PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Natalie Walker
Welcome to the last term of 2021. I am pleased to have been elected P&C Federation President in our most recent elections and look forward to leading the organisation and further supporting members throughout the next two-year term.
I would liketo thank the outgoing President, Tim Spencer, for his 6½ years of tireless service on the P&C Federation Board. Tim was not able to continue serving on the Board as his children have now finished school. His valuable work over the years has helped give the current Board a strong foundation to build on in the years ahead.
Our biannual elections were held this year and a new Board has been elected for the next two years. The new Board is a mixture of returning Board members and an influx of new faces, and I welcome this diversity of views and experience. I also thank all the outgoing Boardmembers for their work over the years.
There remain some vacancies for Board and Delegate positions in several P&C Federation electorates, which are being filled through Supplementary Elections. If you are a parent of a child in a public school and would like to be an advocate for public education in NSW, I strongly encourage you to consult the P&C Federation website or contact the P&C Federation office to find out what opportunities are available for getting involved with P&C Federation.
I write this message during a difficult time in NSW. The state is experiencing the largest COVID-19 outbreak in Australia to date, especially in metropolitan Sydney. In our view, the toll of these lockdowns has been higher on families and P&C Associations than the lockdowns of 2020. P&C Associations have been unable to fundraise or operate their normal business services, which could lead to higher levels of volunteer turnover. Learning from home presents great challenges for many parents, sometimes due to unreliable online connection or lack of necessary devices in some households. We have heard of parents taking annual leave from their work just so they have time to help their children learn from home, and changes in routine have had a negative effect on learning for some children with disabilities. Numerous P&C Associations postponed their meetings in Term 3 simply due to ongoing stress and fatigue among their members.
Despite all these difficulties, the rapid rollout of vaccines and the recent announcement of the Department’s roadmap for return to face-to-face learning provide a cause for optimism. To keep parents and carers well informed about these changes, P&C Federation has co-hosted with the Department and NESA a series of webinars on how schools might return to face-to-face learning in COVID-safe ways. Parents have indicated to us that they have appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from key personnel and to ask them questions.
The pandemic has not prevented P&C Federation from pursuing our other priorities. We, along with other stakeholders, have been working with the NSW Department of Education on policies that impact students. Over the past two years, P&C Federation has been working with the Department in the development of the NSW Curriculum Review, the Rural and Remote Education Strategy, the Student BehaviourStrategy –an approach to the positive management of student behaviour – and the Controversial Issues in Schools policy, which lays out how schools are to handle potentially divisive topics. Most recently, we also partnered with the NSW Teachers Federation, NSW Primary Principals Association and NSW Secondary Principals’ Council to deliver Our Students, Our Teachers – a special broadcast for public school parents and carers.
P&C Federation looks forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Department and other key stakeholders in matters that support the enhancement of public education in NSW and give a voice to parents and carers in our school communities.
Next year will be the 100-year anniversary of the establishment of P&C Federation. We look forward to celebrating this important year with our members and the public-school community.
I wish everyone a safe and successful term.
Natalie
Walker P&C Federation President
Natalie Walker P&C Federation President
GREAT EFFORT FROM SCHOOL COMMUNITIES MAKES LEARNING FROM HOME WORK
By Leanne Nixon
As I am writing this column, we have all 2,217 of our public schools across NSW delivering learning from home with 467 of those schools under even tighter restrictions in areas of concern in South West Sydney.
You have successfully turned bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms and all sorts of other spaces into hundreds of thousands of temporary classrooms across the state. I am hopeful that, by the time you are reading this, many of our students will be beginning to return to their schools, to their teachers and to their classmates.
I would like to thank each and every P&C Association member for their contributions to making the last term of learning from home possible. Maintaining the incredibly low numbers of students and staff on our school sites over this period has only been possible because of the cooperation and support of our school communities.
We want every student to be known, valued and cared for – to feel safe. This can be a particular challenge when our school staff don’t get to see our students and communities face-to-face every day. I am proud of the lengths our school staff have gone to, checking in with students and families across the state. We often hear about how the local P&C Association provides additional supports for the community where it’s needed, working hand in glove with the school.
Having previously worked in education in Queensland and the Northern Territory, I maintain a focus on equity, particularly in closing the gaps in attainment for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The movement of COVID-19 into some of our
most vulnerable Aboriginal communities has created additional challenges for our schools and school communities. We know that our schools often understand individual family circumstances better than any other services, and we’ve seen our school staff step up to provide support where it’s needed most.
This includes the partnerships forged between school staff and bus companies in regional and rural areas across the mid-North Coast, with buses taking physical learningfrom-home packs to families through the normal school bus transport routes, meaning all students can effectively learn from home regardless of the internet connection where they live. The great efforts of all schools in providing home learning packs also leads to great moments like one of our young Kindergarten students from Quirindi Public School, pictured below learning from home with a friend!
These are only a couple of examples of our schools assisting students and families in need. I know there are many more across the state.
We know that the best place for students to learn is in the classroom. As students hopefully are able to begin their return to school over Term 4, I want to reinforce the importance of this return to school for all parents and carers across NSW. Every day counts. There is no such thing as a wasted day at school – every day is an opportunity to learn, build friendships and develop life skills.
Even a single week at school can help your child with a sense of routine and access to more time with their teachers for learning. Getting in every day of face-to-face learning, that we safely can, will be so important to minimising the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our students. Re-establishing school routines now will help set our students up for success in 2022 and beyond.
I would also like to take this opportunity to assure our P&C Association community of the local, and systemic planning that has gone into the staged return to school. The health, safety and wellbeing of our students and staff is the priority for the Department and we are
Education
closely following the health advice to enable our students to return to the classroom. We know that learning from home and returning to school will cause some challenges for students. While some will have thrived at home, other children will have found the loss of their extended friendship circle and school supports a challenge. We also know that there will be anxiety for others on returning to school. Please reach out to your school if you have concerns.
Initial NAPLAN results appear to indicate that the work to support learning loss, after last year’s period of learning from home, has had a positive impact for students. Be assured we have support in place for any learning loss that students may have experienced while learning from home this year. Once again, I would encourage you to reach out to your school if you have any concerns.
I would like to again thank the P&C Association community for your incredible support. Your impact across school and broader communities throughout the state has been more important than ever before and I know it’s been deeply appreciated. I look forward to your continuing support and incredible enthusiasm as we drive for every student,everyteacher,everyleaderand every school to improve every year.
