News

Coronavirus - Department of Education statement

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 19:06:45 AEDT

The department is working with the Ministry of Health to monitor and respond to the unfolding international novel coronavirus situation.

Get up-to-date information about the department's response to novel coronavirus.

#Ready2020 – a great year starts here

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 13:30:49 AEDT

Starting school is a big moment in a child’s life. Here’s how to make the most of it.

We can’t wait for you to join us for a great year – the first step towards a lifelong love of learning.

Visit the department’s primary school resources for hints, tips and checklists to make a great start to the new school year, whether your child is starting Kindergarten or Year 6.

You’ll find:

Getting ready for primary school booklet – everything you need to be #Ready2020
Daisy’s First Day – the story of Daisy the koala’s first adventure at Kindergarten
advice from teachers – they’ve been through this before.

Video – #Ready2020: First day of Kindy

Duration – 1:00

Staying healthy into the new school year

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 16:52:22 AEDT

Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way to protect your family from harmful diseases this holiday season and into 2020. Visit your doctor for general health and vaccination advice.

Immunisation not only protects you and your family but also others in your community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases.

Children starting school in 2020 must have up-to-date immunisations to enrol.

These vaccinations help protect children from highly infectious and severe diseases including whooping cough and measles.

Travel health

If you’re travelling overseas during the school holidays, you may need vaccinations or medication – both for general health protection and for region-specific diseases.

If you’re travelling to the Northern Hemisphere, you may even need a flu shot.

Find out more about staying healthy while travelling.

NSW schools respond to bushfires

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 17:16:48 AEDT

Many schools are responding to the catastrophic fire rating that is affecting communities across the state this week.

We are continuously updating the School safety page with a list of government and non-government schools, as well as TAFE NSW campuses that are currently non-operational.

While some schools are temporarily non-operational due to localised fires, many others in high-risk areas are non-operational as a precautionary measure.

Schools in some areas are being used as emergency evacuation centres at the direction of the Rural Fire Service.

For schools that are currently operational, school pickups and dropoffs will continue as usual. If your school is currently non-operational, it will likely remain so tomorrow.

Large scale distressing events affect our school communities in many ways. Headspace’s mental health support resource (PDF 100.52KB) is available to help students, teachers and school staff respond to the bushfires.

Visit the School safety page for updates. The department’s Facebook and Twitter accounts will also provide updates during this period.

Grab a ticket to Schools Spectacular 2019

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 16:04:30 AEDT

Will you be joining us at Schools Spectacular 2019? Tickets are on sale now. Experience our live show featuring a cast of thousands of public school students from across metropolitan, rural and remote regions of NSW.

Students from different ages, cultures and backgrounds will share the spotlight as they dance, play and sing for you. Choose from one of our four massive performances at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday 22 November and Saturday 23 November.

This year's events will feature:

more than 380 schools
5,500 performers
a 3000-strong choir
2,300 dancers
an 80-piece symphony orchestra
a world-class stage band.

Group bookings

Need to make a group booking for over 10 people? Complete the Schools Preview Order Form 2019 (PDF 110KB) to attend the discounted 11am Friday matinee. The Friday matinee is discounted for school students and accompanying teachers.

If you’d like to grab a spot at one of the other three remaining shows complete the Group Booking Form 2019 (PDF 110KB).

Tickets for you and your family and friends

Save you and your family a spot online or by phone on 132 849.

Video – Schools Spectacular 2019

Duration: 0:26

Gamechanger challenge finalists announced

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 12:52:03 AEST

Superfast scooters to transport students between classes, time travel excursions to key moments in history, sustainable schools that are self-sufficient in power, water and food and real-time brain scans to track student learning and wellbeing.

These are just some of the futuristic visions that helped propel 16 NSW school teams into the finals of the Game Changer Challenge which will be held in Sydney during Education Week from August 6—10.

The inaugural Game Changer Challenge aimed to showcase the theme of this year's Education Week, today's schools — creating tomorrow's world, with students and teachers working together to co-design the school of the future.

The finalists — eight teams each from NSW public primary and secondary schools — were selected from more than 99 entries, who each submitted a 60-second video outlining their vision for a school of the future.

Armidale High School teacher librarian Jessica Brennan helped coordinate a joint entry with Duval High School as the two schools will amalgamate into one campus from next year.

To select their entry, the schools ran their own competition with six teams of students from both high schools collaborating on their visions.

The winning entry was selected by the school community after they were presented during a film night that included popcorn and lolly bars.

"We are so thankful we got involved," Ms Brennan said. "This has been project-based learning at its most authentic."

The combined Armidale-Duval High team will join the other 15 finalists for a three-day, intensive design-thinking workshop in Sydney.

The workshop includes teacher training in the use of design thinking as a teaching methodology and its application for school planning.

It will also include a team competition where schools will work under the guidance of industry professionals in fields as diverse as technology, creative design and foreign affairs to design the school of the future.

