The transition to school is a pivotal life stage for both children and their families, and a significant event for educators. This Evidence to Action Note outlines the key findings a recent school readiness rapid review.

This report details the findings of two rapid evidence reviews undertaken by Western Sydney University in 2021 to build the body of evidence about reducing harm and/or maltreatment for vulnerable children aged 0-5 years and improving school readiness for vulnerable children under six years of...

This paper reports findings from NSW Child Development Study (CDS) looking at the connection between child protection contact and primary school suspensions and discusses the implications for policy and practice in supporting children who are suspended from school.

This updated chronology provides an overview of key opening and closing dates for Victorian primary and secondary schools in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Australian Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) helps to create an inclusive and prosperous Australia by maximising opportunity through national leadership on education, skills and employment policy development. In August 2021, DESE commissioned Monash University to undertake a national stocktake and gap analysis...

This report is the output from an Academy of the Social Sciences Australia (ASSA)-funded workshop hosted by the Gonski Institute for Education at UNSW Sydney. The report provides advice to government and systems for redressing intergenerational policy failure, looking beyond the school gate, giving voice...

School attendance has been declining in New Zealand since 2015 across all year levels, deciles, ethnicities and regions. This strategy document forms the response to a recent inquiry report from the Education and Workforce Select Committee, and provides the framework for a nationwide campaign to...

The Q Project is a 5-year partnership between Monash University and the Paul Ramsay Foundation to understand and improve the use of research evidence in Australian schools. In 2021, the project hosted two series of co-design workshops with teachers, school leaders and other education stakeholders...

In this submission, Primary Focus argues that primary school efficacy is the best policy lever that Australian state and federal governments have to improve Australia’s productivity performance.

This policy statement outlines The Greens' policy position on education in Australia.

This paper presents the results of a four-year longitudinal study – including two years of preschool (age 4 years), kindergarten, and first grade – designed to identify the early quantitative competencies that predict readiness to learn mathematics at school entry.

The case for increasing girls’ and women’s interest and uptake in STEM careers has been clearly outlined. This report examines the Australian situation in applying integrated STEM education to the primary school environment, comparing it to policies and initiatives in the developed countries.

Social sciences are the fields of research on, and knowledge about, society. They are deeply connected and embedded in our social systems and structures. This publication provides a compact guide to the trends, challenges and opportunities impacting Australian social science, to facilitate system-wide planning for...

This report explores why some schools and kura are good at bullying prevention. The purpose of this project was to collect examples of good practice and identify the barriers and enablers schools face when seeking to create safe and inclusive environments.

This summary outlines key findings from the NSW Child Development Study looking at the relationship between maltreatment of children before entry to school and educational outcomes in primary school.

This report makes the case for expanding computer science education in primary and secondary schools around the world, and outlines the key challenges standing in the way.

Home-based learning due to pandemic-induced school closures is the greatest educational disruption impacting on school systems in recent history. This research adds to the evidence base by not only assessing whether students’ learning may have been impacted during home-based learning, but also why students may...

This report analyses relevant legal and policy frameworks relating to the education of students with disability, with a focus on primary and secondary school settings across Australia.

To improve pathways and outcomes for disadvantaged students in the future, this report finds that demonstrating to young people the value and applicability of mathematics in early adolescence was a key determinant of students’ future persistence in STEM.

From a policy point of view, early and accurate identification of students with special needs in primary education best ensures successful continuous support for their development. This paper argues that education systems should develop strategic policy actions to improve the quality and number of teachers...

This summary report provides a high level snapshot of the results of ACECQA’s consultations, which were subsequently provided to governments to inform their deliberations on the 2020 Review of the Disability Standards.

The focus of the Respectful Relationships Education in Primary Schools pilot was on implementing and evaluating a whole-of-school approach to respectful relationships education in primary schools, focusing on Years 1 and 2 (students aged five to seven years) in particular. This report is the final...

This book is relevant to every person who works in a school. Users of this book can be assured that each policy has been carefully formulated from the current understandings of best practice. This is a practical innovation, and an example of how schools can...

This briefing paper, commissioned by the NSW Teachers Federation, examines the impact of enrolment growth on the future demand for teachers in the NSW public school system.

This chronology provides an overview of key opening and closing dates for Victorian primary and secondary schools between March 2020 and February 2021, in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.