Leanne Nixon
Deputy Secretary, School Performance North NSW Department of Education
Leanne Nixon, Deputy Secretary School Performance North NSW Department of
A Kindergarten student from Quirindi Public School learning from home with a friend!
Photo: NSW Department of Education
NESA NEWS
By Paul Martin
Welcome back to Term 4. Over the next few weeks, many of our children will begin returning to their classrooms in stages, with some in regional areas already having gone back to face-to-face learning last month, and HSC students will prepare to sit their first HSC written exams.
Can I firstly acknowledge the adaptability, care and dedication shown by educators across NSW who, over the past few months, have ensured continuity of teaching and learning for their students. I wish to recognise all teachers, principals and support staff for the support and guidance they have demonstrated dedicated to students’ wellbeing and motivation in a time of great disruption.
My acknowledgment is particularly relevant this month as we celebrate 160,000 teachers in NSW on World Teachers Day on 29 October. Please go to our website to download our World Teachers Day communications toolkit and encourage your school community to celebrate on social media a teacher who has inspired you using #WTD2021.
Parents and carers, some of whom are teachers themselves and many who are also working from home, are also playing a pivotal role in the wellbeing of their children during this time. This cannot be overlooked.
Students themselves have shown incredible resilience and patience as they navigate their
way through online learning, however I’m sure they are looking forward to seeing their teachers and classmates in person as soon as possible.
A number of changes have been made to the Higher School Certificate (HSC) this year to ensure students and everyone involved in the HSC are safe. To limit the movement of NESA markers, and based on health advice, the NESA COVID Response Committee introduced the COVID Special Consideration Program for language oral exams, performance exams and most major projects. This meant teachers provided marks to their students, taking into consideration the impact of COVID on their work.
In September, NESA released a revised HSC written exam timetable, beginning on 9 November and concluding on the 3 December. Students now have the certainty they were looking for, to be able to sit their HSC exams this year and receive their results on 24 January, in time for university offers to be made.
Being able to sit all their exams safely is the best and fairest outcome for HSC students. NESA worked together with the University Admissions Centre and universities to ensure all HSC students would have the opportunity to accept offers from universities based on their HSC results.
Of course, strict COVID-safe protocols will be
Paul Martin, CEO NSW Education Standards Authority
in place to protect students, exam supervisors and school staff when HSC exams begin.
Whether our students go on to university, vocational training or take on employment, it is important that theyare able to demonstrate what they know and, on this note, I am very pleased that exams can and will go ahead this year.
While significant attention has been focused on our HSC students, we cannot forget the huge amount of work that has continued on the K-2 English and Mathematics curriculum reforms and syllabus development, and the second round of consultation which closed on 23 August. We are now finalising the syllabuses for release this term and implementation from 2022.
Finally, last term we celebrated the Young Writers Showcase 2020 (YWS) (pictured below left) which, for those of you not familiar with the YWS, is a look at 18 talented writers from the 2020 HSC. Now in its 20th year, we had the opportunity to also look back at some of the outstanding talent that has emerged from the YWS, which is a testament to parents and teachers and their encouragement and support for the written word.
As we begin returning to the classroom, I wish to again thank you for all that you have done for our children this year.
Paul Martin Chief Executive Officer, NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
WELCOME TO THE NEW P&C FEDERATION BOARD
Elections were held this year for Councillors and Delegates for each of the 16 Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of New South Wales Electoral areas. We’d like to congratulate and introduce your new Board (elected Councillors), President, Office Bearers and Delegates for 2021-2023.
P&C FEDERATION’S NEW PRESIDENT NATALIE WALKER
Councillors are elected for a two-year term and form the P&C
P&C FEDERATION’S NEWLY-ELECTED DELEGATES FOR 2021-2023
Delegates are elected for a two-year term. The role of the delegate is to attend and participate in the P&C Federation Annual General Meeting (AGM), along with Councillors.
She looks forward to working with stakeholders to support children and young people in NSW public schools. P&C FEDERATION’S NEWLY-ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS FOR 2021-2023
For the past 6½ years, she has volunteered as a councillor to support students, parents and citizens involved in public education in NSW, as well as nine years as a member of her local P&C Associations, in the role of President, Vice-President and Secretary. She lives in Forbes, Central West NSW, with her husband and two children who attend Forbes High School. She enjoys reading, music, gardening, and spending time with her family.
Natalie holds a Bachelor of Education (ECE), from Macquarie University and is currently undertaking the Women in Leadership Australia – Advanced Leadership Program. She also completed a Diploma in Business (Governance), Cert IV Training & Assessment and Advanced Diploma in Community Sector Management.
Asa passionate advocate for public education, Natalie wants to ensure that all children and young people get the best start in life. As a product of the public education system, Natalie has experienced both rural and metropolitan public schools, attending Tullamore Central School through primary and Fort St High School in Petersham, Sydney, a selective high school.
Natalie has supported public education through roles on various boards and educational committees with the NSW Department of Education and NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), and has over 20 years’ experience in the community sector.
Her goal as President is to continue to strengthen P&C Federation’s foundations, allowing the organisation to continue to growand step up to the next level of service delivery and advocacy for its members. Natalie would also like to reinforce the view that the organisation and its members are valuable partners and contributors to NSW public schools.
Natalie Walker is the Far West Councillor and elected President of NSW P&C Federation.
Natalie Walker President Councillor: Far West Electorate
Yvonne Hilsz Vice-President Councillor: Sydney Electorate
Cassandra Jones Councillor: Macarthur Electorate
Alan Gardiner Secretary Councillor: North Sydney Electorate
Joel Matthews Councillor: Mid North Coast Electorate
Jason Ryan Delegate: Mid North Coast Electorate
Dr Saba Nabi Councillor: Riverina Electorate
Mark Van Kerkwyk Delegate: North Sydney Electorate
Kenrick Winchester Councillor: Southern and Central Tablelands Electorate
Richard Copnall Delegate: North Sydney Electorate
Federation Board.