The challenge winner will be selected after a Shark Tank-style pitch to industry and education experts, including Department of Education secretary Mark Scott.

The finalists in the primary section are:

Lidcombe Public School
Ingleburn Public School
Oakhill Drive Public School
Cherrybrook Public School
Cudgegong Valley Public School
Alstonville Public School
Thirroul Public School
Menindee Central School

In the secondary section finalists are:

Chatswood High School
Lurnea High School
Beverly Hills Girls High School
Armidale High School
Hurlstone Agricultural High School
Campbelltown Performing Arts High School
Gloucester High School
Carenne School SSP

More new classrooms, preschool places and teachers in $17.3 billion education budget

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 12:52:03 AEST

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, Education Minister Rob Stokes and Early Childhood Minister Sarah Mitchell outlined a range of new initiatives funded by the $17.3 billion education budget in 2018—19.

The Government will be investing $6 billion over the next four years to deliver more than 170 new and upgraded schools, including planning for more than 20 new projects.

"We are proud to be making this unprecedented investment into the future of our children," Mr Perrottet said.

"This year's NSW Budget takes our already record school building program to another level — a massive 170 schools new and upgraded schools over the next four years.

"That brings our total schools building program to 230 new and upgraded schools since 2011."

"The NSW Liberals and Nationals Government's strong financial management has allowed us to invest so heavily in our schools and education system."

Mr Stokes said communities right across NSW will benefit from this record investment into education.

"NSW is experiencing an increase in school enrolments and we have in place an unprecedented program of investment in new and upgraded schools to meet this demand," Mr Stokes said.

A staged investment of $500 million is being allocated to provide cooling for schools, while improving the indoor environmental quality, through the installation of smart and sustainable air conditioning systems powered by solar energy.

In another landmark initiative, NSW will become the first Australian state to provide universal access to community preschool for three years old under a $197.8 million program.

"Because of this historic investment, average daily fees will decrease significantly and the savings will go directly back into the pockets of hard working families," Mrs Mitchell said.

This brings total spending on early childhood education to $474.3 million in 2018-19.

Other education investment in the 2018—19 NSW budget includes:

$160 million to be spent in 2018—19 to continue its blitz on planned school maintenance, part of a record $747 million investment over four years;
$71.8 million to implement the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in NSW schools;
$50 million in additional flexible funding will be provided to government schools to implement the School Leadership Strategy - freeing up principals and school leaders from administrative work;
$3 million for the first comprehensive review of the entire school curriculum since 1989;
$2.8 million to encourage the preservation and study of Aboriginal languages;
$30 million to continue to deliver greater access to green space and sports facilities in public school playgrounds through the Share Our Space program, and;
Funding for around 900 extra full-time equivalent teaching positions in NSW government schools.

The NSW Government will also invest $1.3 billion on non-government schools, an increase of 7.5 per cent on 2017—18. This includes a $32 million increase in the Building Grants Assistance Scheme over four years for capital works projects to support enrolment growth in non-government schools.

The record $17.3 billion investment in education allocates $15.7 billion for recurrent expenses and $1.6 billion for capital investment in 2018—19.

Education week will be a game changer

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 12:52:03 AEST

Excursions to the moon, teleporting between classes, face recognition roll call or a school without bell times or walls . The school of the future is only limited by your imagination.

That is the message from the organisers of an exciting new challenge being launched today in the lead up to Education Week 2018.

The inaugural game changer challenge will showcase the theme of this year's Education Week, today's schools are creating tomorrow's world, which highlights how NSW public schools are equipping young people with the skills and capabilities they need to thrive in a rapidly changing, globalised world.

Under the game changer challenge students and teachers will work together and co-design the school of the future.

Based on a sixty second video application, 16 teams from public schools across NSW. Eight from primary and eight from secondary will then be selected to take part in a three-day, intensive design thinking workshop in Sydney.

The workshop includes teacher training in the use of design thinking as a teaching methodology and its application for school planning.

The challenge winner will be selected after a Shark Tank-style pitch to industry and education experts, including Department of Education Secretary Mark Scott.

For more information visit education webpage.

Education week 2018 — theme and dates announced

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 12:52:03 AEST

This year's education week will be held from Monday 6 August to Friday 10 August 2018 (Term 3, Week 3).

The theme for education week is 'todays schools - creating tomorrow's world'.

This theme communicates how NSW public schools are equipping young people with the skills and capabilities they need to thrive in a rapidly changing, globalised world.

Resource allocation model funding for 2018

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 12:52:03 AEST

In October 2017, all NSW public schools will receive a 2018 planned school budget allocation report. The report will assist with the management of the total budget delivered to schools through the resource allocation model (RAM).

The resource allocation model (RAM) methodology distributes funding based on the individual needs of students and schools. This gives schools greater flexibility to make local decisions.

Learn more about the 2018 funding by visiting the department's website or watch a short animation about managing the total school budget in NSW public schools.

Talk to your principal to find out how the school is planning to use its 2018 funding to support students to improve educational outcomes.