6 December: School Education Minister Peter Garrett today met with principals involved in the NSW Government’s school autonomy pilot, ‘Increased School-based Decision Making’ to discuss the benefits of the Gillard Government’s Empowering Local Schools plan. Mr Garrett and the NSW Minister for Education and Communities, Adrian Piccoli, visited Loftus Public School in Sydney to discuss the successful pilot recently completed in 47 schools across the state. The pilots were made possible through the Gillard Government’s $550 million Teacher Quality National Partnership.
Principals in the schools that took part in the pilot were given a greater say on staffing mix, budgets and other areas. “Today we heard from these principals about the positive benefits for their students, including improved results, behaviour and attendance,” Mr Garrett said. Click here to download the complete media release.
6 December: The Hedley Beare Oration in Darwin argues that the major features of the national education agenda won't deliver equity, despite the fact that these policies have been developed in its name. Click here to download the Oration.
6 December: Emeritus Professor Paul Hughes will chair a group of Indigenous education experts who will advise the Gillard Government on the best ways to close the gap in educational outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and other students. Click here to download the media release.
7 December: A paper on School Autonomy prepared by Dr. Steffan Silcox, Headmaster, Ballajura Community College and Dr. Neil MacNeill, Principal, Ellenbrook Primary School. Click here to download the paper.
7 December: The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) has released the Australian vocational education and training statistics: Student Outcomes 2011. Student Outcomes 2011 includes information about the employment outcomes for students who completed their training during 2010 and their satisfaction with VET. Information about the level and type of training students undertook, further study patterns and reasons for not continuing with training (where applicable) is also included. To download a copy of this publication, please visit www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2442.html - please note that you will have to log in to NCVER’s website to access a copy.
If you haven’t registered for NCVER’s website, we invite you to do so. Registration is free, quick, and enables you full access to reports, statistical publications, data, online resources and podcasts. You can also subscribe to receive free email alerts for all or a selection of NCVER releases. Click here to register.
7 December: The preliminary report for the Australian Principals Health and Wellbeing Survey will be available on our website early in 2012. Please go to www.principalhealth.org to access the report.
8 December: It has been another big year for the Parenting Research Centre, and we want to share it with you through our online annual report. Throughout 2010-11 we have been building parenting knowledge through our research, and turning scientific knowledge into practical action to support parents. Visit our Annual Report: www.annualreport.parentingrc.org.au.
9 December: The Chair of the Review of Funding for Schooling, David Gonski, will deliver the review report to Government by the end of this year. The Government will release the Review Panel’s report early in 2012 after the beginning of the school year. When it is released, the Government will set out the next steps in the process, including consultation with stakeholders and the community. The Government has committed to any new funding arrangements commencing from January 2014.
9 December: Malachi Pancoast, The Breakthrough Coach is coming to Hobart in May 2012. Click here for more information. |