Bachelor of Education (Primary)
at UNSW Sydney, New South Wales.
An AITSL-accredited four-year teaching degree leading to registration as a primary classroom teacher. Includes more than 80 days of supervised practicum across diverse school settings.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the UNSW Sydney Bachelor of Education (Primary). We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
UNSW runs the Bachelor of Education (Primary) as a four-year AITSL and NESA accredited degree leading to NSW teacher registration for kindergarten to year six (K-6). Year one covers child development, foundations of literacy and numeracy, education theory, indigenous education and the first observation placement (around 20 days). Year two layers curriculum and pedagogy across the six K-6 key learning areas (English, maths, science and technology, HSIE, PDHPE, creative arts), classroom management, inclusive education and the second placement block (around 30 days). Year three carries specialist methods in English and mathematics, assessment and reporting, behaviour management, advanced literacy and numeracy pedagogy, plus the third placement (around 40 days). Year four runs the internship-style final placement (around 60 days), the literacy and numeracy test (LANTITE), and a teaching specialisation. Total supervised professional experience: 80 plus days across the degree.
Example first-year subjects
- Educational Psychology and Child Development
- Foundations of Literacy in the Primary Classroom
- Foundations of Numeracy and Mathematics
- Indigenous Education and Reconciliation
- Introduction to Professional Practice (Placement)
- Diversity, Inclusion and Special Education
How you will be assessed
- Supervised teaching placement reports and supervisor evaluation
- Lesson plans and unit-of-work submissions
- Reflective teaching journals
- Curriculum essays of 2000 to 3500 words
- Group resource-development tasks across the six key learning areas
- Mid-degree LANTITE literacy and numeracy test (pre-graduation requirement)
Placement and industry experience
NESA requires 80 supervised teaching days across the four-year primary degree, broken into block placements of increasing length and responsibility. UNSW places students across NSW public schools, Catholic schools and independents in NSW Government, large law firms and consulting at Barangaroo and Martin Place. Final-year internship runs as a near-full teaching load under a supervising teacher. Before placement starts students must complete the NSW Working with Children Check, NESA accreditation registration, child protection training and the LANTITE literacy and numeracy test. Most rural placement support comes through NESA, the NSW Department of Education Beyond the Line program and university hardship grants.
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as primary teachers in government, Catholic and independent schools after registration with the relevant state teacher regulator.
- Common destinations include classroom teaching from Foundation to Year 6, leading-teacher roles and curriculum coordination.
- Many alumni progress into deputy and principal positions, departmental policy roles or specialist literacy and numeracy support.
Professional accreditation
- AITSL accredited
- State teacher registration eligible (NESA, VIT, QCT, TRBSA, TRBWA, TRB TAS, TQI)
Typical first jobs
- Classroom teacher (K-6) in NSW Department of Education public schools
- Classroom teacher in NSW Catholic Schools (Sydney, Parramatta, Wollongong and others)
- Independent school classroom teacher (Anglican, Uniting Church and AIS network)
- Casual or temporary teacher building toward permanency
- Rural and remote teacher under NSW Beyond the Line program
- Learning support or special-education teacher (with appropriate stream)
Graduate starting salary
$80,000 - $88,000 per year
Source: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teach-nsw/explore-teaching/pay-and-conditions. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Graduates apply for provisional NSW teacher accreditation via NESA and start as classroom teachers in NSW public, Catholic or independent schools. Permanent NSW Department of Education positions go through the centralised teacher recruitment system, with priority for graduates accepting placements in rural and high-needs schools (cash incentives apply). Postgraduate pathways include Master of Education (Special Education, TESOL, Leadership), Master of Educational Leadership and the Master of Teaching (Secondary) for K-12 versatility. Higher accreditation levels (Highly Accomplished, Lead Teacher) require evidence-based portfolio submissions to NESA.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who enjoy working with K-6 children and managing busy classrooms
- Those willing to live and teach in rural NSW for placement (or full-time work)
- People comfortable being observed and evaluated by supervising teachers
- Students who can balance theoretical readings with practical lesson preparation
- Those committed to a regulated profession with mandatory accreditation
It is probably not for you if
- Students who dislike formal lesson planning and reflective writing
- Those uncomfortable being observed in their work for extended periods
- Anyone hoping to avoid the LANTITE literacy and numeracy test
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the UNSW Sydney handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/unsw/bachelor-of-education-primary.