The James Martin oration
JAMES MARTIN ORATION
Dominic Perrottet, NSW Premier
“Successful students strategy: a new trajectory for education in NSW”
1. Introduction
There is a story about a boy from Parramatta.
He was a gifted student and his parents wanted to nurture that gift. But there was no high school where they lived.
The only real option was to travel 25km each day by horse and cart - but his family couldn’t afford it.
His dad was a horse groom and he tried to find a new job closer to the school, but to no avail.
So it seemed hopeless.
But the boy knew education was the key to unlocking a life away from the stables. So he told his father: “that’s all right, I’ll walk.”
All that way from Parramatta to Sydney. Just to get an education. Of course the boy was James Martin.
And the horse-groom’s son from Parramatta went on to become a journalist. A lawyer. The first locally-trained Australian QC.
Chief Justice, Attorney General - and Premier.
He was a giant of our modern nation’s early history.
And none of it would have been possible without his schooling. James Martin never took his education for granted.
He became a pioneer of public education in this country. And that passion for education is something I share.
Last year at the National Press Club I said my government would dare to do things differently in education.
And earlier this year I signalled my intention to be an education premier - to modernise the education system and reform it.
So it is very fitting to be here at the James Martin Institute for Public Policy, to talk about our plans to bring education in NSW into the 21st century - and unlock the door of opportunity for the next generation of NSW students.
2.The problem: declining outcomes
This is a matter of urgent necessity.
At the national skills summit a few weeks ago, leaders were presented with some confronting data showing a steady decline in national education outcomes over two decades.
In reading literacy, the average achievement of Australian students in 2018 had fallen 9 months behind what students were achieving in the year 2000.
In mathematics, nationally, students fell behind by more than a full year. Other studies show similar results - and it is simply unacceptable.
These results do not match the capabilities and the ambitions of our nation and its people.
3.Why we need successful students
This matters to me – because I feel the same sense of urgency as every parent knowing that my children’s success in the classroom will in many ways determine their success beyond the classroom.
It also matters to me as a Liberal.
My party was founded on the spirit of aspiration, of social mobility.
That is the essence of an egalitarian Australia where everyone - no matter who you are - no matter where you’re from - everyone can have the opportunity to get ahead.
And education is the means of turning aspiration into prosperity: the key that unlocks the door of opportunity.
But as well as being a dad, and a Liberal, it is in my role as Premier that I feel the weight of responsibility not just for my kids, but for an entire generation.
Because I believe there is no more important task for a government than investing in the next generation.
And there is no more important investment than education. It’s our moral duty, and we owe it to our kids to get it right. That duty is even more pressing in our rapidly advancing world. I recently visited Japan, India and South Korea on a trade tour.
Three nations hungry to trade and engage with NSW in emerging industries like advanced manufacturing, clean energy production, medical technology, aerospace and defence.
Now, our state has competitive advantages in these sectors.
I want them to be the driving force of our state’s next economic boom, and I want them to deliver highly skilled, high-paying jobs for our children in the years ahead.
But to be frank: the nations I visited are also our competitors. They want the same things for their children.
So if we want our children to succeed - to compete on that global level - we have to set them up for that future now.
If we want successful Australians tomorrow, we need successful students today.
So that is my goal and my driving ambition: “Successful students”. Success in the classroom, setting up success in the careers of the future.
4.Success means doing things differently
Today my focus is on the policies that can achieve that outcome.
But first I want to make this point: simply spending more money is not a solution. Obviously funding is important.
We were the first government to sign up to Julia Gillard’s Gonski reforms.
That’s one of the reasons NSW has the highest per student expenditure for government school students.
No government - state or federal - has ever invested more.
But success is not measured in the size of the spend - success is measured in the outcomes obtained.
And if we want different outcomes - better outcomes - I believe we have to try new ways of doing things.
In fact the best time to make substantive policy changes is when you have put those record investments in.
We have secured the resources - now we need the new policies to drive better outcomes.