Isabelle Borrelli Councillor: North Coast Electorate
Liga Hegner Councillor: North West Sydney Electorate
By Linda Doherty and Patrick Doumani
Students at Adaminaby Public School in 1905
A music class at Lochinvar Public School in 1918 Photos published with permission of NSW Department of Education
CONGRATULATIONSNEWLY INCORPORATED P&C ASSOCIATIONS OF 2021
P&C Associations
incorporated in 2021 P&C Federation Electorate
Aurora College North Sydney
Booragul Public SchoolHunter
Broken Hill North Public School Far West
Bunnaloo Public SchoolRiverina
Corowa High SchoolRiverina
Estella Public SchoolRiverina
Goulburn Public SchoolSouthern and Central Tablelands
Ilford Public SchoolSouthern and Central Tablelands
Jordan Springs Public SchoolWest Sydney
Kingsgrove High SchoolSouth West Sydney
P&C Associations
incorporated in 2021 P&C Federation Electorate
Marayong Heights Public School West Sydney
Melrose Park Public SchoolNorth Sydney
Mullion Creek Public SchoolSouthern and Central Tablelands
Narrabri High SchoolNew England
Narrabri West Public SchoolNew England
Plunkett Street Public School Sydney
Oran Park High School Macarthur
Wilsons Creek Public SchoolNorth Coast
Woongarrah Public SchoolCentral Coast
Yanderra Public SchoolMacarthur
We encourage all P&C Associations to become incorporated, as an incorporated body can apply for government grants, own assets and borrow money from financial institutions. Also, if a P&C Association is incorporated, any debt or liability of the P&C Association will typically be held against the P&C Association itself, rather than individual office bearers. If your P&C Association is not currently incorporated, or you’re unsure, contact P&C Federation on 1300 885 982 or email at mail@panc.org.au
On-demand training courses for P&C Association Office Bearers
Designed to meet the training and professional development needs of P&C Association Office Bearers.
• P&C Governance Induction
• Introduction to roles and responsibilities
• Understanding the foundations of your P&C Association
• Introduction to financial management
These courses, plus a range of other resources, are available through P&C Federation’s Member Portal: https://membersportal.pandc.org.au/PandCMember
You can request access to the Member Portal by emailing affiliatesupport@pandc.org.au
STUDENT INJURY INSURANCE REMINDER
DUE 1 FEBRUARY 2022 RENEW OR APPLY NOW
Did you know that the NSW Department of Education DOES NOT provide accident or medical cover for students enrolled in government schools?
We recommend your P&C Association discuss and consider purchasing Student Injury Insurance.
Contact the team at Andrews Insurance on 1300 885 982 and select option 1 or email insurance@pandc.org.au
YOUR GUIDE TO P&C ASSOCIATION MEETINGS
By the P&C Federation Member Services team
In this article, we answer some common questions about P&C Association meetings.
When are meetings held?
Under the Prescribed and Standard Constitutions, P&C Association general meetings must be held at a minimum once every school term. P&C Associations may hold their general meetings more frequently than this, and the exact times and dates of meetings are determined by the individual P&C Association’s by-laws.
How should meetings run?
There are some standard items that should always be part of P&C Association meetings: noting the names of those in attendance and any apologies, confirming minutes of the previous meeting, tabling reports (eg, from the President, Treasurer, or any sub-committees), tabling correspondence, and accepting the membership fees of anyone who wishes to become a member. Review the meeting processes page on P&C Federation’s website for more information on how to structure a meeting (see www.pandc.org.au/meetingprocesses/).
Do meetings have to be held at the school?
The preference is for meetings to always be held at the school. However, if this is not possible, then the P&C Association can meet at another venue, such as a community hall or club.
Incorporated P&C Associations* have the option of holding a meeting using technology (eg, Zoom) that allows members to attend and participate remotely (see section 10 of the Prescribed Constitution, the governing document for all incorporated P&C Associations).
Does the Principal have to be present?
The Principal should always be notified of a P&C Association meeting, however if they or their representative is unable to attend, the meeting can still go ahead as long as a quorum is met.
For P&C Associations of 49 members or less, the quorum must be no less than five members. For P&C Associations with 50 or more members, the quorum is 10 for incorporated P&C Associations (governed by the Prescribed Constitution), and 11 for unincorporated P&C Associations (governed by the Standard Constitution).
Who chairs meetings?
The P&C Association President is the chair for all P&C Association meetings, except for sub-committees as this is the convenor’s role. However, if the President is absent, one of the Vice-Presidents would take on the role of chair. In the absence of the Vice-President/s, the meeting would elect a chairperson.
Who can vote?
Only current members can vote and participate in meetings. The Prescribed and Standard Constitutions provide for the member register to be updated after each general meeting. Should someone pay their membership fee before or during a general meeting, they would not enjoy the privileges of membership until the next general meeting.
Can proxy voting occur?
No. Proxy votes are votes cast by one person on behalf of another. There is no enabler for proxy voting in thePrescribed or Standard Constitutions, so votes can only be cast by members who are present at the meeting.
What is a special meeting?
Special meetings, or extraordinary meetings, are meetings called to discuss specific matter/s which cannot wait until the next general meeting because of urgency or some other declared reason. Special meetings can only deal with business of which notice has been given.
How are special meetings organised?
Notices of special meetings are despatched by the P&C Association Secretary, and the Secretary can only do so on the authority of the Executive Committee or upon written request by at least 10 members. Requests for special meetings must refer to the specific matters to be raised and discussed at the meeting.
The Secretary should ensure that all members receive notice of the special meeting at least seven clear days before, including the time and place and what specific business will be covered. The time and date should be designated by the Executive Committee, but
must occur within one month of the request for a special meeting being received by the Secretary.
What matters cannot be dealt with at special meetings?
There are only two matters that cannot be dealt with at special meetings:
● Accepting new membership: the Prescribed and Standard Constitutions state that the member register is updated after each general meeting. If someone pays to be a member at a special meeting, they would not become a member until after the next general meeting.
● Filling casual vacancies: If a position becomes vacant, the Prescribed and Standard Constitutions provide for them to be filled at any general meeting only.
More information
P&C Federation has comprehensive information on its website (www.pandc. org.au/) to support P&C Associations in coordinating their meetings. This includes separate factsheets on Meeting Minutes and Agendas, available at www.pandc.org.au/ faqs/
*Becoming incorporated: P&C Federation recommends that all P&C Associations become incorporated. An incorporated body can apply for government grants, may enter into legal agreements, own assets and borrow money from financial institutions. For more information, contact the P&C Federation team by email on mail@pandc.org.au or phone at 1300 885 982.
Photo: iStock
HOW TO STAY INVOLVED WHEN YOUR CHILD STARTS HIGH SCHOOL
When children start high school parents can often lose the close connection with the school they had in the primary years. Linda Doherty spoke to three secondary school P&C Associations about how they stay involved with education and provide feedback to the school.
