Summary Report of the 379th Meeting
WEDNESDAY 20 JULY 2016
CLANCY/GILROY ROOMS, LEVEL 5, POLDING CENTRE, SYDNEY
1)
Federal Election Outcomes for Schools
At the Federal election on 2 July 2016, the Liberal-National Coalition government was returned to office
with a small majority in the House of Representatives. However, the Government’s representation in
the Senate has been reduced, creating more uncertainty for its legislative agenda.
Commissioners noted that the incoming Australian government is likely to action its pledge to initiate
the same sex marriage plebiscite immediately and for this matter to be finalised by the end of calendar
year 2016. Commissioners also noted related areas for vigilance, namely possible attempts to reduce
religious freedom and a possible attempt to extend the Safe Schools program across schools.
Commissioners also noted that the new Australian government is expected to endorse the currently
legislated grant indexation rate (3.6%) for 2018, 2019 and 2020. However, it is still unclear whether the
Students First funding will continue from 2018 and submissions to government will need to be made by
NCEC in the first instance. The Coalition, unlike the Labor Party, did not provide any guarantee of
continued SFSF funding before the election. Failure to do so would result in a net decrease in
Commonwealth funding for NSW Catholic schools.
Potentially, the most significant policy announced by the Coalition is that contained in its May 2016
policy paper Quality Schools Quality Outcomes which specifies a review of the current grants model in
the Australian Education Act by early 2017. This was reinforced by Minister Birmingham in his recent
address to the NCEC Conference in Perth. Since any modification of the so-called ‘Gonski’ funding
arrangements may now have difficulty passing the Senate, it is unclear whether the government will
seek to move on this, especially in the short term.
The Coalition pledged to strongly support the ability of Catholic education systems to flexibly and
responsively redistribute funding according to local need. It committed to growing schools funding “in
line with costs, and to support evidence-based initiatives proven to make a difference to student
outcomes.” It also committed to “reducing the cost of unnecessary or inefficient regulation imposed on
individuals, business and community organisations by at least $1 billion a year. An important part of
this commitment is the Regulator Performance Framework to review the performance of
Commonwealth regulators.”
Despite specific requests from the NCEC and others, no new commitment was given to increase capital
funding which is a priority for NSW Catholic schools.
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2)
State Budget Follow Up Issues – Capital and Refugee Support
The NSW Budget for 2016-17 was delivered by Treasurer, Gladys Berejiklian, on 21 June 2016. It
included a modest increase in total funding to non-government schools and a new and separate
allocation available to all schools who educate students accepted into Australia as refugees from Syria
and Iraq.
Commissioners noted that the NSW Government has allocated $13.75 billion for the education portfolio
in the 2016-17 Budget. This is a 7.5% increase on the previous financial year. Of this amount, $1.152
billion has been allocated for the State’s 937 non-government schools - an increase of 4.7% or $51.4
million on the previous year. This amount includes recurrent and capital funding for all NSW Catholic
schools and other non-government schools. The Budget Papers do not break down funding to nongovernment schools into ‘recurrent’ and ‘capital’ or ‘Catholic systemic’ and ‘independent’.
Commissioners noted that NSW Government recurrent funding per student is required to grow by 3% in
2016 and 2017 as part of the government’s obligations under the 2013 – 2019 bilateral agreement
which formed part of the National Education Reform Agreement (NERA).
More detailed advice on 2017 NSW Government funding for NSW Catholic schools and for independent
schools will be forthcoming from the Department of Education shortly.
Commissioners also noted that the NSW Budget located $93 million over four years for the school
education costs of the additional refugees expected to settle in NSW from the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet confirmed to CECNSW that non-government schools are
eligible to receive additional funding for new refugee students based on enrolments, in line with
existing recurrent funding arrangements. NSW Treasury has also confirmed to CECNSW that funding will
be relatively low in the first year, increasing over the following three years as the number of refugee
families settling in NSW grows. Funding will follow students wherever they are enrolled.
The funding announced will be available to meet the core schooling costs for the refugee students
expected to enrol in both primary and secondary schools. It will also provide intensive English language
and transition support to the refugees who require such assistance.
