P80 Preschool and School Education

Perfect score equals bright future

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 5-Jan-15

A total of 1,790 Australian secondary school students who completed the International Baccalaureate diploma program received their results on 4 January 2015, with 31 achieving the perfect score of 45. A scholarship at the Australian National University, funded by ETF Securities founder Graham Tuckwell and his spouse, has been awarded to Jane Tan of Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Melbourne. There are 63 schools nationwide that offer the International Baccalaureate

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, PRESBYTERIAN LADIES’ COLLEGE, ETF SECURITIES LIMITED

Maths teaching doesn’t add up

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Original article by Tim Dodd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 18-Dec-14

Mathematics teaching should be aligned with work requirements. The authors of a new report, titled "Identifying and Supporting Quantitative Skills of 21st-century Workers", suggest that work-related competencies should be included in the Australian maths curriculum. Chief Scientist Ian Chubb says a national discussion of the wider role of mathematics is necessary

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION OF MATHEMATICS TEACHERS, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Toughen up on teacher training, uni heads warned

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Original article by Justine Ferrari
The Australian – Page: 4 : 6-Nov-14

John Hattie, the new chair of the Australian Institute for Teaching & School Leadership, supports a more stringent accreditation process for the country’s 400 teaching courses. Hattie notes that there is a 30 per cent over-supply of teachers in some areas. He suggests that culling courses could result in better-quality degrees. Hattie has drafted a new direction for the Institute, which accredits courses for public school teachers. It reflects the Australian Government’s policies to improve teaching quality

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE FOR TEACHING AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION, STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Hidden toll of student disability

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Original article by Justine Ferrari, Rick Morton
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 3-Nov-14

It is estimated that just five per cent of Australian school students with a disability or learning problem receive funding for support services. However, a report produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers suggests that about 18.6 per cent of students have a disability. The report was prepared for the nation’s education ministers, who have agreed to postpone the introduction of a needs-based funding model for students with disabilities that was scheduled to begin in 2015

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION, NATIONAL CATHOLIC EDUCATION COMMISSION, INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Andrews makes pitch to parents

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Original article by Richard Willingham, Steve Lillebuen
The Age – Page: 4 : 27-Oct-14

The Australian Labor Party on 26 October 2014 staged its official campaign launch for the Victorian state election in November. Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews made increased spending on education a major plank in his platform, pledging $A1.3bn in total. Many of the measures consist of assistance payments to school students from low-income households. However $A320m will also be allocated to supporting and relaunching TAFE colleges. Meanwhile federal Labor leader Bill Shorten mocked Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s failure to campaign with Premier Denis Napthine in Victoria

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, VICTORIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, HOLMESGLEN INSTITUTE OF TAFE

New teachers struggle with bad students

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Original article by Bethany Hiatt
The West Australian – Page: 11 : 20-Oct-14

The Australian Council for Educational Research has released the findings of the "Staff in Australia’s Schools 2013" survey. It shows that 45 per cent of primary school teachers would like more training in handling problem students, while 40.6 per cent of secondary school teacher feel there is a need for such training. New teachers in particular would like more training in dealing with difficult students

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION

Tax breaks to be reintroduced

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 13-Oct-14

The Australian Government will unveil its National Industry Investment and Competitiveness Agenda on 14 October 2014. The policy includes unwinding the Australian Labor Party’s changes to regulations governing employee share schemes and changes to the significant investor scheme to ensure that money is invested in sectors of the economy where it is needed. The Government will also encourage greater co-operation between the business and education sectors

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SCIENTIST

Schools brace for surge in enrolments

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Original article by Bethany Hiatt
The West Australian – Page: 11 : 8-Oct-14

Schools in Perth are expected to face a sharp increase in student numbers in coming years due to rising population levels in inner-city suburbs. Development of new housing in established suburbs is driving much of the growth, and Western Australia’s Department of Education has begun to examine ways to address the growing demand for places at the state’s schools

CORPORATES
WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF PLANNING, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. PLANNING COMMISSION

20-year slide in students taking maths in final year

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Original article by Nicky Phillips
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 3 : 7-Oct-14

An increasing number of Australian students are dropping science and mathematics in their final year of secondary school. A report found that the number of students in year 12 rose by 16 per cent between 1992 and 2012. However, there was a dramatic fall in the proportion of students studying chemistry, physics, biology or intermediate maths

CORPORATES
ST ANDREW’S CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Grade-splitting bad for children’s learning, teachers argue

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Original article by Jewel Topsfield
The Age – Page: 2 : 30-Sep-14

Victorian teachers have criticised the practice of grade-splitting. Schools are saving costs when teachers are away by dividing pupils into small groups in other classes. Teachers said that grade-splitting hindered learning because of large classes and lack of individual attention. Schools are splitting grades, rather than hiring casual-relief teachers

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION UNION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT