By Jordan Baker
NSW primary schools will intensify their focus on literacy and numeracy this year, with the introduction of a new syllabus mandating the use of phonics when teaching children to read and the recruitment of almost 1000 curriculum specialists.
Many public and Catholic school students return to school on Tuesday after two years of disrupted learning under a revised COVID-safe regime that will require them to take rapid antigen tests twice a week and wear masks if they are in high school.
Principals whose students went back to class last week say there were fewer absences among staff and students than they expected. However, they say the full impact of Omicron is unlikely to be evident until next week.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell at Rosehill Public on the eve of students’ return to schoolCredit: Nick Moir
Amid concern about the impact of COVID-19 on students’ academic progress, many schools across the three sectors will this year begin trialling a new kindergarten to year 2 curriculum involving a greater emphasis on phonics, or sounding out letters and letter combinations when students learn to read.
The curriculum will not be mandatory until 2023.
Almost 1000 public primary schools will also gain an assistant principal who will be in charge of implementing the new curriculum, monitoring student progress in literacy and numeracy and ensuring teachers receive the training they need.
Under the first phase of recruitment which began in August, 927 teachers were hired to start in the new role in term one, and another 237 will be hired this term. Almost 350 curriculum specialists are expected to begin in term two.
“The take up of these positions is fantastic and it means schools have a dedicated assistant principal focusing on student’s literacy and numeracy,” said Education Minister Sarah Mitchell. “These new positions will also be important as we help schools start the first year of implementing the new K-2 curriculum.”
Meanwhile, principals of private schools whose students returned to class last week say the process was easier than expected. “We have had a smooth start to the year. No significant impact from COVID at this stage to staff or students,” said the head of Santa Sabina College, Paulina Skerman.
The COVID-19 tutoring program will also continue, involving small group lessons to ensure students who fell behind due to lockdowns can catch up.
Schools will continue the COVID-safe measures they used late last year, such as masks for teachers and high school students, and keeping year groups separate.
Craig Petersen, the head of the NSW Secondary Principals Council, said schools were unlikely to see the impact of the Omicron variant on staff and student absences until the latter half of next week.
“It will take this long to finalise new enrolments and contact families where students are unexpectedly absent,” he said. “We also need to factor in the possible delay between the resumption of classes and any increase in transmission.”