Education
Exclusive
Anger at King’s School over plans to fly headmaster to prestigious British regatta
An old boys’ representative on The King’s School board quit over plans to fly the headmaster, his deputy and their wives first class to the Henley Royal Regatta.
- by Lucy Carroll and Jordan Baker
Latest
Teacher shortages could undermine plan for extra year of education
The NSW government’s universal pre-kindergarten reforms were met with praise from the early childhood sector, but experts warned more educators were needed.
- by Daniella White
Exclusive
Bondi school parents slam decision to ban outdoor play before class
A decision to restrict students from using the playground before school started has sparked an angry response.
- by Lucy Carroll
‘A game-changer’: NSW to introduce an extra year of education
In the biggest reform of schooling in a generation, the NSW government will offer five days per week of pre-kindergarten to every four-year-old by 2030.
- by Jordan Baker
Analysis
How Australia is failing its highly educated women
Australian women are among the most educated in the world. Why are they still so far behind when it comes to pay and opportunity?
- by Jordan Baker
Opinion
My all-girls education failed to give me the skills I now value most
An underlying assumption about all-girls schooling is that boys are an impediment to a girl achieving her potential. This shows an offensive distrust in both the strength of our girls and the humanity of our boys.
- by Anita Punton
Why do private girls’ schools outrank boys when it comes to the HSC?
The answers are complex and contested, but some say it’s because boys’ schools are more focused on all-round achievement.
- by Jordan Baker
Fee support for NSW preschoolers in $1.4 billion program
Parents who send their preschoolers to long day care will for the first time receive subsidies from the NSW government.
- by Alexandra Smith
‘My sacrifice until she’s an adult’: Parents reduce work to support year 12s
To help their children through the difficult final years of high school, a number of parents - mainly mothers - are scaling back their work and making themselves more available at home.
- by Wendy Tuohy
Exclusive
Boys falling far behind girls in HSC and at university
An analysis of academic results found being male was “greater than any of the other recognised disadvantages we looked at”.
- by Jordan Baker
Sydney students take lead to boost mental health, address online challenges
About 300 student leaders from 40 schools across Sydney last week gathered to learn how they could boost young people’s wellbeing during a student-led and designed conference.
- by Daniella White
Opinion
Why girls’ schools succeed at producing women who lead
More than half of the female independents in the new federal parliament attended a single-sex school. The result highlights the benefits of girls attending all-girl schools.
- by Loren Bridge
Opinion
‘Education’ is why federal voting patterns are changing
Education levels, particularly among women, and not income, are a key reason why voters have shifted away from the federal Liberal Party towards independents and Labor.
- by Ross Gittins
Exclusive
Parent says she was deceived by Scientology-linked ‘grammar’ school
A Melbourne primary school that was hiding its links to Scientology has now disclosed to prospective parents that it is teaching the educational methods of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
- by Ben Schneiders and Simone Fox Koob
Two inner west single-sex schools to merge into new co-ed college
Sydney Catholic Schools says the merger of two schools will cater to high demand for co-education options in Sydney’s inner west
- by Jordan Baker
Analysis
NSW has a principal problem that is difficult to fix
Many across senior ranks in and around the state’s education sector quietly admit there is a leadership quality issue.
- by Jordan Baker
Graphic content
Sufferer – or snowflake? What’s up with all the bullying claims?
Bullying is a loaded term that’s being levelled a lot these days. The righting of long-tolerated wrongs, or politically correct overreach?
- by Tim Elliott
Opinion
Why don’t you just chill, Mum? (Apparently this is not jumper weather)
Yes, it’s winter, but my son is dressed for the tropics.
- by Meena Evers
Sydney’s universities have record enrolments but falling teacher numbers
The University of Sydney has recorded the biggest increase in student-to-staff ratios after shedding hundreds of jobs but gaining almost 15,000 students.
- by Daniella White
Border closures blamed for Sydney’s top universities slip in global rankings
The latest rankings show there are still five Australian universities in the world’s top 50, despite all but one dropping position from last year.
- by Daniella White
WA universities rise in world rankings, with UWA at 90 on list
The Australian National University in Canberra retained top spot among Australian tertiary institutions but slipped from 27th to 30th and is now just three places ahead of Melbourne.
- by Adam Carey
Victorian universities buck national trend to rise in world rankings
All but one of Australia’s top universities slid down the international rankings this year, as their recognition among global academics and employers declined.
- by Adam Carey
Students flock to humanities degrees despite huge fee increases
The federal government tried to reduce the demand for humanities degrees at universities by hiking fees. It hasn’t worked.
- by Daniella White
Opinion
Wominjeka Melbourne! Why we need to teach kids First Nations languages
Australia should follow the lead of New Zealand and get serious about saving our Indigenous languages, with renaming places and teaching in schools to play a big part.
- by Nicholas Reece
Opinion
I stand with Kate Middleton (pre-schoolers are not meant to be tamed) and with Prince Louis (pageants are boring)
The backlash against the Duchess of Cambridge over her four-year-old son’s behaviour at the Queen’s Platinum Pageant is absurd.
- by Kerri Sackville
Exclusive
Private school fee rises may exclude middle-class families, principals fear
As the federal government cuts funding for private schools under a new model, principals are grappling with how to cope.
