Late last year, Federal and State Education Ministers agreed to establish an Expert Panel to inform the next National School Reform Agreement (NSRA).
The Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System will advise Federal Education Ministers on what reform priorities should be included in the next agreement between the Commonwealth, States and Territories. The agreement will last five years, starting in 2025.
The Review is an opportunity to drive real and measurable improvements for all students, particularly those most at risk of falling behind, with the Expert Panel due to deliver its report on October 31. The Smith Family is playing a key role, with former CEO Lisa O'Brien chairing the Panel, and CEO Doug Taylor sitting on the Ministerial Reference Group.
The Smith Family's Head of Research and Advocacy, Anne Hampshire, has also been instrumental in providing expert advice to the Panel. Ms Hampshire started off her career as a teacher, and has worked for over 25 years in education, research, social policy, and advocacy.
Ms Hampshire said the focus on equity in this agreement has the power to deliver positive change for young people experiencing disadvantage, over a significant period of their schooling.
"What's important is that this is a five-year agreement. If we think about young people starting school tomorrow, they'll be almost all the way through primary school. Or if they are starting high school, they will be almost all the way through high school. It's a really critical time to get things right."
"This is an opportunity for us as a nation to rally around, in particular, children who might be struggling, and putting the right resources in the right places so that we can get better educational outcomes for all children, but particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds," she said.
Ms Hampshire also stressed also stressed the review’s importance in the aftermath of COVID-19 and the resulting disruption to education.
"What we saw prior to COVID, and now even more so after COVID, is long-term gaps in children's educational outcomes based on family background - not because of children's ability - but because there is a lack of equity in the system, despite the best efforts of teachers and schools.”
"What's happened during COVID is that children who were already struggling have fallen further behind, but that doesn't need to be the long-term outcome. We know from our work at The Smith Family how possible that change is, if we provide the right support for children and their families at the right time."
She stressed that this reform has the power to create better futures not just for students who are struggling, but for the community as a whole.
"Those big gaps aren't in the interest of any of those children, because how you achieve in school impacts on what you do post-school. It's also not in the best interest for us as a community, at a time when we are trying to grow our economy, and our community cohesion."
"We want to make the best of the potential of all children and young people, and education is, so much, a pathway to that."
Read more about the issues and The Smith Family’s submission to the review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System.
