BUILDINGBLOCKSFOREDUCATION

WholesystemreforminAustralia

DrMicheleBruniges
DeputySecretarySchools

Productivity,participationandpopulationare
importantfactors

Overthepast40years,realGDPgrowthhasaveraged3.3per
centayear.Thisispredictedtofallto2.7percentoverthe
next40years.
Theageingofthepopulationwillseethenumberofpeople
aged65to84yearsmorethandoubleandthenumberof
people85yearsandovermorethanquadruple.
Thenumberofpeopleofworkingagetosupporteveryperson
aged65yearsandoverisexpectedtodeclinefrom5people
nowto2.7by2050.

EducationisacrucialdriverofProductivityand
Participation
Schooloutcomesaffectproductivityandparticipation.
Thebenefitofextraeducationisaround10percentayearin
increasedincome.
In2006,theunemploymentratesformenandwomenwithno
postschoolqualifications(aged2564)were2.9and1.3
percentagepointshigherthanforthosewithsomepostschool
qualifications.
Participationratesforthosewithpostschooleducationhave
alsobeenfoundtobeconsistentlyaround15percentagepoints
higherthanforthosewithnopostschooleducation.

EducationiscriticaltoAustraliasfutureprosperity
Wearecommittedtobuildingadynamic,highperformingschool
system. Asysteminwhichexcellenceandequityareinseparableand
everychildisentitledtoaspiretothehighestachievement.
PrimeMinisterGillard,27March2009

Arevolutioninthequality ofinvestment
Arevolutioninthequantum oftheinvestment
Builtonexcellenceandequity
Newemphasisontransparencyandaccountability

Deliveringaworldclasscurriculumiscritical
TheAustraliannationalcurriculumwill:
Setthecontentandachievementstandards

Australian
Curriculum

fromwhichwewillmeasuresuccess
Sethighexpectationsforall
Bebenchmarkedinternationally
Define21st Centurylearningforstudents
Support21st Centuryteaching.

AustralianEarlyDevelopmentIndex
Datacollectedinfirstyearofschoolacrossfive
domains:

Physicalhealthandwellbeing
Socialcompetence
Emotionalmaturity
Languageandcognitiveskills
Communicationskillsandgeneral
knowledge

Australian
Curriculum

Standards
and
assessment

NationalAssessmentProgram LiteracyandNumeracy
Introducedin2008
ProvidesfullcohorttestingacrossAustralia Years3,5,7,9
Usesa10bandreportingscale
SetsNationalminimumstandardsinYears3,5,7,9
Providesindividualstudentreportstoparents/carers

Australian
Curriculum

Standards
and
assessment

NationalAssessmentProgram LiteracyandNumeracy

Transparencyasacentrepieceofreform
EstablishmentandreleaseofMySchool websiteprovides
informationon10,000schools
MySchoolcomparestheperformanceofaschool:
Fromyeartoyear
RelativetotheNationalAverage
Relativetostatisticallysimilarschools

Australian
Curriculum

Standards
and
Reporting
assessment

Qualityteachingiscentraltoeffectivelearning
TeacherQualityNationalPartnership:
Newprofessionalstandards
Recognitionandreward
Professionallearningframework
Quality
Teaching

Australian
Curriculum

Nationalconsistencyinregistration

Standards
and
Reporting
assessment

AustralianInstituteforTeachingandSchool
Leadership(AITSL)

Promoting excellenceinschoolleadership
Developingrigorousnationalprofessionalstandards
Fosteringanddrivinghighqualityprofessional
learningforschoolleaders
DeliveringtheLeadingAustralia'sSchools

Astrengthenedgovernanceandfunding
frameworkhelpsdrivenationalreforms

Quality
Teaching

Australian
Curriculum

Standards
and
Reporting
assessment

Supporting Structures

Wewouldexpect:
Teacherstohavethebenefitofanationalcurriculumaligned

withassessment
Ourbestandbrightestteacherstobecelebratedand
rewarded
Toseepolicy,curriculum,assessmentandreportingisworlds
bestpractice
Studentswillhaveskillsnecessarytomeetthedemandsof
21st Centuryworkplaces
Studentswillfindschoolmotivatingandenjoyablethanksto
thehighexpectationsandpassionoftheirteachers

References
ACARA,AustralianNationalCurriculum,www.acara.edu.au/curriculum.html
ACARA,MySchool,www.myschool.edu.au
ACARA,NationalAssessmentProgram LiteracyandNumeracy,http://www.acara.edu.au/assessment/assessment.html
AustralianBureauofStatistics,EducationandWork,ABSCatalogueNo.6227.0,
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6227.0
AustralianBureauofStatistics,Schools(Preliminary)2009 CatNo.4221.0,
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4221.0
AustralianInstituteofTeachingandSchoolLeadership,http://www.aitsl.edu.au/ta/go
AustralianGovernment,AustralianEarlyDevelopmentIndex,http://www.mychild.gov.au/australianearly.htm
MCEECDYA,NationalReportonSchoolinginAustralia2008
AustralianGovernment,Budget,AustraliasFederalRelations,BudgetpaperNo3,201011,
http://www.budget.gov.au/201011/content/bp3/html/index.htm
AustralianGovernment,NationalPartnershiponImprovingTeacherQuality,
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/Programs/SmarterSchools/Pages/TeacherQuality.aspx
AustralianGovernment,The2010IntergenerationalReport,http://www.treasury.gov.au/igr/igr2010/
COAGReformCouncil,NationalAgreementforSkillsandWorkforceDevelopment:Baselineperformancereportfor2008,
http://www.coagreformcouncil.gov.au/reports/skills.cfm
COAGReformCouncil ,NationalEducationAgreement:Baselineperformancereportfor2008,
http://www.coagreformcouncil.gov.au/reports/education.cfm
EducationServicesAustralian,http://www.esa.edu.au/