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3)
NDIS and Schools – Emerging Issues
Commissioners noted an outline of the NDIS governance structure and arrangements in NSW including
a high level briefing on the NDIS interface with school based interventions to support eligible
children/students with qualifying disabilities.
Key NDIS implementation facts and issues include:
i)
CECNSW is required to progress any NDIS policy concerns through the NSW Department of
Education; and
ii)
NDIS implementation planning assumes that schools will continue to be responsible for a range
of delivery matters in respect of students with disability.
NDIS implementation planning assumes that the NDIS will be responsible for the delivery of the
following services and supports in respect of children and young people of school age:
•
therapy with consent of the school principal;
•
Individualised equipment;
•
Personal care at home and in the community;
•
Specialist Behaviour Support assessment;
•
After school and vacation care;
•
Support for parents and carers ‘respite’ – in home or external to home;
•
Support coordination for complex needs; and
•
Training for school staff in relation to individual student needs – e.g. lifting, positioning, using
hoists, behaviour intervention.
Commissioners discussed:
•
the intersection of SWD, NCCD and NDIS requirements and data collections;
•
relevance of the CECNSW Personalised Planning process;
•
NDIS focus on students with high and complex needs, that is approximately 2% of the SWD
population across all schools;
•
the role of third party providers;
•
the key role of the school Principal and the need for the provision of advice and training to
school principals; and
•
the fact that NDIS funding and service provision/choice is ‘client’ (student/child) focused and
driven.
Commissioners agreed that NDIS implementation advice for Catholic schools should be a focus of
activity for the newly established CECNSW SWD Working Party. Possible future linkages between NDIS
and any future models for school-based SWD ‘voucher-funding’ proposals were raised. Commissioners
were reminded that the Catholic sector has not and does not support a ‘voucher approach’ to SWD
funding.
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4)
Asset Planning Project Report
At its meeting on 20 July 2016, the Commission established the State Asset Planning Collaboration
(“SAPCOL”) Steering Committee to provide guidance and advice on dealing with the NSW Department
of Education (DoE) in relation to Asset planning matters.
The NSW DoE had requested that the non-government school sectors collaborate with it in respect of
school planning matters. NSW Catholic schools will need to increase student numbers by 40,000 places
through to 2027 in order to maintain current NSW Catholic sector share of total enrolments.
Identifying, monitoring and expanding school assets is a part of the wider agenda on school planning
and demographic forecasting for schools which is now taking place on several fronts.
The Commission noted that the CECNSW’s SAPCOL steering committee is constituted as follows:
•
William Walker, Chancellor, Diocese of Wollongong;
•
Peter Clarke, Facilities Manager, Sydney Catholic schools – (i.e. Sydney diocese);
•
Geoff Whitnall, Facilities Manager, Catholic schools Office, Maitland Newcastle;
•
Kevin Morrison, CBGA Manager (SAPCOL Executive Officer); and
•
Brian McDonald, CECNSW Director for Capital program s and Executive officer of the CBGA.
Their first meeting occurred on 19 July 2016.
Primary engagement is with the Planning and Demography group within the NSW DoE.
The CECNSW Secretariat has been meeting with the Department for some time as part of the DoE’s
general engagement on capital matters with the non-government schools sector. To meet the
challenges of growth in student numbers, it is envisaged that this engagement will become more
formalised and more extensive.
In addition to collaboration at this DoE level, the CECNSW Executive Director, Dr. Brian Croke has been
engaged with the NSW State Government through meetings with the new Greater Sydney Commission.
These meetings involve broader government wide planning issues and include the NSW Treasury, the
NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC), Urban Growth, NSW Transport and the NSW
Department of Planning & Environment.
The intent of the Greater Sydney Commission is to facilitate the coordination of planning activity across
government by bringing together all the relevant parties at a senior enough level to be able to make
progress by removing roadblocks. Commissioners found this approach encouraging because it
demonstrates that the NSW government has now clearly realised the importance of schools in planning
overall and in capital and infrastructure planning specifically.
Commissioners noted that the DoE and the wider government has a strong focus on addressing the
looming challenge of providing extra school places. Furthermore, the crucial role of the nongovernment, particularly the Catholic, sector in helping to address the problem is well recognised.
Commissioners noted that the NSW government is currently working on a range of initiatives in this
area and the outcomes of that work is expected to become apparent within the short term.
On behalf of the CBGA, the CECNSW Secretariat shortly will be undertaking the following tasks:
•
reviewing the condition and capacity of existing schools across NSW.
Commissioners noted that this will allow a State wide view, in consultation with diocesan
planners, of the degree to which existing schools may be able to help with meeting the demand
for increased enrolments over coming years.
Much information about existing schools already exists and CECNSW is seeking the
collaboration of facilities managers and other diocesan personnel to collate this information.
•
Implementing improved methods for project selection based on refined definitions of
educational disadvantage
This is being undertaken in collaboration with the State Priority Committee of the CBGA.
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4)
•
Asset Planning Project Report (Cont.)
conducting high level scenario analyses related to the strategy to be adopted for the growth of
the NSW Catholic schools sector.
In order to facilitate informed discussion and evidence-based decision making on the growth
strategy, the NSW/ACT bishops and commissioners will need some analysis of the implications
of potential options and scenarios. For example, a high growth strategy has implications for
capital sourcing as well as other resources planning, such as teacher availability, school
infrastructure and speed of development. Alternatively, a focussed-sector strategy would
require analysis focused on the characteristics and demand of particular sectors. A portfolio
strategy seeking to balance potentially divergent priorities across different sectors requires a
specific form of analysis as well.
Commissioners expressed general support for the approach so far. In doing so, Commissioners noted
that there have been too many examples of inconsistent approaches by Councils in reviewing and
approving school developments. A central approval process is preferred.
5)
Decisions Endorsed
The Commission endorsed:
1)
the 2016 VET in Schools Funding Agreement for $1,751,724 and associated accountabilities.
2)
the CECNSW Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools Program 2015 accountability
report.
3)
the list of 37 Schools for OSPS 2016 implementation, noting that the cross sector strategy to
allocate unused 2016 Catholic sector funds;
4)
the CECNSW Child Protection, FACS, Inquiry Submission as provided;
5)
authorised CESSCC to continue to engage with the Inquiry, including by responding to the
anticipated Inquiry Report; and
6)
requested that the Commission be kept advised of Inquiry developments by CESSCC.
7)
the 2015 CECNSW Activity Statement for ACNC and authorised the Executive Director to submit
the 2015 Activity Statement to the ACNC;
8)
the CECNSW Secretariat and Diocesan finance personnel work together for the purposes of
continuing improvement and efficiency and compliance.
9)
the nomination Dr Brian Croke to the NSW Education Minister for consideration for
appointment to the Board of BOSTES;
10)
Ian Baker as the CECNSW’s nominee as alternate member on the Board of BOSTES; and
11)
the next steps in preparation for Phase 2 LNAP implementation.
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6)
Government Requirements for School Funding – Advice for NCEC
Since mid-2014 Commission papers have tracked the developing Governance and Not-for-Profit
compliance agenda impacting Catholic School Authorities in NSW. While much of this has concentrated
on the NSW Act and NSW requirements, at the same time the NCEC has been exploring relevant issues
arising from national requirements (especially AEA and ACNC).
In this context of increasing accountability requirements for schools NCEC established a Working Party,
inclusive of CECNSW participation, to develop a National Catholic Sector discussion paper on
‘Government Requirements for School Funding’. This NCEC paper has now been provided to CECNSW
for review and feedback to NCEC.
It was noted that the finalised paper will be provided by NCEC to all Bishops and trustees in respect of
school governance.
The point was made that school principals also require greater ‘education’ with respect to school
funding compliance requirements particularly with respect to Not-for-Profit compliance. Linkages with
school governance training for Responsible Persons were noted.
