Initiatives targeting Recommendation 17 

New South Wales

Priority Schools Funding Program

The NSW Priority Schools Funding Program (PSFP) provides additional support to assist school communities to improve literacy and numeracy achievements and participation. Targeted schools serve the highest concentrations of students from low socio-economic status (SES) families. Priority schools work particularly on three interrelated areas of action: quality teaching and learning, classroom and school organisation and school culture, and school community partnerships.

Target group: Government school students and their communities in areas of highest socio-economic disadvantage.

Coverage: There are 544 Priority Schools across the state, including primary, secondary, central and schools for specific purposes.

Timeframe: Commonwealth's funding quadrennium.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training.

Website: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au

Vacation schools for senior students

Vacation schools for senior students are held during the summer or autumn vacation at a variety of sites, including TAFE campuses. They provide opportunities for students to improve literacy, numeracy and computing outcomes, study skills, self respect and orientation to senior schooling. Students have access to computers and the Internet.

Target group: Socio-economically disadvantaged government school students moving from Year 10 to Year 11 who are experiencing difficulties in their studies.

Coverage: Vacation schools usually operate in six or seven districts.

Timeframe: Commonwealth funding quadrennium.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training.

Website: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au

Ready for High School summer schools

Ready for High School summer schools are held during the January school vacation, usually on a high school site. They provide opportunities for students to improve literacy, numeracy and computing outcomes and to become more orientated to high school. Students have access to computers and the Internet. Motivational and confidence building activities are included.

Target group: Socio-economically disadvantaged government school students moving from primary school Year 6 to high school Year 7 who are experiencing difficulties with literacy and numeracy.

Coverage: Ready for High School usually operate in four or five districts.

Timeframe: Commonwealth funding quadrennium.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training.

Website: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au

Study Plus

Study Plus assists talented students to study English or mathematics at a higher level. Students in Year 6 have the opportunity to study secondary level English or mathematics with a high school teacher. Students in Years 9 and 10 can work to a high standard with TAFE teachers, university tutors or specialist high school teachers. Initiatives operate throughout the year.

Target group: Talented and high performing government school students in Years 6, 9 and 10 from socio-economically disadvantaged communities.

Coverage: Study Plus initiatives operate in ten districts.

Timeframe: Commonwealth funding quadrennium.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training.

Website: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au

After Hours HSC Coaching Program

The After Hours HSC Coaching Program assists students who may be experiencing difficulties in their studies to prepare for the HSC. It provides funds to government schools with high concentrations of disadvantaged students. Schools are able to provide intensive tuition in Higher School Certificate subjects to individuals or small groups of students outside normal school hours.

Target group: Educationally disadvantaged young people studying for the NSW Higher School Certificate.

Coverage: 73 schools across NSW.

Timeframe: Ongoing.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training.

Website: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au

Gateways Program: Community and Learning Networks

The Gateways Program is an innovative early intervention and prevention initiative in the Fairfield district to increase the retention, participation and completion of schooling. It provides effective drug education for all government primary and secondary school students.

The Gateways Program is the contribution of the Department of Education and Training to the Premier's Action Plan for Cabramatta. Strategies include case management, individual education plans, mentoring, TAFE courses for selected school students and drug education.

Target group: Young people in government schools who are at risk of disengaging from education and training and not completing Year 12 or its training equivalent and young people who have discontinued their schooling and are at risk of drug misuse.

Coverage: Young people in 48 government school communities in the Fairfield district.

Timeframe: 2001 to 2003.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training.

Website: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au

Plan-It Youth Community Mentoring Program

Plan-It Youth assists young people to help themselves. The program matches specially trained adult mentors from the local community to work with young people who are at risk of leaving school early. Issues include success at school, making the transition to work and school, personal and family relationships. This is a collaborative activity with the Dusseldorp Skills Forum.

Target group: Young people in Years 9 or 10 who are at risk of not completing Year 12 or its training equivalent.

Coverage: Currently operating on the Central Coast of NSW. Sponsorship is being sought to expand the initiative into five other districts.

Timeframe: Ongoing, depending on community sponsorship.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training.

Website: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au

Homework Plus

Homework plus is a proposal to expand the alternative schools project partnership between the Department of Education and Training and Police Citizens and Youth Clubs (PCYC). Homework Plus will provide selected students with after school hours tutoring and assistance with homework.

Target group: 160 Arabic speaking Year 6 students and high school students who have been identified as being at risk of not completing schooling to Year 12 or its vocational equivalent.

Coverage: Four Sydney school districts.

Timeframe: 2002.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training.

Website: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au

Gateways Program: Arabic Youth Partnerships

The Gateways Program: Arabic Youth Partnerships is an innovative program to increase the retention, participation and completion of schooling to Year 12 of 200 Arabic speaking young people. Strategies include mentoring, access to TAFE courses, case management and community support.

Target group: Young Arabic speaking people in government schools who are at risk of not completing Year 12 or its training equivalent.

Coverage: Government schools in the Bankstown, Granville, Liverpool and St George districts.

Timeframe: 2002.

Responsible agency: NSW Department of Education and Training in collaboration with community agencies.