Education
Exclusive
The ‘unfair’ HSC system distorting the subjects students choose
One of the state’s school sectors is urging reform of the HSC, saying students are being nudged towards easier subjects.
- by Lucy Carroll
Latest
Sackings, bullying and lack of oversight: The fears in top schools unit revealed at ICAC
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is holding a public inquiry into the alleged conduct of Anthony Manning, who headed up School Infrastructure NSW unit from 2017 until last year.
- by Michael McGowan
Opinion
Hiring a tutor for your children is like sending them to the wild west
Parents are spending tens of thousands of dollars on tutoring fees for their children. But there are no reliable standards.
- by Ben Zunica
From spin class to corruption inquiry: Yoga pals at centre of schools ICAC hearing
It has been alleged that former Schools Infrastructure NSW chief Anthony Manning improperly hired friends and misallocated funds from school projects.
- by Christopher Harris
Parents warned against ‘myth’ of eye exercises for treating dyslexia
Eye exercises, using coloured lenses and even hopping on one leg are among the treatments being warned against for parents of children with reading difficulties.
- by Bridie Smith
Exclusive
Top Sydney private schools change their minds on co-education
One eastern suburbs institution is closing its doors to boys in its junior campus after more than 100 years, while another on the north shore will no longer admit girls.
- by Lucy Carroll
Here’s everything Albanese and Labor promised you – and when you can expect it
Here’s everything we know about the major policies unveiled by Anthony Albanese and Labor – and what you can expect from them in government.
- by Nick Bonyhady and Natassia Chrysanthos
Exclusive
Students given second chance after selective school exams erupt into chaos
Thousands of students who sat selective exams on Friday will be able to resit tests at public schools after chaos descended on mega centres.
- by Lucy Carroll
‘Children would be crushed’: Police called as selective schools tests descend into chaos
One test was cancelled and police - including members of the riot squad - were needed to manage massive crowds at selective school exams across Sydney.
- by Christopher Harris
School test chaos
Scenes at Canterbury Park Racecourse on Friday when police were called in for crowd control.
Opinion
It’s a Morrison slug so awful that Dr Evil would be proud. Labor won’t touch it
The culture-war policy shows the Coalition’s disdain of higher learning and Labor’s timid approach towards reform.
- by Chip Le Grand
Exclusive
Catholic schools election intervention in key seats sparks independents’ ire
Catholic school parents have been urged to consider the funding position of candidates by the powerful Victorian Catholic Education Commission.
- by Chip Le Grand
No one can decide which council this Sydney private school belongs to
Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Croydon is fed up being pulled between two different councils – but two mayors can’t agree on who should take the school.
- by Jessica McSweeney
Daniel wasn’t coached for his medical school test. But too many of his peers were
The group which administers the medical school exam for year 12 students has removed a section due to its “high coachability”. Try it yourself.
- by Christopher Harris
How HECS debt burdens will shape Labor’s final-week pitch
Labor will target millions of younger voters by pledging to slash student debt in a final push for power at the federal election this Saturday.
- by David Crowe
Editorial
Why parents vote with their wallets to get kids into selective school
The state has created a two-tier public education system. But at what cost?
- The Herald's View
‘It’s a bit extreme’: Manha’s gruelling daily routine ahead of the selective schools test
Some 17,559 children will sit the selective school test this week for 4200 places. Ninety per cent of them have been coached.
- by Frances Howe
Opinion
It may not be trendy, but I’d still send my kids to single-sex schools
Single-sex schools are weird. A relic. A social experiment that makes no sense in the modern world. But if I had my time over again I’d send my kids to one, and they would all choose the same too.
- by Kate Halfpenny
Art, property, shares: The Sydney private schools pursuing your inheritance
Donations and bequests are funding generous scholarship programs, but philanthropy research shows not all charities get their intended gifts.
- by Christopher Harris
Exclusive
Revealed: What NSW voters really think of their schools and transport
Despite Premier Chris Minns making the restoration of trust in public services central to his election pitch two years ago, fewer than half of voters have positive opinions about most key services.
- by Michael McGowan
‘Nothing in my degree to prepare me for that’: Why student teachers face big changes
Australian universities have until the end of the year to overhaul more than 280 teacher training courses.
- by Lucy Carroll
Opinion
Harvard stood up to Trump. Our top universities could not afford to be so brave
If we want Australian universities to stand firm in the face of ideological pressure, we must strengthen their foundations.
- by Raffaele Ciriello
‘Use plain English’: The words banned from school reports
An education overhaul comes after parents found school reports to be quite vague, jargon-filled and overly cautious.
- by Christopher Harris
Exclusive
He blew the whistle on a $39 million school building tender. Now ICAC is investigating
Murray Ellen first raised concerns about Schools Infrastructure NSW as far back as 2022.
