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Why making maths optional in Years 11 and 12 adds up
The Independent Education Union of Australia welcomes the announcement from the NSW Education Standards Authority ( NESA ) that mathematics will not be made compulsory for NSW students in Years 11 and 12 .
The former NSW Government had planned to make maths compulsory for all students including those in Years 11 and 12 , but now this will not go ahead .
“ At a time when teacher shortages are at record highs , this decision is a sensible response ,” said Carol Matthews , Secretary IEUA NSW / ACT Branch .
There is already a serious shortage of science , technology , engineering and mathematics teachers , with teachers of other subjects taking classes out of their field of expertise . This shortage is particularly problematic with the higher levels of mathematics in Years 11 and 12 and would have been exacerbated considerably if maths were made compulsory .
The IEU , which represents more than 32,000 teachers and support staff in nongovernment schools , has been opposed to compulsory mathematics since it was proposed in 2019 .
In many non-government schools , in Years 11 and 12 , Religious Studies is already compulsory , along with the mandatory two units of English . Requiring students to undertake Mathematics as a third compulsory course would significantly reduce a student ’ s choice of subjects .
“ Compulsory maths would have effectively made six out of the 10 units of study compulsory in many non-government schools ,” Matthews said .
“ The unintended consequence of limiting student subject choice would mean reduced enrolment in a range of other subjects .”
The IEU calls for increased professional development resources for primary school teachers to ensure students get the best possible start to their study of mathematics .
“ The IEU commends NESA and the NSW Government for its consultative approach that will ensure positive outcomes for students and teachers ,” Matthews said .
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St Bernadette ’ s , Castle Hill looks forward to welcoming you !
St Bernadette ’ s Primary School in Castle Hill is a low-cost , high-quality school that caters for all families in the Hills and surrounding areas . The school motto ‘ Strength through Gentleness ’ is the basis of all relationships that are built with all in the learning community - students , parents , staff , pastors , and members of the wider community .
In the classrooms children are provided with outstanding learning opportunities that are relevant and cater to their needs . The primary school years are critical ; a time when children grow in competence , self-confidence , compassion , and independence . At St Bernadette ’ s , we are confident that our students receive the very best start to their lifelong learning journey !
St Bernadette ’ s has a strong religious dimension where the Catholic faith is an integral part of what we do , however ,
families from other faiths are welcome to join us !
Community engagement is alive and well as the school believes that the best possible outcomes occur for students when all stakeholders work together . Parents and carers are encouraged to contribute to the life of the school and can assist in a variety of ways including attending Parents and Friends ( P & F ) meetings , assisting with fundraising ventures , joining community building / social events and assisting at school . Parent participation , even if it ’ s just for a short time , is very welcome .
Now is the time to enrol for 2025 . Contact the office on 9407 6600 during office hours or see the school website for further details .
St Bernadette ’ s , Castle Hill looks forward to welcoming you !
Kellyville High students make every day count
Average student attendance at Kellyville High has surged past 90 per cent and is among the best in the state for statistically similar schools . Principal Glenn Kayes said Kellyville was sixth out of 41 schools for its average attendance among a list of similar schools .
“ This is even more impressive considering some of the schools in the list are senior high schools , an Intensive English Centre and a girls ’ school , which are not necessarily comparable ,” Mr Kayes said .
“ We are a high school with similar attendance rates to the primary school average which is also impressive .”
From a rate of 87.3 per cent in 2019 , the school now has an average attendance of 90.35 per cent , which is 2.25 per cent above the state average for secondary schools .
Mr Kayes said the school evaluated and reviewed attendance policies and procedures in consultation with Safeguarding Kids Together , a program to help schools support the health , safety and wellbeing of staff and students .
It led to the creation of an attendance team at the school that has implemented new schoolwide attendance processes .
The school participated in the ‘ Every Day Counts ’ five-part workshop to improve and develop school procedures with a focus on student attendance in the 80-90 per cent range .
Surveys were conducted with middle school students to determine underlying issues that may be contributing to lower attendance .
Mr Kayes said conversations started through the survey and wellbeing team check-ins led to
30 per cent of the 80-90 per cent students shifting their attendance to above 90 per cent .
“ We also delivered messaging across multiple platforms promoting every day matters to parents and students , making clear linkages to what attendance percentage equates to in missed learning time and the research around lifelong outcomes linked to school attendance ,” he said .
“ Another thing we did was to improve followup procedures when students had an unexplained absence .
“ Attendance discussions and data were given allocated time in our wellbeing meetings to ensure our wellbeing team were aware of the stories behind students with attendance below 90 per cent .”
Students are now acknowledged for their positive attendance every five weeks through a merit system .
“ Students who achieve over 95 per cent attendance for the whole year are rewarded with a fun , catered , activity day at the end of the year ,” Mr Kayes said .
Courtesy of Pascal Adolphe - NSW Education
16 ISSUE 106 // APRIL 2024 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT