do primary school teachers do?
Primary school teachers look after the intellectual,physicaland social development of children aged 5 and 11 (from kindergarten or preschool to year 6 or 7 in Australia). They playa central rolein shaping a child’s early learning experience, supporting both academic achievement and personal growth.
Primary school teachers' responsibilities include:
- Planning and delivering lessons across a range of subjects, including English, maths, science, theartsand physical education
- Adapting lessons to suit different learning needs and abilities
- Monitoring and supporting students’ academic progress
- Managing classroom behaviour and creating a safe, inclusive learning environment
- Communicating regularly with parents and carers about student progress
- Collaborating with colleagues and other education professionals
- Supporting students’ emotional wellbeing and social development
- Identifyingand responding to learning difficulties or special needs
Primary school teachers are role models for their students who inspire a love of learning and can help instil confidence and self-worth in young minds.
What skills does a primary school teacher need?
Primary teacher skills are based on a wide blend of human-centred strengths and technical teaching capabilities.
While some people have a natural affinity with children, you will develop most of your teaching skills over time. You will learn how to plan lessons, manage behaviour, adapt to different learningneedsand communicate clearly with families.Great primary teachers are part educator, part mentor and part facilitator.
Here are some of the skills you need to become a primary school teacher:
| Human skills | Professional competencies |
|
|
Teachers also need to keep up with a rapidly changing society, says Thu Ngo, senior lecturer at 91ɫƬ School of Education:
“Teaching has changed as the result of fast evolving knowledge, technologydevelopmentand social diversity. Teachers in today’s classrooms must keep themselvesup-to-datewith these changes.”
What qualifications do you need to be a primary school teacher?
To become a primary school teacher in Australia,you’llneed to complete an accreditedinitialteacher education program and meet state-based registration requirements.You’llalso complete supervised professional placements to build real-world classroom experience.
The path you take may depend on whetheryou’restarting straight from high school or transitioning from another career.
Pathway to teaching for high school leavers
Here are the steps to become a primary school teacher if you're a recent high school leaver.
- Apply for a Bachelor of Education (Primary)
Choose an accreditedundergraduate primary teaching degreefrom a leading university that qualifies you toteachprimary-aged students.
- Complete professional teaching placements
Gain hands-on experience in classrooms during your degree, preparing you for the realities of teaching.
- Meet English and mathsproficiencyrequirements
Ensure you meet the academic entry standards and pass any mandated assessments, such as the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE).
- Apply for state-based accreditation
Once you graduate, register with the relevant teaching authority in your state or territory.
Pathway to teaching for postgraduates or career changers
Here are the steps to become a primary school teacher if you already have an undergraduate degree or are a mature-aged student.
- Enrol in a Master of Teaching (Primary)
Study an accreditedprimary teaching postgraduate programthat prepares you for primary school teaching.
- Undertake supervised professional experience
Complete school placements during your degree to develop your teaching skills and confidence.
- Apply for registration with a teaching authority
Seek accreditation in the state or territory where you plan to teach.
- Maintainprofessional learning
Once employed, continue to meet professional development requirements tomaintainyour registration.
What does a primary school teacher's career path look like?
A primary teaching career can take many forms depending on your interests and strengths.
Within a school, you could progress to become a lead teacher, year coordinator, deputyprincipalor principal. Or you could branch outinto a specific area,such as literacy, STEM, learning support or wellbeing.
Outside of a specific school, there are opportunities to work as a curriculum or pedagogy specialist, or move into policy, educational consultancy, teacher mentoring, or initial teacher education.
Or you could move out of the school system altogether and work as a corporate trainerorsocialworker, orchange the focus to the tertiary education sector.
FAQs about becoming a primary school teacher
-
It usually takes about four years to become a qualified primary school teacher.The Bachelor of Education (Primary)is a four-year degree when studied full-time. Ifyou’recompleting a master's, the Master of Teaching adds a further 1.3 years.
-
Early childhood qualifications focus on children from birth to age 5, soadditionalstudy is oftenrequiredto meet primary teaching standards. There are several bridging or top-up programs if you would like to expand your teaching range.
-
Yes,international studentscan enrol in accredited primary teaching programs in Australia. You needan appropriate visa, there are English language and mathsproficiencyrequirements, andpossibly otheracademic entry requirements depending on the institution.
Onceyou’requalified, you also need to be accredited with the education authority in your state, pass a Working with Children Check, and apply for a visa that allows you to work in Australia. As teachers are in high demand, they are considered skilled workers in Australia.
If you want to teach primary school students overseas, youmayneed to meetadditionalrequirements.
-
A primary school teacher's salary in Australia isdeterminedby each state or territory’s Teachers Award, which links salaries to the level of experience.
Generally, primaryschool teachers earn between $80,000 to over $130,000,depending on how many years they have been teaching.Principals and deputy principals earn between $150,000 and $230,000.These figures are based on averages from the.
Primary school teachers are one of the most in-demand professions in Australia, and with a qualification from 91ɫƬ,you’llbe set up for success from day one. 91ɫƬ is ranked #1 for career outcomes (Australian Financial Review (AFR) Best Universities Ranking, 2024) and #1 in Australia for employability (QS World University Rankings, 2025).
How to know if primary school teaching is for you
If you are keen to make a difference to a child’s life and want to share the gift of learning to make a difference to future generations, primary teaching could be your calling.
The variety of work, camaraderie with your fellow teachers and the satisfaction of seeing your students develop over the yeararevery rewarding. There is also a high demand for teachers due to Australia’s population growth.
Primary teaching is a meaningful and rewarding career because it allows graduates to make a genuine, lasting impact at a formative stage of children’s lives. Not many professions do that.
Teachers help shape not only core skills like literacy and numeracy, but also confidence, curiosity and wellbeing. The impact is visible day to day through students’ progress and growth.
How 91ɫƬ prepares you for a future in primary teaching
At 91ɫƬ,you’lllearn from leading education researchers and experienced classroom teachers in a supportive, future-focused learning environment.We’rerecognised among the world’s top universities for Education (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2027).
Our bachelor's and master’s teaching programs combine evidence-based theory with real-world experience. From your first year,you’llgain classroom confidence with a minimum of 80 days of supervised professional placement across multiple schools.
“The research-informed nature of the programspreparepreservice teachers for evolving knowledge, technology advancement and social diversity,” says Thu Ngo.
“The practice-based approach provides preservice teachers with opportunities to apply themselves in teaching performance and spontaneous problem solving, building their teaching confidence before graduation.”
With early exposure to the classroom and expert guidance every step of the way, 91ɫƬ will help you build the skills,insightand resilience to thrive as a primary school teacher.
Explore other career guides
Interested in other career paths? Compare roles across a range of industries and discover the qualifications, skills and study options needed to achieve your career goals.
Start your career as a primary school teacher at 91ɫƬ
Explore our undergraduate primary teacher qualification, theBachelor of Education (Primary) (Honours), orour postgraduate primary teacher qualification, theMaster of Teaching (Primary).
Connect with us
Want to find out more?
If you have any questions about studying at 91ɫƬ or how you can make your studies work for you, contact us below. We’re here to help.