The COVID-19pandemic has changed life for so many people and led to some lateral thinking for P&C Associations, from having to hold meetings on Zoom to finding new ways to promote schools.
Tapping into parents’ skills
Gymea Technology High School in Sydney’s south has a well-known collaborative studentand teacher open night for students coming in to Year 7,but when pandemic restrictions this year forced its cancellation, the P&C Association suggested replicating the event in a virtual environment.
P&C Association Secretary Karen Young, a courseware designer for an online learning company, worked with the Principal, teachers and students to film and produce a 360-degree virtual reality tour of the school (see https://bit.ly/3hPZ2VI ).
The tour takes the viewer through the classrooms, technology spaces, IMAX theatre, commercial kitchens and outdoor learning areas and uses drop and drag icons to provide information about the school’s learning programs.
“Karen’s contribution was to help stitch it up and re-format the same opennight structure into a digital online presentation,” P&C Association President Rob Russell said.
He said parents often collaborated with the Principal to submit grant applications, particularly for science and technology projects or equipment. One such project was securing funding for FarmBot agriculture technology, which P&C Association VicePresident and industrial designer David Garberg had been researching for use with his university students.
“The FarmBot can be used for robotics, computer programming, agriculture, biology, or practically any STEM class,” David said.
Raewyn Molloy, President of Forbes High School P&C Association, said her experience as the director of a not-for-profit childcare centre had assisted her in working with the school community and overseeing the P&C Association-operated canteen.
Forbes High P&C Association fundraising supports students to compete in sport at the regional and state levels, including the annual North West Equestrian Expo in Coonabarabran. In the past 18 months it has also supported the school with textbooks,
games for students to play at lunchtime, tools, canteen equipment and a storage shed.
Advocacy and the squeaky wheel
An important role of P&C Associations across the state is advocating for their schools, students and staff, sometimes being the ‘squeaky wheel’ to improve facilities or give feedback to the Minister for Education and the Department of Education on policies and procedures.
Erika Crevathin, the immediate past president of Wagga Wagga High School P&C Association, spent eight years with the P&C Association until her youngest child finished school last year.
WaggaWagga High’s P&C Association focuses on providing practical support to the school and, in particular, lobbying and advocating for safety improvements.
A long campaign to enclose verandahs on two floors of the four-storey school involved working closely with the Principal and raising the problem with the local Member of Parliament.
“Everyone thought it would be too expensive, but we had to make it safe for the kids. In break times those verandahs were out of bounds and the staff were on tenterhooks that someone would get hurt,” Erika said.
The P&C Association also petitioned the local council to fix gutters and broken edges to improve safety in a busy traffic area.
Erika, relieving Assistant Principal at Turvey Park Public School in Wagga Wagga, has seen how P&C Associations work as an officebearer and as a school executive.
A Wagga Wagga High School P&C Association working bee. The P&C Association focuses on providing practical support to the school and, in particular, lobbying and advocating for safety improvements. Photo supplied by Erika Crevathin
Great school facilities, like outdoor learning areas connected to Wi-Fi, feature in Gymea Technology High School’s virtual tour. Photo supplied by Gymea Technology High School
The active P&C Association at her primary school invited Erika to talk about her high school P&C experience and she said these interactions would be useful for any P&C Association.
“It’s great when P&Cs can share experiences because we can all be in our little P&C bubble unless you have children at different schools,” she said.
Communication is key Communicating with parents is often more difficult in high school when parents aren’t physically on site as regularly as they were when their children were in primary school. Many high school P&C Associations use a
mix of communication channels, including social media, to let parents know about P&C Association and school activities and priorities.
Erika said the Wagga Wagga High School P&C Association “would just try everything” –emailing minutes to parents, posting on the school’s Facebook page and in its newsletter.
Karen said Gymea Technology High School’s P&C Association recognised that “parents are simply busy” so they used a variety of strategies, such as emails to any parent who had previously attended a P&C Association meeting and a Google form for parents to post questions if they could not make meetings.
Forbes High School P&C Association started using Zoom for meetings because some members lived almost 100km from the town. “Being able to have both face-to-face and online meetings has been a huge support,” Raewyn said.
Many other P&C Associations switched to virtual meetings in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions and report the additional option has opened up access to more parents.
More information about virtual meetings is available on the P&C Federation website at www.pandc.org.au/meeting-processes/
TIPS FOR ONLINE SAFETY AND WELLBEING
By Paul Tournas
eSafety* has developed a range of COVID-19 resources that can be used to help keep children safe online and also support wellbeing, especially during lockdowns.
Our advice booklet for parents and carers covers some of the key online safety issues for young people and includes practical tips and advice on what to do if things go wrong. A free copy of thebooklet is available at www. esafety.gov.au/key-issues/covid-19/adviceparents-carers
We have also developed 6 Online Safety Tips foryoung people to help them navigate through lockdown. The advice has been designed to help young people to not only look after their online safety, but also their wellbeing. This includes how to stay connected with friends, balancing time online and managing mental health in and out of COVID-19 lockdown.
These and other helpful tips for young people can be found at www.esafety.gov.au/keyissues/covid-19/advice-young-people
New webinar series
To further support the mental health of young people, eSafety has released a new webinar series (see box at right) that will provide parents and carers with an understanding of how games, apps and social media can influence young people’s mental wellbeing.
The webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 10-18 and will cover:
THE WEBINAR WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING DATES:
• Tuesday 19 October 7.30pm-8.30pm
• Wednesday 20 October 12.30pm-1.30pm • Thursday 21 October 12.30pm-1.30pm
• Tuesday 26 October 7.30pm-8.30pm • Tuesday 9 November 7.30pm-8.30pm • Thursday 18 November 12.30pm-1.30pm
• current research on young people, time online and mental health
• what to do about accidental exposure to content about suicide, self-harm or eating disorders
• using games, apps and social media to support mental wellbeing
• the pros and cons of digital mental health platforms
• strategies for young people to support friends online.
