A new plan to reserve more than 800 places in selective schools for disadvantaged students will improve equity of access and equalize the playing field, said NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell.
Key points:
- A review of selective schools found that the selection system designed in 1991 was obsolete
- The changes apply to disadvantaged students who took the entrance test in March
- The Minister of Education says the plan will address the unwanted barriers
A 2018 review by the NSW Department of Education found that there were fewer applications from students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, Aboriginal students, people with disabilities, and students from rural and remote areas.
Mitchell said 20%, or about 850 places, would go to these students.
“I think it’s about recognizing that we need to address some of the unwanted barriers that some of these children have to access these schools,” he said.
“And this by making sure that every student who gets a place has absolutely great potential and academic ability.
“But he also acknowledges that sometimes when you come from a more difficult environment, it can be a little harder for you to access those places and we want to help equalize that playing field.”
The review also revealed that the selection system, designed in 1991 for 12 selective institutes, was obsolete and did not reflect “the most diverse range of students and schools spread across the state.”
Mitchell says students from difficult backgrounds may have difficulty accessing selective schools. (ABC News)
These places will be available for disadvantaged students who took the selective high school level test in March of the 2023 academic year.
It will also apply to opportunity classes aimed at students in grades 5 and 6.
There are currently 48 selective high schools in NSW and 4,248 places will be available starting next year for students entering course 7.
Any unfilled places will be offered to students who have a high score on the entrance test.
Last year changes were made to the test after the review found that it favored students who could afford tutoring.
“What we’ve done with the changes in the test has been done to make it much harder for people to predict what’s going to happen,” Mitchell said.
“So you can’t have anyone who gets an unfair advantage by getting extra tuition or help.”
Mr. Long was involved in the development of the policy and is pleased that it has finally been implemented. (ABC News)
Penrith Selective High School in west Sydney has over 900 students. Thirty seats will be reserved for the four equity groups.
Principal Mark Long, who was involved in the development of the policy, said the plan would involve an expansion of students attending his school.
“I am very pleased that all the work of so many people over a long period of time is now in politics and will allow schools, school leaders and school communities to truly serve NSW’s wider communities,” he said.
The school’s most recent annual report indicates that about 90 percent of students are of non-English-speaking background.
It is also found in an area with a large proportion of aborigines and islanders in the Torres Strait, according to the latest census, but only four students are Aboriginal.
About 90 percent of Penrith Selective High School students come from an English-speaking environment. (Facebook: Penrith Selective High School)
Long acknowledged the low number, but said they were trying to change it.
“We have students who come from 60 to 65 different elementary schools every year,” he said.
“So coming in and connecting with families, really making sure our Aboriginal students who are already in school can access additional learning opportunities.”
He also said the school had worked with the community to create initiatives to enrich learning experiences and celebrate culture.
“The work around the development and construction of a circle of thread that was led by the school with the contribution of the students, but also with the contribution of one of our recent graduates who is a young aboriginal with very successful “.
Minns criticized the government for failing to build a new selective school in south-west Sydney. (ABC News)
NSW opposition leader Chris Minns acknowledged students’ difficulty in accessing selective schools, but was “prudently optimistic” about changes in government.
“We’ll take a closer look at how they’re being implemented. We’d like to see more details,” he said.
He criticized the state government for failing to deliver a new selective school in south-west Sydney and $ 1.2 billion in capital works infrastructure for public education.
“If you don’t build schools, it doesn’t matter what announcement you make and what media announcements you make,” he said.
“You’ll never get the rubber out on the road and better educational achievement for NSW students.”