This process is well underway - so let me run through some of the reforms and initiatives we have already delivered.
5.What we have done so far
School infrastructure
First, school infrastructure.
This may be a staple of state government, but the government that preceded us showed: if you don’t have a plan, building infrastructure doesn’t just happen.
They closed 90 schools.
We have built or upgraded 194 – and we have 160 more in the pipeline at various stages of completion.
North, south, east, west - in the city and the bush - everywhere you go, we are not just building schools - we’re building the best schools.
These are the modern learning environments that will give our students every chance at success.
Curriculum reform
Next is curriculum reform.
Over time, the number and types of subjects included in the school curriculum expanded out of all proportion.
Having a variety of subjects does give students choice.
But the downside is a dangerous dilution of the fundamentals: maths, core sciences, history, literature.
So we conducted the first comprehensive curriculum review in 30 years. And we are simplifying and decluttering the curriculum.
Getting back to basics to give students the strongest foundations and clearer career pathways.
I want more reading, writing and arithmetic, less puppetry, politics and wearable art.
And I don’t want classrooms focused on superfluous and inherently divisive political issues that distract from the core subjects and skills our children need.
The first of the new syllabuses are rolling out next year – and all new syllabuses will be in place by 2024.
Phonics
Next is phonics.
We made phonics compulsory from K-10, and we now conduct mandatory phonics screening checks for year 1 students in all public schools
The president of the Teachers Federation fought it tooth and nail. He said it was about politics and he said it wouldn’t work.
Well it’s already delivering better outcomes for students.
In the space of just one year, the percentage of Year 1 students meeting the expected achievement score has risen from 43% to 56.7%.
We did something different – and we are getting the results.
Financial literacy
Next is financial literacy
As Treasurer I was shocked at the lack of explicit financial literacy teaching in our schools when it is an area of such basic, practical importance to children’s lives.
So in 2021 we launched the Treasurer’s Financial Literacy Challenge - based on feedback from teachers on how we could help fill that gap.
The pilot was a huge success – delivering targeted resources to almost 7000 students and 250 teachers from more than 200 schools.
We have refined the program based on feedback - and it will start again in October with updated resources and an even bigger pool of students.
Ambassador schools
As part of our drive to lift school standards we launched the Ambassador Schools program.
We identified 10 schools around the state that are achieving exceptional academic success
And we are partnering with university researchers to identify what makes these schools so successful.
So we can apply those lessons to other schools - and all our students can benefit.
Flexible schools hours
Next is flexible school hours.
I have said from the outset I want to lead a government where ministers ask the questions why.
If we offer a service designed around government, not around the people who use it, then we should look to change it.
For many modern families, the idea of a 9-to-3 school day is completely out of touch with the reality of their working lives.
Well I believe in creating an education system that genuinely meets families where they are.
So in August this year we commenced a landmark trial of flexible school hours - offering a range of extracurricular activities before 9 and after 3 - to match the needs of families.
Once again, the NSW Teachers Federation was on the news opposing it.
But the feedback from the school communities involved has been overwhelmingly positive.
Parents love it. Students love it. Teachers love it.
So we are taking on their feedback to make it better and expand it.
A full year of pre-Kinder
Finally, in June we announced a full year of pre-k learning for every child by 2030, with trials to start next year.
I believe this will be the greatest transformation of early education in a generation.
Because a child who gets two years of early childhood education before they start school walks into the classroom on average 8 months ahead of kids who do not.
And there is a direct link between their educational ability when they start school and their academic prospects and earning capacity later in life.
So a year of pre-k is a game changer for our students’ future success.
6.What’s next: Successful Students Strategy
These reforms represent real progress.
But a reform mindset means policy must continue to evolve. So my focus today is on the next phase.
What the next tranche of reforms have in common is that they are aimed at raising our collective expectations.
And they address the needs of all three key stakeholders in education policy: students, teachers and parents.
Because I want our education system and our students to be exceptional in every way possible.