To register visit: www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars
Paul Tournas
Education Strategy Advisor
eSafety Commissioner
*eSafety is a world-first Australian Government agency committed to keeping its citizens safer online. To learn more, visit www.esafety.gov.au
Gymea Technology High School students starred in the P&C Associationproduced virtual school tour. Photo supplied by Gymea Technology High School
Forbes High School P&C Association President Raewyn Molloy (at right) hands over a cheque for a storage shed for the special education unit to teacher Frances Hinchcliff-Emmett. Photo supplied by Forbes High School P&C Association
THE COVID INTENSIVE LEARNING SUPPORT PROGRAM
By Dr Paul Wood
In November 2020, the New South Wales Government announced that $306 million would be given to public schools for a program to help support students’ education, after a school year that was disrupted with weeks of remote learning due to COVID-19.
Fast forward to the end of June 2021, and over 5,000 teachers and educators had signed up to be part of the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program (COVID ILSP), all the state’s 2,183 public schools were delivering small group tuitionand over 130,000 students had already taken part in the small group tuition program (see p17 for Warrawong High’s experience).
Has the initiative worked? The final report won’t be in untilsometime in early 2022 when the Department receives all the school data to review, but all signs indicate that it will be a success, and for quite a few reasons.
The program has always been data-driven and small group tuition was identified early on to engage students and help them catch up. Research by the Grattan Institute highlighted the characteristics of ideal small group tuition, which the Department put into practice. While there has always been small group tuition for students who needed it, the new program
ensured groups of two to five students participated inthree to five sessions a week –one of the key elements of success.
Organic and dynamic
The speed at which the COVID ILSP was conceptualised and put into operation meant it had to become an organic program that could grow and develop based on the needs and feedback of the people who were involved – namely principals, teachers, students, parents, and carers. Instead of only consultation in advance of the program, stakeholders were engaged throughout the program.
This kept it dynamic and, as a result, new elements were introduced that complemented processes and practices already in place.
Hitting the mark
Field visits to a variety of schools across the state and periodic interviews with principals, teachers, and educators indicated that the program was hitting the mark.
Not only have schools reported an increase in students’ literacy and numeracy, but many also report an increase in student confidence – their willingness to ask questions where they did not feel comfortable in their regular
Dr Paul Wood, Executive Director, COVID-19 Taskforce
NSW Department of Education
and larger class. Students were engaging with their peers and, despite initial concerns that students might feel they were being picked on by moving to the small groups, the reverse was often the case with teachers reporting students eager to join scheduled classes.
Schools have had several options in recruiting educators for this program. Retired teachers, academics, pre-service teachers and student learning support officers with additional training can provide tuition to students.
Bene
ts for students
Parents and carers have reported benefits such as increased confidence and concentration – even a willingness to undertake homework. Several schools created after-school homework clubs as part of the program. The program encouraged the principal and teachers towork with parents and carers on delivering the best possible program for their children. The program was deliberately flexible to meet the needsof each child, with the understanding that schools are best placed to know their community needs.
Dr Paul Wood
Dr Wood is the 2021 recipient of the Public Service Medal. He is the NSW Department of Education’s Executive Director for COVID-19 Taskforce which includes oversight of the COVIDIntensiveLearningSupportProgram (COVID ILSP) and the learning from home program. He is a teacher with over 30 years’ experience and a father of three school-age children.
Watch the Department of Education’s Parents and Carers Questions & Answers
Livestream with tips for learning from home at https://bit.ly/2XvwmKq
More than 130,000 NSW public school students have already taken part in the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program, including these students from Warrawong High School. Photo: NSW Department of Education
ILSP SMALL GROUP TUITION GETS RESULTS
Warrawong High School is a culturally diverse secondary school in the Lake Illawarra North network, with a population of 545 students. Of these, 46% have a language background other than English and 11% identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
In its first phase of the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program (ILSP), the school supported 28 Year 9 students through three 50-minute small group tuition sessions per week, identifying participating students through NAPLAN results, Department of Education short assessments in reading, and third-party assessments such as the Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT).
The focus areas were literacy and numeracy and particularly on vocabulary, comprehension, communicating, and problem solving.
Monitoring progress
Formative assessments were used to monitor student progress. The school combined feedback from students (which included a pre-program questionnaire, a mid-point check, and an end-of-program survey) that provided additional detail around focus areas and allowed staff to deliver tuition tailored to student needs.
A strong focus on evaluation informed next steps and reporting.
Program evaluation
Warrawong High School used a variety of information sources to evaluate their program. They established a Microsoft Teams space where student progress could be monitored via an Excel spreadsheet. This included test results as well as an option to add areas of focus for each student.
The school developed individual student profiles to update families on student progress. Each profile contained the student’s NAPLAN and school grades as well as their progress in specific tuition areas.
Family involvement and student feedback were considered essential in evaluating the success of the program.
Warrawong High School had regular ongoing communication with families about their student’s progress, including an initial information letter, regular newsletter updates and frequent phone calls to discuss student
progress. The school also hosted parent and carer afternoons where families came to the school to celebrate students and engage insome of the learning activities from the program.
The school’s COVID ILSP team regularly gauged students’ confidence levels, as well as any questions and concerns they may have had about the program. The school established a Google Classroom to post links to questionnaires, short assessments, and reminders.
Student feedback was also captured on video, which provided clarity around how the skills that students learned and practiced in small group tuition were able to be transferred back into classroom learning and associated assessment tasks.
Outcomes
Warrawong High School’s quantitative and qualitative data indicated that the small group tuition for the first group of Year 9 students had been highly successful. Student feedback provided insights into the aspects of the program that were most effective and suggested improvements for future cycles.
Warrawong High School has since scaled-up this approach for ongoing tuition cycles. By the end of 2021, the school estimates that 395 students will have been supported by the program.
ACTIVITY PACKS FOR HOME LEARNING
Parents and teachers of primary school students in the state’s public schools can now access guided learning packs produced by the NSW Department of Education to support learning from home.
Minister for Education and Early Childhood
Learning Sarah Mitchell said the packs are designed for K-6 students and have been developed by curriculum experts and designers to ensure they are easy to navigate for students, parents and carers and help teachers to keep their students engaged and connected.
The packs include a full week of learning activities with stage-specific video content which includes teacher guidance, open-ended
activities and wellbeing checks, as well as a ‘brain break’ during the day and additional activities for students who finish the work early.
“The packs are not mandatory, but provide a great way for teachers to supplement what is already working for them,” Ms Mitchell said.
The Department is also running new learning from home professional development courses for teachers, designed using insights from last year and this year’s learning from home periods.
The Department is constantly updating material for students, teachers and parents. The guided learning packs for teachers, along
Photo: www.freepik.com
with the professional development courses, are available at https://bit.ly/3EIQZUK
Learning packs for parents and carers, including early childhood packs, are available at https://bit.ly/2YjFVfV
Warrawong High School students taking part in a small group tuition session, as part of the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program.