- by Jordan Baker
Exclusive
Albanese, Joko urged to fix visa system as Bali welcomes back Aussie tourists
Australia and Indonesia are being urged to simplify visa rules to make it easier to travel between the two countries, as Anthony Albanese leads a delegation to the country.
- by James Massola and Chris Barrett
Extract
‘We want to be ourselves’: Students are teaching us a gender lesson
For gender-questioning teens, it can be a complex, tortuous, lonely and liberating time: a time for parents, schools, politicians and the wider community to help, not hurt.
- by Madonna King
Exclusive
Student collapses while vaping in school toilets due to massive nicotine dose
Vapes have high levels of nicotine, and medical evidence suggests a huge dose caused an extended seizure for the Blue Mountains student.
- by Jordan Baker
‘Not interested in picking fights’: New education minister says curriculum wars have been settled
Jason Clare said he was a “proud product” of Australia’s public education system as he returned to his old primary school and had an emotional reunion with his former teacher.
- by Lisa Visentin
Exclusive
School teacher shortages hit PE, English and primary education
Even wealthy schools with myriad resources are struggling to find enough teachers.
- by Jordan Baker
Exclusive
Cranbrook old boys tell school to embrace co-ed plans
Parents were sent a survey asking them to rate their level of concern about objections raised in community forums, such as “boys may be distracted in class”.
- by Jordan Baker
The schools where students finish half their HSC in year 11
Principal Craig Luccarda’s school was too small to offer the breadth of subjects students needed. He decided to do things differently.
- by Jordan Baker
Australia’s oldest uni library overhauls how people use Indigenous resources
New protocols at the University of Sydney library will change how students, academics, and researchers access and use materials about Indigenous communities.
- by Cameron Gooley
Exclusive
More than 20 per cent of NSW students fall below acceptable standards
Only 79.1 per cent of public school students reached minimum standards for reading and numeracy in NAPLAN, well below the target.
- by Jordan Baker
‘Naady’unya Budyari’ as preschools reclaim Aboriginal languages
“Good to see you” is how preschool students are greeted in Dharug at Riverstone Public School, one of 16 public preschools in NSW teaching First Nations languages to its students.
- by Daniella White
Updated
MP slams Education Department over asbestos found at Sydney school
Ray Williams says the department compromised the health of 2000 people linked to Castle Hill High School after it falsely declared in 2016 the school did not have asbestos.
- by Amelia McGuire
Exclusive
From Afghanistan to Australia: scholarships helping students to excel
Aspiring medical science student Amina Rezaie, a refugee from Afghanistan, is among the recipients.
- by Millie Muroi
Surge in early uni offers comes under fire from education experts
Pre-HSC spots for students have surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, sparking claims of unfairness and undermining the HSC.
- by Jordan Baker
Editorial
Government must tackle skills shortage to deliver childcare promise
Families already struggle to find childcare for their children, but it’s about to get worse, with the sector at crisis point.
- The Herald's View
‘Sprinkling it around like confetti’: Sydney schoolboy takes tens of thousands of dollars to school
A year 7 student at Epping Boys High brought tens of thousands of dollars in cash to school and bought lavish gifts for his friends, taking them on shopping sprees and buying gaming vouchers and computers.
- by Jordan Baker and Jenny Noyes
Private school enrolment contracts could be challenged after tribunal ruling
A father represented himself in a tribunal after his children’s school sent a bill for $3785 when he gave them less than a term’s notice that he was removing them.
- by Jordan Baker
How one Sydney school got students reading in the social media age
Queenwood School for Girls in Mosman introduced 20 minutes of mandatory reading for all students and teachers every day at the same time. The results have been spectacular.
- by Daniella White
Educator who saw into our future
Peter Noonan was a passionate advocate for the role of tertiary education in transforming people’s lives. Thousands of young Australians owe their chance at getting a life-changing education to Noonan and the work he did.
- by Mark Burford, Peter Dawkins and Robert Pascoe
‘No idea how rich’: Why Sydney University thrived despite the pandemic
While Sydney University got richer during the pandemic, NSW’s top vice chancellors became poorer.
- by Jordan Baker
Opinion
Democracy sausages point to snags in the system
We all love the democracy sausage. But these election day fundraising events point to a crisis at the heart of our public schools.
- by Vivienne Pearson
Literacy and numeracy strategy boosts teacher confidence but not results
The new approach, however, left staff feeling better equipped to teach and increased schools’ ambition to ensure the growth of each student.
- by Jordan Baker
‘Be prepared to overhaul the system’: University leaders urge Labor to prioritise funding issues
University vice-chancellors have urged the incoming Labor government to prioritise a review of the Coalition’s controversial fee changes and increase investment in research.
- by Lisa Visentin
Sydney University records $1 billion surplus as staff demand a share
Sydney University’s revenue grew last year despite the pandemic, driven by increases in enrolments and property sales, while the University of NSW’s financial position also improved.
- by Jordan Baker
‘A bad vibe around Lane Cove’: Riverview to build fence to keep out locals
Riverview residents are objecting to St Ignatius’ decision to fence its junior campus, saying the school has always been generous with access to its grounds.
- by Jordan Baker and Angus Dalton