- by Michael McGowan
Hundreds of jobs to go at Sydney’s major universities
Some of the state’s major universities are planning to slash up to 1000 jobs amid escalating budget pressures and multimillion-dollar deficits.
- by Lucy Carroll
Coalition makes first major school announcement with training college network
The $260 million pledge to build 12 technical colleges for high school students is a move towards teaching skills rather than pushing students into university.
- by Natassia Chrysanthos
Exclusive
‘Not about the money’: UNSW dumps controversial trimesters
It comes after students said they wanted to engage with their studies in more depth, and wanted more time for internships and on-campus activities.
- by Christopher Harris
In five years, Zeke has never had a classroom inside his school’s building
Parramatta East Public School, like many in the region, has been over its student cap for years, but now new funding will bring its classes out of demountables.
- by Mostafa Rachwani
Two years ago, Jayden was failing school. A single thing changed that
Almost 30 per cent of year 7 students are not meeting proficiency standards in reading. The NSW government plans to spend $80 million a year on a program to fix it.
- by Christopher Harris
How these schools are teaching their way out of a national maths crisis
Australia has been too slow to scrap “faddish, unproven” maths teaching methods, a new report says. These schools have found the secret to success.
- by Lucy Carroll
Editorial
Parents should heed social media warnings given to their kids
Eastern suburbs private school Cranbrook had to write to parents last week to shut down rumours spread on WhatsApp.
- The Herald's View
Helicopter parents have become WhatsApp warriors. Schools are in the crossfire
The source of truth about school business was once the printed newsletter, or parent-teacher night. Now, there’s the parent WhatsApp chat.
- by Christopher Harris
Inside this Sydney private school’s $60 million castle
Eastern suburbs private school Scots College will this week unveil the faux baronial castle after years of delay and budget blowouts.
- by Lucy Carroll
Editorial
A culture war over public and private schools fails everyone
The head of the NSW Education Department is wrong to question the existence of private schools and needs to get his own schools in order.
- The Herald's View
‘We support parent choice’: Uproar over NSW schools chief’s push to reconsider private schools
Premier Chris Minns says his government is “certainly not” going to take away options for parents after NSW’s head of public schools questioned if private schools should exist.
- by Lucy Carroll and Christopher Harris
NSW Education Department boss questions existence of private schools
Murat Dizdar has slighted his private sector counterparts by suggesting the education system could be better off without Catholic and independent schools.
- by Christopher Harris and Lucy Carroll
The three rules that rocketed this Sydney school up the HSC rankings
Boys are over-represented among struggling school students and under-represented in policy attention. Here’s how Balgowlah Boys and Marist College Eastwood found success.
- by Lucy Carroll
Exclusive
‘They can’t even tie their shoelaces’: How young is too young for a school laptop?
Frustrated parents are pushing back against school technology policies that can ask students as young as six to bring devices to class each day.
- by Lucy Carroll
ICAC to probe former School Infrastructure NSW boss
The state’s powerful anti-corruption body is investigating allegations bureaucrats from School Infrastructure awarded lucrative contracts to friends and business associates.
- by Lucy Carroll
Exclusive
We learnt how much funding NSW schools receive: What does yours get?
Top selective schools James Ruse and North Sydney Boys benefited from parent contributions upwards of $2000 per student. Search our table to see how your school fares.
- by Christopher Harris
Opinion
Detaining school parents is a bit much, but banning them makes sense
Teachers are fleeing the classroom, and monstrous parents are often to blame.
- by Jenna Price
Number of schools caught by NAPLAN writing scandal grows
Academic integrity experts say the advent of artificial intelligence has made high-stakes tests such as NAPLAN more susceptible to cheating.
- by Christopher Harris
Employers want workers back in the office. How do parents of young children cope?
As more families have both parents working full-time and employers impose return-to-office policies, a new report recommends an overhaul of outside school hours care.
- by Lucy Carroll
The battle between Shore school and its former headmaster
Tim Petterson is alleging a breach of employment contract, but the institution says concerns were raised about his “performance and conduct” before he was dismissed in 2022.
- by Lucy Carroll
Exclusive
Revealed: The state’s most improved schools in the HSC
The NSW Education Department has identified 24 schools as the most improved in lifting band 4, 5 and 6 results over the past eight years.
- by Lucy Carroll
Exclusive
Staffer at top Sydney private girls’ school charged over alleged tech theft
The head of Ascham School’s IT department allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of computers and sold the equipment on an online marketplace.
- by Lucy Carroll and Perry Duffin
Schoolgirls, 11 and 13, arrested after allegedly assaulting staff and police
The two girls plunged a NSW school into lockdown when they allegedly attempted to assault a fellow student before turning on staff.
- by Jessica McSweeney
Elly and Imogen’s parents made a clever decision 15 years ago. Now it’s paying off
The Sydney Metro is having a huge impact on schools in North Sydney – and the Wageners were ahead of the curve.
- by Christopher Harris
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/education-5wl