ANNUAL REPORT 2015 NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NSW Department of Education www.dec.nsw.gov.au LETTER OF SUBMISSION TO MINISTERS The Hon. Adrian Piccoli, MP The Hon. Leslie Williams, MP Minister for Education Minister for Early Childhood Education, Level 18, 52 Martin Place Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Sydney NSW 2000 Assistant Minister for Education Level 16, 52 Martin Place Sydney NSW 2000 Dear Ministers In compliance with the terms of the Annual Reports (Departments) Act 1985, the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 and Regulations under those Acts, I submit the 2015 NSW Department of Education Annual Report for your presentation to the NSW Parliament. The report summarises our services, achievements and operational activities for 2015. This provides the NSW Parliament, the NSW Government and the community with information on our performance over the past year. It covers our services in the areas of public schools, early childhood education and care and Aboriginal affairs. It also includes the operations of vocational education and training, volunteering, youth, and community and regional engagement until 30 June 2015. In addition, the report contains the department’s audited financial statements for the financial year ended 30 June 2015 and appendices as required by legislation. Yours sincerely Peter Riordan ACTING SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION April 2016 2 NSW Department of Education Annual Report 2015 | www.dec.nsw.gov.au TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter of submission to Ministers 2 Our priorities: At school 24 High expectations, closing the gaps 24 Secretary’s foreword 4 Quality teaching and leadership 30 About us 6 New and better ways of doing business 32 Our vision 6 Performance report: In tertiary education 36 Our outcomes 6 Our performance targets 36 Our priorities 6 Our students 7 Our priorities: In tertiary education 41 Our communities 7 High expectations, closing the gaps 41 Our organisation 9 Quality teaching and leadership 43 New and better ways of doing business 43 Performance report: In early childhood 12 Our performance targets 12 Performance report: In our communities 45 Our performance targets 45 Our priorities: In early childhood 13 High expectations, closing the gaps 13 Our priorities: In our communities 48 Quality teaching and leadership 14 High expectations, closing the gaps 48 New and better ways of doing business 15 Stronger communities and leadership 50 Performance report: At school 16 Financial statements 52 Our performance targets 16 Financial highlights 52 Financial statements 54 Appendices 85 NSW Department of Education Annual Report 2015 | www.dec.nsw.gov.au 3 Secretary’s foreword SECRETARY’S FOREWORD In 2015, the Department of Education continued needs-based school funding and bridging the to implement the most comprehensive educational achievement gap for rural and remote students. reform agenda in NSW in a century, aimed at In 2015, the focus was on the implementation achieving a systematic change in outcomes for NSW of these reforms, embedding them across every students. We worked to advance the wellbeing of classroom and every school and evaluating the impact Aboriginal people through the implementation of so that we are able to disseminate and share what OCHRE (opportunity, choice, healing, responsibility, works across all schools. empowerment), the NSW Government’s community- focused plan for Aboriginal affairs. Until machinery- In September 2015, the NSW Premier announced of-government changes commenced on 1 July 2015, a number of priorities for the state to grow we were responsible for the vocational education and the economy; deliver infrastructure; protect training system and also worked to make it easier for the vulnerable; and improve health, education people to be involved in their communities. and public services across NSW. Included in the Premier’s Priorities is an eight per cent increase in NSW has almost 1.2 million students in approximately the proportion of students in the top two National 2,200 public schools and 900 non-government Assessment Program: Literacy and Numeracy schools. The Department of Education operates the (NAPLAN) bands by 2019. The State Priorities also public education system and is one of the largest include a 30 per cent increase in the proportion of organisations in Australia, with more than 86,000 Aboriginal students in the top two NAPLAN bands for staff. In 2014–15, the department’s expenses budget reading and numeracy by 2019. totalled $14.2 billion. Funding allocated for education in 2014–15 comprised approximately one-fifth of the There is no single action that will improve NSW State Budget. literacy and numeracy outcomes for students in NSW schools. Overall NAPLAN achievement is We have exceeded our target for access to universal expected to improve in the coming years as early childhood education. We give children the NSW continues to implement a comprehensive best possible start to education and provide support range of systemic and targeted actions across the to those who need it most. The funding model for sectors. This includes a strong focus on improving community preschools, introduced in 2014, has had educational outcomes for Aboriginal students. a particularly positive impact on the enrolment of Aboriginal children. New reforms implemented in 2015 are focused on student wellbeing, increased community engagement The department worked with other jurisdictions and school excellence. From 2015, we have to review the National Quality Framework for committed to: early childhood education and care and ensure that NSW priorities were accurately reflected in it. ¡ increase support for student wellbeing with In consultation with sector representatives, additional school counsellors, student support we developed and implemented a new way of teachers, and targeted support for refugee and streamlining the assessment and rating of services, Aboriginal students and families with more than 3,800 reports for services rated and ¡ provide extra support for the mentoring and published as at December 2015, including 73 of the coaching of quality teaching in primary schools department’s preschools. ¡ upgrade the quality of secondary school education Public education in NSW is being transformed, with with improved school facilities as well as better reforms targeted at four key areas: quality teaching engagement with parents and the broader local and school leadership, devolved school authority, school community 4 NSW Department of Education Annual Report 2015 | www.dec.nsw.gov.au Secretary’s foreword ¡ construct new state-of-the-art schools and Until June 2015, the department also had transform existing classrooms so we provide responsibility for the Office of Communities. more opportunities for teachers and students The department led community engagement to collaborate in flexible, technology-rich initiatives such as Timebanking, an innovative learning spaces volunteering program; Tackling Violence, aimed at stopping domestic violence; and Youth Frontiers, ¡ drive school improvement linked to new a youth mentoring program – programs aimed approaches to school planning, reporting at increasing opportunities for communities to and accountability. be involved in planning, influencing and In December 2015, Aboriginal Affairs published its implementing local actions. Strategic Plan 2016–19, the core vision of which is While we still have much to achieve, we can Aboriginal people in NSW determining their own be proud of our progress so far and can celebrate futures. The plan identifies key priority areas including our achievements. NSW is recognised nationally culture and healing, leadership in government, and internationally for our reforms and evidence growing NSW’s first economy, and strengthening base. I would like to thank our staff for their governance and capacity. leadership and commitment and our students, Aboriginal Affairs and its government, industry, parents and communities for their engagement non-government and tertiary partners are and support in 2015. implementing OCHRE initiatives with communities across the state. Achievements include the establishment of six Local Decision Making sites, the negotiation of three industry based agreements, and the establishment of four opportunity hubs and five Peter Riordan Aboriginal Language and Culture Nests. ACTING SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Until machinery-of-government changes in June 2015, when State Training Services transferred to the Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development, the department was responsible for vocational education and training (VET). The Smart and Skilled Reforms to the NSW VET system commenced on 1 January 2015, providing eligible students with government-subsidised training in courses on the NSW Skills List to gain the skills they need to get a job and advance their career. NSW Department of Education Annual Report 2015 | www.dec.nsw.gov.au 5 About us ABOUT US The Department of Education provides, funds and OUR PRIORITIES regulates education services for NSW students from early childhood to secondary school. We regulate and We have high expectations for all and focus on support the early childhood education and care sector. closing gaps in achievement in areas of disadvantage. We deliver a world-class education to more than In September 2015, the NSW Premier announced a 772,000 students each year through our public number of priorities for the state to grow the economy; schools and provide funding support to more than deliver infrastructure; protect the