Your ethics lesson has been selected for observation as part of the Primary Ethics annual program review – an essential element in our commitment to continuous improvement in training, classroom support and curriculum. The observation will take place on the date given in your email.

Each year we visit lessons in a representative mix of schools, student stages and levels of volunteer experience.
You can read about one of our past program reviews here.
The insights we gain from teachers are invaluable and we look forward to learning from you this year.

Your email will have come from a member of our specialist observation team, Kelby Mason, Rose-Anne Manns or Margaret Widjaya – all experienced trainers and classroom support staff. After the lesson your observer will be happy to offer a few practical tips and to hear any feedback you have about our program.

If you will not be teaching on the scheduled day, please reply to the email so that we can reschedule. You can also contact our review coordinator, Danya Webb, at danya.webb@primaryethics.com.au or phone the Helpdesk on 8068 7752.

Frequently asked questions

Why was I selected?
Lessons and teachers are randomly selected within broad categories – stage taught, years of experience, class time and whether your initial training was online or face-to-face – so that the review reflects the full diversity of our program.

What will the observers do during the visit?

  • Before the lesson – the observer will meet you at the school office. If you will be busy with another class, simply let them know that when they get in touch with you and they will head straight to your room.
  • During the lesson – they will sit quietly at the back, using a checklist to note what they see, and will not intervene or address the students.
  • After the lesson – the observer will share practical tips and ideas for managing any tricky situations that arose, then invite your feedback on how the program is working for you and your class.

Will an observer disrupt my students?

Students are accustomed to visitors in the classroom. Our classroom support team has observed hundreds of lessons and finds that pupils settle quickly once they know who the visitor is and why they are there. We suggest a brief introduction such as: ‘This is X – they’re here to watch our lesson today.’ The observer can reply, ‘Good morning, class,’ allow the students to return the greeting, then hand back to you so the lesson can begin.

What will the observer be looking for?
Observers focus on how well the approaches and techniques taught in training work in practice and on the factors – such as student age or class size – that make them more or less successful. We do not expect every technique to appear in every lesson. We simply want to see how they play out so we can check that our training remains effective and relevant.

Will my observation be confidential?

Your name, class and school will not appear in any reporting. If the observer feels you would benefit from additional support, they will discuss it with you on the day and, if needed, arrange follow-up assistance.

Like you, our observers are mandatory reporters, so if they observe a child protection issue during your lesson, they will report it in accordance with the mandatory reporting protocol.

How will the findings be used?

The overall results inform our decisions about:

  • whether current approaches and techniques remain fit for purpose
  • the effectiveness of training and any need for refresher courses
  • improvements to teacher support and student experience
  • future training and curriculum initiatives.

The review also fulfils our obligation to the Department of Education to conduct regular evaluations of our approved curriculum.

What’s in it for me?

By simply teaching as you normally do and sharing your observations, you help improve the program for everyone – and you receive personalised, practical feedback straight after the lesson.

What if I would rather not be observed?

We appreciate that an observation can feel daunting. However, we rely on a representative sample of lessons to check how well our training translates into practice and to identify where we can better support teachers. The visit is not a pass-or-fail test – it is a chance to capture real-world teaching, offer you personalised feedback and, where helpful, arrange extra support. Teachers observed in previous years have told us they really appreciated the experience and the immediate insights it provided.

Thank you for your ongoing contribution as a Primary Ethics volunteer.