Photo: NSW Department of Education
LEARNING FROM HOME ALL ABOUT THE POSITIVES
Supplied by the NSW Department of Education
For Lidcombe Public School P&C Association President, and father of eight, Bill Soliola, a positive vibe and an openness to help are the keys to managing learning from home during lockdown.
When the Greater Sydney lockdown began in June this year, Bill and his children, Monalisa, 17(Year 11), Elizabeth, 13 (Year 8), Tai, 11 (Year 6), Tania, 10 (Year 5), Sefo, 8 (Year 3), Silivia, 7 (Year 2), Eirenei, 5 (Kindergarten) and Lidcombe, 4 (preschool), were sharing two phones and a laptop, and trying to juggle a variety of online lessons.
“I contacted the school to see if they had a spare and they gave us three laptops and an iPad to borrow which has made a huge difference to their learning,” Bill said.
“I can’t thank [Lidcombe Public School] Acting Principal Nicole Monk enough. She has been wonderful as have all of the children’s teachers who are in regular contact with them and give them portions of work throughout the day, right up until 3pm.”
Help came from the local community as well, and now all the children have their own computers to use.
Bill’s role as President of the P&C Association allows him to return the help, and share positive vibes. He uses Facebook to show whatheandhischildrenaredoing,andthis
in turn has been shared widely, with local principals in other schools sharing the photos and posts with their communities.
During lockdown, the Soliola family starts each school day in the local park, going through the school exercises on Facebook, and then returning home for lessons.
“The physical activity keeps them energised. We treat it a bit like a school excursion, so the smaller ones feel like they’re still at school,” Bill said.
Back home, the eight children study online in the same space, peeling off for Zoom lesson when some privacy is needed.
Studying together means that they can collectively solve problems, giving the older students the chance tomentor their younger siblings.
It’s also brought the family closer together.
“We only used to spend time together in school holidays, but now we’re together every day, and we’re learning new things about each other,” Bill said.
It’s this sort of positive approach thatBill shares with the school’s P&C Association members, and the wider community, through social media.
“It was tough at the beginning, not being able to do things in person or go on the school grounds. As a committee, we speak together
weekly, and I usesocial media to show the things we get up to at home,” Bill said.
He believes that communication is the key, as well as staying connected to the school community. He’s also a big believer in asking for help, particularly if you’re struggling to find the positives.
The way Bill sees it, helping others is a blessing – but in order to receive that blessing, you need to be able to help someone.
Studying together means that the
“When you ask for help, and someone can help you out, you’re letting them feel good about themselves by helping you out. That’s a real positive. By asking for help, you’re giving someone the opportunity to feel great. Don’t forget, we really are in this together,” he said.
Bill’s hints for finding a positive vibe during learning from home:
• Seek positive information that can be accessed through your school.
• Call your school and ask what you can do for the community.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
You can find Bill’s take on positivity and learningfrom home at: https://www.facebook. com/bill.soliola
The eight Soliola children study online in the same space,peeling off for Zoom lessons when some privacy is needed.
with permission of Bill Soliola)
Lidcombe Public School P&C Association President Bill Soliola with his wife Susana
children can collectively solve problems, giving the older students the chance to mentor their younger siblings
EDWEEK SHOWCASES LIFELONG LEARNERS
Supplied by the NSW Department of Education
Education Week, the annual celebration of NSW public education, was a virtual affair again in 2021 due to the COVID-19 lockdown impacting many parts of the state.
Education Week has been running for more than 60 years and is a highlight on the NSW public schools’ calendar. It’s an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of students, staff and the broader NSW public education system.
This year Ed Week ran from 26-30 July with the themeLifelong Learners, which recognised education as a lifelong journey commencing before a child enters an early childhood education setting through to postschool learning opportunities.
The week started with a livestream launch video featuring student profiles, messages from Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell, Skills and Tertiary Education Minister Geoff Lee and NSW Education Secretary Georgina Harrisson.
The inspiring student profiles focused on three students who showcased this year’s theme:
• Piper Stewart, a student at Murrumbidgee Regional High School, who founded her own charity to teach Aboriginal kids in her local area to swim.
• Steph Evans, a student from Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus, who founded Seas of Change to raise awareness for marine conservation.
• Carlos Hassan, from James Fallon High School, who came to Australia as a refugee knowing no English, but is now excelling in his studies and aims to assist other refugee families in their transition to life in Australia after he completes the HSC.
The NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company closed the Ed Week launch with an excerpt from a dance documentary showcased at the State Dance Festival.
More than 8,000 people viewed the livestream broadcast, representing a 20% increase on last year’s virtual event.
Virtual celebrations continued throughout the week with a Learning Through Country video session presented by the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc. The session highlighted how we can all learn from Country and shared stories from different Aboriginal languages across NSW.
P&C Federation partnered with the Department’s Vocational Educational and Training team to host a webinar for parents and carers exploring vocational education and training (VET) at school. The webinar focused on three areas of VET in schools, including
the new virtual VET courses, which will be available from 2022. Other topics included VET options at school and School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships available to students now.
A virtual art exhibition presented student artwork created following the 2019-2020 bushfires. The ‘From the Ashes’ exhibition demonstrated the role of art in the process of reflection on the impacts of the devastating bushfires. Artworks included those from schools directly impacted by the bushfires as well as HSC student artwork selected for inclusion in this year’s ARTEXPRESS exhibition.
Ms Harrisson said schools had been creative and innovative in embracing the week-long celebration.
“Education Week is a great opportunity to collectively acknowledge our work and NSW public education while celebrating the achievements of schools, students and the learning community,” Ms Harrisson said.
In acknowledging the efforts of teachers, school leaders and school support staff, she said: “In spite of the tough times, you all continue to show strength, resilience and a commitment to ensuring the best outcomes for our students and young people.”
Visit the Education Week webpage to relive all of the celebrations and catch up on anything youmay have missed, at www.education.nsw. gov.au/edweek
EDUCATION LIVE A LOCKDOWN HIGHLIGHT
Supplied by the NSW Department of Education
Sporting heroes, education superstars and musical guests have helped keep students engaged during learning from home in Term 3.
The popular daily livestream ‘Education LIVE’ returned last term following a successful run during the first learning from home period in 2020.
The daily livestreams connected students with expert presenters across the fields of music, art, food, gardening, technology and sport.
