National Exceptional Teachers for Disadvantaged Schools (NETDS)
Effective teachers and quality teaching make the greatest difference to student learning outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged students.*
NETDS is an academic learning model which uses a modified curriculum, mentorship, and professional experience placements to specifically prepare pre-service teachers for employment and careers in disadvantaged schools.
Effective teachers and quality teaching make the greatest difference to student learning outcomes. However, high achieving teacher graduates are almost twice as likely to be employed in affluent state or independent schools rather than disadvantaged schools that need them most.
Venture mission
SVA’s support to the NETDS system change project aims to tackle this issue by creating pathways for graduate teachers to be fully prepared for their roles within low SES schools.
2017 Partnership objectives
In partnership, the eighth cohort of selected student teachers began in 2017. The results arising from the National NETDS network will also be shared at conferences and in a special issue of the Australian Journal of Teacher Education.
Professional development and short courses around poverty and disadvantage will be designed that can be used across the professional sector, including for early career teachers in low SES schools.
‘Walking Points’, a program for early career teachers in low SES schools will be developed. Research into the impact of NETDS will continue.
This video demonstrates some of the achievements already made by 2014.
SVA support
The ETDS project was founded at QUT in 2008. SVA worked with QUT to create the NETDS project, recognising the evidence of promise for the project creating outstanding outcomes for students in disadvantaged communities.
In 2013, SVA helped secure $2 million in funding from the Origin Foundation, to allow the program to be rolled out across Australia, working with more universities and graduating specifically prepared for teaching in low SES schools.
