Australian students’ decline in academic achievement has eroded public confidence, according to this paper, which positions debating skills as a possible solution. The paper provides examples from centuries of writing, arguing that debating can cement knowledge across subject areas, enhance language proficiency and encourage thoughtful, articulate and confident civic engagement.

Surveying a cross section of Australian businesses every two years to learn more about skills and workforce challenges across the economy, this report finds the impacts of low levels of literacy and numeracy result in time wasted, poor completion of work documents and reports, teamwork and communications problems, and staff lacking confidence and willingness to...

This study links National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy data with records from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth to better understand the association between students’ early academic performance and their schooling outcomes. The study finds that a position of socioeconomic advantage alone does not translate to academic success. Instead, strong reading and numeracy skills...

Student performance across Australia has remained broadly stable compared to 2023 according to the data released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority in the 2024 NAPLAN national results. Results show divisions between genders, Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and between students of varying socioeconomic backgrounds.

Children who experience out-of-home care often have low academic achievement which subsequently negatively affects their adult life outcomes, yet a smaller proportion succeed in spite of adversity. This study examined the reading trajectories of children from the Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study in New South Wales, Australia.