Special guests, including singer Guy Sebastian, Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis, UNSW Sydney Artificial Intelligence Professor Toby Walsh, mathematics superstar Eddie Woo and many more, volunteered their time to film segments livestreamed to students every weekday.
With the content aimed at a primary student audience, this year Education LIVE introduced an Animal of the Day with each livestream, starting with an informative and educational talk about animals from local
zoos, aquariums and wildlife parks.
Developed by the NSW Department of Education’s Communication and Engagement directorate, the daily livestreams helped add a routine to the days spent learning from home and have been a highlight for many students.
The full series of Education LIVE videos are available to view on demand onthe NSW Education Learning From Home webpage (https://bit.ly/3EIQZUK) or on the Department’s Facebook page at https://bit.ly/3tJWQE4
DUBBO WEST COOKS UP A WINNING CANTEEN FORMULA
By Catherine Kelly, President, Dubbo West Public School P&C Association
Like many schools, 2020 was a year of three sections, pre-COVID, remote learning and return to a ‘normal’ life (at least temporarily). Our canteen definitely had three sections to its journey in 2020. Pre-COVID we were a canteen that was open five days a week, serving food to 430 students in a low socio-economic status area in regional NSW. We had two casual staff members, working one at a time in the canteen, no volunteers, and average weekly sales of between $1,000$1,500.
Then COVID hit, schools remained open to essential workers’ children and those at risk, but the canteens were closed. This had a huge impact on our community. Not only did our canteen team worry about those children still attending school and not able to buy food, but they themselves were not eligible for JobKeeper during the closure. It was a tough time for everyone and, unfortunately, our P&C Association did not have enough in our bank account to support our staff during this time.
Ready for change
Term 2 started with just as much uncertainty as Term 1 had ended, but it gave us time to review things. When canteens were given the green light to reopen, we met with the team and listened to their concerns, their successes, and their grievances. Concerns included poor or broken equipment, stock that wasn’t moving, workload increasing but not enough hands on deck in the canteen, and no personal protective equipment (PPE).
The first thing we did was employ another casual staff member, using a cash flow boost
from the Australian Tax Office, and ensured that we also had two people working in the canteen each day it was open. We became a COVID-Safe business, with a COVID-Safe Plan and all our team members completed COVID Awareness Training.
Online ordering
NSW Health advised limiting cash handling, something we thought was nearly impossible to do in our school. But we worked closely with the school’s Assistant Principal and added an online app ordering system using Stripe as a payment gateway.
It took some time to enter all the menu line items into the app, but once that initial process was done, it proved to be a low maintenance app. On an average day we receive 35 online orders via the app – these
can be from individual children or families ordering for a number of children.
Successes and failures
Our next change was to introduce weekly specials that were made in the canteen, not pre-ordered frozen foods. This was a huge success and is now known as Terrific Tuesday Specials. Some of the popular Terrific Tuesdays’ specials include canteen-made macaroni and cheese, sausage rolls and spaghetti bolognaise. The specials are a meal deal, which also includes the choice of popcorn or frozen stick and a choice of water or Milo (in winter) or slushie (in summer).
We listened to the children and heard what they wanted in the canteen and trialled some other new things. Some were successful, some really failed, but it allowed us to start our journey to more canteen-madefood and meals. Canteen-made jelly was a complete fail – the children didn’t like it one bit. Muffins, which we make fresh, and snack packs (popcorn, fruit and water) have been a huge success.
Hard work pays o
The weekly intake grew and grewand by the time week 2 of Term 3 came around we were averaging $3,000 per week, doubling our previous weekly sales.
Investing in new equipment, giving moral support to the team, introducing a uniform,
Dubbo West Public School’s newly renovated canteen (main photo) and before the renovation (inset).
All photos supplied by Catherine Kelly, Dubbo West Public School P&C Association
The service area in the new canteen (left) and the much smaller space before the renovation (right)
adding more team members, listening to the children and having a more cohesive relationship with the school was paying off.
We submitted our new menu for review and received Healthy Kids Canteen status on a successful first submission. When coming up with the menu, we looked at what could be made fresh in the canteen instead of premade and purchased. We focused on healthy everyday foods. Only 11 items on our menu were classified as ‘occasional’ items, with 53 items classified as ‘everyday’ foods.
Our advice for other P&C Association-run canteens is that the canteen is a business, run it like one. Have the volunteers/ canteen sta involved in the business. Let them know nancially what is happening as it gives each person ownership. Have a team that works together and wants to be at work for the children
We also trialled a 99% fruit slushie machine, and soon one machine went to two machines with two compartments each. Who knew the answer to life in summer was slushies? Our highest intake week for the year was almost $4,000. Despite COVID, and the shutdown, our canteen had an intake just shy of $100,000 for 2020.
A new space
Then, just when we thought that we could settle into our new busy normal, we were thrown a curve-ball. Our canteen had finally made it to the top of the list for a renovation, so we had to become creative again. We moved to the kitchen in the school hall at the beginning of 2021 and still managed to deliver the high levels that had become expected of us. We trimmed down the available menu to just the essentials, as space was limited in the hall kitchen and we had to work with limited equipment too.
Wemovedintoournewlyrenovatedcanteen at the beginning of Term 2, 2021. Everything was new, clean, spacious and it set the stage for what the rest of 2021 could offer in our ever-evolving journey. We employed another staff member and now have two permanent, part-time staff members and two casual staff members, including a chef with nine years’ industry experience.
at the school, including department meetings, professional development days and carnivals. Before our school was affected by the Term 3 COVID restrictions and lockdown, we catered for five events. We love it and can’t wait to once again starthosting functions at the school.
Our canteen staff also attended barista training in Term 3 (pre-COVID restrictions), and we will soon be including coffee on our staff menu.
This is only the beginning of our journey and if we stick to our winning formula of slushies, frozen sticks, and good healthy canteen-made food, anything is possible!
P&C Federation canteen information
P&C Associations operating canteens can form a sub-committee to oversee the day-to-day operations of the canteen, or the P&C Association Office Bearers may oversee canteen operations directly.
If your P&C Association is considering operating a school canteen, you must first discuss it with your P&C Association members and the school principal. There must be a motion passed by a majority to establish the structure of a P&C Association-run canteen. P&C Associations can also vote on whether to employ paid canteen staff, run it with volunteers only, or a mix of both.