And while the commentary often focuses on the divide between the different school systems - public, private, independent, Catholic.
I believe students and parents should be able to expect the highest educational outcomes, no matter what kind of school their kids are in.
So our strategy will raise expectations - to drive greater student success.
7.Student wellbeing and respect
For students, two new points of focus are wellbeing and respect.
In our schools today, one in seven children report mental health issues - which some studies suggest is triple the rate experienced by baby boomers.
We are raising a generation that has already endured a pandemic.
And they are the first generation to have lived their whole lives with the internet and social media.
Recently, we have seen the ugly side of that in some of our schools.
So our government is taking important steps to address this generational wellbeing challenge.
In 2015 we introduced the first support officers in schools that most needed them.
In 2020, we committed $88 million to provide every public high school with a counsellor and student support officer.
And just a few days ago, we announced a landmark partnership with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute - to study the post-pandemic mental health and wellbeing of younger students.
The other side of the wellbeing coin is classroom behaviour and respect at school.
When students are held to reasonable standards of behaviour and respect – they perform better and they are happier.
One of the most celebrated examples of this is the Michaela school in the UK - where a rigorous culture of high expectations, high behavioural standards, and back-to- basics teaching have propelled disadvantaged students to extraordinary achievement.
I want the same outcomes for our kids - and there isn’t a mum or dad across the state who is not concerned about what’s happening in their child’s classroom.
Because the reality is, just one student misbehaving in the classroom or not being given the support they need affects every other child’s educational opportunities.
So we will introduce three new measures to increase respect in our schools.
We will appoint a Chief Behaviour Advisor - working across all three school sectors - to advise and support schools on setting and maintaining high standards of behaviour and respect.
We will also more than double the number of Behaviour Specialists in our public high school system from 75 to 200.
And we will institute the NSW Premier’s Respect Awards, to champion the best role models of respect and positive behaviour among our students.
If we can lift student wellbeing and respect at school, we will be enabling students and teachers to focus on what matters most: successful learning in the classroom.
8.Quality teaching through structural reform
Every day in thousands of classrooms across our state, teachers are doing an exceptional job.
And like every parent, I want and expect excellence from our teachers. But there is a fundamental problem holding them back.
Because we currently have a system in which the best teachers and the worst teachers are, for the most part, paid and treated the same.
A system that pushes great teachers out of the classroom, and into administrative or management roles - because that’s where they can get the best pay.
It doesn’t make sense.
Teachers choose teaching because they love to teach - not to become middle managers or administrators.
When I spoke to principals from our ambassador schools earlier this year, I asked if they could change one thing at the school, what would it be?
Every single one said “less admin”.
So we took that on board, and starting next week we will trial more than 200 new administration staff in our school system.
I don’t want teachers tied up in red tape, I want them focused on what they do best: teaching, not pushing paper.
When teaching is the focus, great teachers change lives.
I remember two teachers in particular who made a big difference for my education - one quite traditional, the other, quite freewheeling
But both, in their own way, gave me the gift of a real appreciation and love for great literature.
That’s the kind of impact that teachers really cherish. So it makes sense to incentivise that.
I don’t want teachers leaving the profession because they have been faced with the choice of stagnating in their career, or moving to management.
I believe we should have a system where great teaching is valued, supported, and shared with other teachers - a system grounded in rewarding teaching excellence.
Now, I won’t pretend there is a simple solution here.
Previous attempts, often framed around “performance pay”, haven’t yielded great results.
But just because others have failed in the past, that’s not an excuse for us to stop trying.
So today we take the first step towards rewarding teaching excellence in NSW.
I want to see the creation of high-performance teaching positions at schools across our state.
For example, a particular school might need a high-performing history teacher for senior students, or a high-performing numeracy teacher for foundation learning - depending on the school’s circumstances.
These roles will be rolled out across the state and attract a high salary, to attract the very best candidates.
This would be a system where no teachers go backwards - but the best teachers go forwards further and faster.
Our goal is to establish a clear pathway for high-performing teachers that offers a fair reward for their effort and skill.
This reform is being led by eminent Professor John Hattie, and it builds on existing policies to lift the quality of teaching in NSW.
We have committed to making classroom assessment of teachers objective and independent.
Otherwise classroom observation risks being a tick-the-box exercise that doesn’t actually help teachers improve.
If we want teachers to be the best, they have to be assessed the best way.
We shouldn’t shy away from professional assessment in teaching - we should embrace it, like every other serious profession, and use it to help teachers progress in their careers.
We also have a number of programs to attract great candidates to the profession - including a fully tailored Teach for Australia program that meets our rigorous accreditation requirements.
And looking ahead, I can see value in the approach that some Catholic schools have taken to teacher development with a program called Catalyst.
By working with teachers one-to-one - schools are sharing best-practice methods among teachers, making sure every teacher is equipped with tools to excel.
The teachers have welcomed the chance to upgrade their skills
And students are benefiting from higher quality teaching and consistency through their schooling life.
It’s another reform opportunity that I look forward to exploring in the future.
Because nothing is more important to student success than the quality of the teaching they receive – and that will be my top priority.
9.Parental engagement
Of the three education stakeholders - the group that receives the least attention is parents.
Many parents find it hard to engage with their children’s education - and governments haven’t made it easy.
This has to change.
Because the research shows when parents are engaged - educational outcomes improve across every age group.
But we have to apply this knowledge with an understanding of the challenges modern families face.
Parents are busy. I know.
The vast majority – 70 per cent – of two-parent families with dependents currently have both parents in the workforce
It’s hard enough packing lunches, remembering carnivals, making book week costumes, helping with homework, weekend sport, after school activities…
At the same time you’re juggling work - you’re juggling the household So being more engaged with your children’s education is not easy.
And yet, a lot of parents want to be more engaged.
A lot of parents want a better idea of what’s happening in the classroom. And parents have a right to know.
But I don’t want to add to the workload. I want to make it easier.
Parents shouldn’t have to come to us - we should come to them.
So we are going to make it easy - and send parents a copy of the curriculum at the start of each year.
Our high schools will also share the list of texts for key learning areas. Parents don’t have to read it. This isn’t homework.
But if parents want to - they will have the information about what their child is learning
- at thier fingertips.
I also want the education department to be more engaged with parents - not less.
Throughout a child’s schooling life, naturally issues will arise and parents will have concerns.
It might be with a teacher, it might be bullying by peers, it could be something their child is learning in the classroom.
In the first instance we want those concerns to be resolved directly between parents, principals and teachers.
But we know that sometimes that can’t happen.
So today I can announce the establishment of the Parent Advocacy Team.
An independent team within the department to provide an alternative avenue to help parents and students get the resolution they need.
This reform will help everyone involved - students, parents, teachers and principals.
Parents place so much trust in the government when they put their kids in our classrooms, so they have a right to know what’s happening in them.
And we have a duty to be accountable, to be transparent, to meet families where they are and help them get the very best for their children.
10.Conclusion
When you bring all of this together - this is a new trajectory for education in our state. A successful students strategy brimming with new ideas to get better results.
We’re building world-class learning environments And getting back-to-basics on the curriculum And introducing flexible school hours.
We’ll fund a full year of pre-Kinder education. And we’re improving respect in classrooms
We’ll create high-performance pathways to reward teaching excellence
And make teacher assessment objective and independent to lift teaching quality.
And we’re making it easier for parents to engage - supporting better outcomes for their kids.
These are the foundations of an education system rigorously focused on student success.
But this is not the end. Reform does not mean set-and-forget.
Policy must continue to evolve as we meet the needs of students and parents where they are - and build a modern education system fit for the 21st century.
As I said - I want to be an education Premier. So I’ll be saying a lot more about education in the weeks and months ahead.
Our Government will keep daring to do things differently – to set up our students for a lifetime of success – in the classroom and beyond.
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