Improve Yr 7 attendance rates - finish high school
May 14, 2018
The Smith Family have released a study of 30,000 Yr 7 students from low-income families. They've proven the connection between improving Yr 7 attendance rates and finishing high school.
Learning for Life is a Smith Family program providing resources for students from low-income families numbering more than 38,000 students nationally. These include "a biannual payment, a program co-ordinator who works with the family, and access to a number of other specific programs. These include targeted literacy and numeracy programs, after-school learning clubs, mentoring and career activities, and training in digital and financial literacy for parents or carers."
The students' progress is being monitored through research.
Research into educational approaches is necessary to confirm which policies are best - a novel idea! It is already clear that investment in early childhood education and tutoring of adolescents work. How fantastic to have this research to show it.
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Rich Schools, Poor Schools
Australia’s schooling system is among the most highly segregated in the OECD. Public schools educate the majority of disadvantaged students, while there is concentrated advantage in private schools.
This situation can be attributed, in large part, to our school funding arrangements. Recent research
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Hurry if you haven't sorted Book Week
As Term 3 is almost upon us, if you haven't sorted a Book Week incursion, hurry! If you're flexible with dates, you might be able to swing one of our great shows.
See our Book Week Shows here.
Image: Something Special Live - Available NSW, QLD, ACT,VIC,SA & WA
Livestream version available nationally
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Naidoc Week in 2026
The next cultural day to celebrate nationally is NAIDOC week. This year on 5-12 July, when all Australian schools are on holiday. The likely time schools could celebrate is the first week of July, when some states are still at school.
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