We honestly thought we were living our best lives in the canteen; little did we know that Term 4 was going to blow us away. Monday was our quietest day, so we introduced staff specials – meals made off menu for the staff only for just $5. The chicken wraps were a hit! Chicken Caesar salad and zucchini slice with salad were also popular staff specials on offer. This took off just as successfully as our Terrific Tuesdays.
We also introduced EFTPOS as another payment option, in addition to our online app ordering and over-the-counter orders. We will be bringing back the staff specials and aiming to have our canteen selling mainly canteenmade food by the middle of 2022.
Term 3 saw our canteen expanding again! This time we decided to give our beautiful chef the opportunity to shine and we now do all the catering for the school and for functions held
For information about operating school canteens, P&C Association Office Bearers can access the manual, Running A Canteen, via P&C Federation’s Member Portal at https://membersportal. pandc.org.au/PandCMember. You can request access to the Member Portal by emailing affiliatesupport@pandc.org.au If you need more guidance on running a canteen, please contact the P&C Federation team on 1300 885 982.
One of the platters prepared by the canteen’s chef and staff, who are now catering for functions held at the school, including department meetings, professional development days and carnivals
SUPPORTING STUDENTS TO PREPARE FOR LIFE BEYOND YEAR 12
Supplied by the Careers Advisers Association of NSW & ACT Inc
Term 4 is an important, exciting and challenging time for Year 12 students, with big decisions being made about future work, study and training opportunities.
2020 and 2021 have been even more challenging due to COVID-19, which has resulted in a range of changes in the education sector. Students are encouraged to stay up-to-date with any changes to admission procedures and requirements in the courses or programs they are interested in. One factor that hasn’t changed, however, is that students should be guided to apply for learning and training courses that are best suited to their interests, skills and abilities.
Open dialogue is key
The most important advice for parents and carers is to be supportive during what may be a stressful and challenging time. Initiate conversations with your child about their hopes, dreams and future plans. Open dialogue will encourage them to ask questions and share their ideas, providing opportunities for you to give feedback and support.
For parents of Year 11 students, Term 4 is the time to encourage your child to see the school careers adviser to help them understand the opportunities, requirements and processes for post-school opportunities most relevant to them. Careers advisers have many resources to assist students in identifying options for work, study and training when they finish school.
It’s not recommended to pressure your child into areas they are disinterested in, or that
Initiate conversations with your child about their hopes, dreams and future plans. Open dialogue will encourage them to ask questions and share their ideas
Term 4 is an exciting, stressful and challenging time for Year 12 students, with the pressure of final exams and big decisions to be made about future work and study. Having more than one plan is always a good idea.
may be beyond their capabilities. Take a journey with them to discover what options there are for post-school work, learning and training. Students need to investigate and identify choices regarding post-school options. This may take time as they evaluate their options. Many first-year tertiary students change their course of study after finding their original choice is not as they expected.
Investigate all options
In the currentemployment climate, it is often beneficial to complete some form of post-school qualification. At TAFE, students may enrol in certificate courses, diplomas, advanced diplomas or degrees. If pursuing university education, options range from diplomas through to degree courses. Always encourage your child to investigate courses that best suit their interests, skills and abilities.
Encourage your child to research jobs, courses and training options, and discuss these with them. Investigate all learning options: university, TAFE, company-based cadetships, Group Training Organisations (GTOs) and private colleges, as well as
Photo: wayhomestudio/www.freepik.com
delivery methods such as online and faceto-face. Encourage your child to participate in information sessions and open days to help in their decision-making and to contact employers for industry-based opportunities.
Gap years
What about ‘gap years’? This may mean taking a year off from study to work, providing more time to make decisions about future options. It may involve volunteer activities or doing short courses (eg, a TAFE course to qualify for undertaking casual work which later supports the cost of university study). Please remember that if your child is deferring a university course for which they have been accepted to take agap year, certain processes must be followed once your child has been accepted into a course. Check with your child’s careers adviser about gap year options and processes.
ATAR higher than expected?
The release of the ATAR can be a time for celebration where hard work and dedication culminate in a higher-than-expected ATAR. This does not mean plans need to change.
If your child is happy with the path they have chosen, a higher-than-expected ATAR won’t alter that. It may, however, open up some courses which they had not previously considered.
This is the time your child can change the order of their university course preferences if they wish. Is there a course they really liked, but didn’t think they would get the ATAR for? Reorder those preferences now, if required.
ATARs do not define a student’s career interests. Support your child in selecting courses they are interested in. If they are not sure about a specific area or job, then an arts,science or business degree can offer a broader choice of options. Compare major areas of study by individual providers, as these can vary greatly.
And remember, there is no value in switching from a course with a lower ATAR to one with a higher ATAR if the student is not interested in the outcome.
ATAR lower than expected?
If your child does not achieve their expected ATAR, it does not necessarily mean they cannot get to where they want to go. There are many options available for those who are aiming for university. Many universities offer alternate entry courses, such as Newstep (Newcastle University), which are great opportunities to complete 12 months of oncampus study, preparing the student for entry
intothe university the following year. Pathway courses vary greatly and there are many available.
Another option is gaining entry to a university course with similar content and a lower ATAR and, after completing 12 months, internally transfer to another course. Be sure to understand any requirements for transferring, such as minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) scores or whether the student can obtain credit for the subjects completed in the first 12 months.
Alternatively, consider other universities with a similar course but a lower ATAR. A lower ATAR entry reflects demand being lower for a course, not the quality of the course content. Additionally, TAFE pathways offer a range of courses with solid foundations for later transferring to university.
Plans B, C and D
Students should always have plans B, C and D, and can seek guidance from their school’s careers adviser who will often assist in the months after leaving school.
Support your child to be realistic! Many training options and courses can be competitive, so encourage them to research things such as how many places are offered and whether relevant work experience counts.
Students should apply for all options they are considering (ideally this should have been
done before the end of Term 3). In Term 4, TAFE counsellors and private colleges may discuss available study opportunities and universities have information days after the release of the ATAR to assist students with course decision-making.
If your child does not achieve their expected ATAR, it does not necessarily mean they cannot get to where they want to go. There are many options available for those who are aiming for university
Conclusion
Parents play an important role in guiding their children through their final years at school and are encouraged to seek advice from the school careers adviser to assist their child to navigate the numerous options available and to help identify what is the best fit for them.
Careers advisers have many resources to assist students in identifying options for work, study and training when they finish school. Photo: iStock