7)
Nominations to BOSTES Committees
While BOSTES remains subject to a review process, the work of managing curriculum and assessment
proceeds. Recently, following requests from BOSTES, nominations have been made to the following
committees:
•
Committee reviewing the Stage 6 English Texts: Lyn Fetterplace, Sydney Catholic Schools,
Southern Region Office;
•
K-6 Science and Technology Board Curriculum Committee (BCC): Nicole Sprainger, Catholic
Education Office, Parramatta;
•
Year 7-10 Technology BCC: Phil Cox, Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay;
•
K-10 PDHPE BCC: Christine Rheinberger, Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay.
8)
Online NAPLAN - Update
The development of the annual NAPLAN for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 into an online format is a complex
process but it is proceeding on schedule. No decision has been made in NSW about whether or not all
schools will move to online NAPLAN in 2018. Currently, there are four unresolved issues with the
implementation of NAPLAN Online:
•
Automated essay scoring, a matter to be discussed at the December AEEYSOC meeting;
•
The number of computers in schools in relation to the test implementation requirements;
•
Reporting, i.e. what form the School Summary Report should take and how the lack of
comparative data will be addressed;
•
Year 3 keyboarding: NSW-led research suggests that the children at Year 3 are likely to have
significant difficulties.
A Platform Trial Readiness Test (PTRT) will be conducted to do a risk analysis of the use of the test
delivery platform from 4 July 2016. ACT, S.A., Victoria and Queensland will participate. Issues include
the deployment of “locked down” browsers and the use of a virtual school server for schools with low
bandwidth internet connections. The PTRT should provide information both on these issues and on
challenges facing the administration of the test as school level.
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9)
National Catholic Education Commission Meeting
The most recent meeting of the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) was held in Perth on
23 June 2016. The main items for discussion were the NCEC’s position on recurrent and capital
funding, following presentations to the NCEC conference by Minister for Education Simon Birmingham
and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, the not-for-profit and charities status of Catholic schools and
public perceptions of school funding. Additional items discussed included the nationally consistent
collection of data on students with disability and faith formation and religious education. NCEC also
welcomed Robert Randall, CEO of ACARA who addressed the Commission on ACARA’s curriculum and
assessment role.
10)
Education Platform for Incoming Federal Government
On 18 July 2016, the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced his ministerial appointments with
Senator Simon Birmingham remaining Minister for Education and Training. The Coalition education
policy was outlined in Quality Schools, Quality Outcomes (https://docs.education.gov.au/node/40671),
previously discussed by CEC. The key policy agenda of the government over the coming term includes:
•
Year 1 assessment and reporting annually to parents against agreed national literacy and
numeracy standards (P9).
•
Improve the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) performance and
participation of students (P9).
•
Require within five years a minimum standard of literacy and numeracy from all students to
complete Year 12 and require successful completion of an English or humanities subject and a
maths or science subject as a prerequisite for acquisition of an Australian Tertiary Admission
Rank (ATAR) (P9).
•
Systems and schools should set recruitment targets for STEM qualified teachers and
Indigenous teachers. This should include publishing employment data such as the number of
teachers in a school against each level (graduate, proficient, highly accomplished and lead) of
the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers on the My School website (P10).
•
The Government will work with states and territories, the non-government sector and higher
education providers to develop innovative ways to improve the supply of competent language
teachers (P11).
•
Improve current career and post school advice by working with industry and states and
territories and the non-government sector to develop a new and contemporary National
Career Education Strategy (P11).
•
Systems that receive additional funding for disadvantage in areas such as Indigenous, low
English proficiency, disability and low SES will be required to show how this money will be
used to improve outcomes for the targeted group of students (P12).
•
Encourage states and territories to incentivise high-performing teachers to work in
disadvantaged schools (P12).
•
Require all schools to provide parents with a literacy and numeracy report every year (P 13).
•
Improve the national availability of data on students, schools and teachers by encouraging
improved information sharing arrangements between states and the non-government sector
(P13).
•
From 2018, require states and territories to at least maintain the real level of their per-student
funding effort and growth, with a focus on improved student outcomes (P 14).
•
Indexation of Commonwealth funding will be contingent on states and territories and the nongovernment sector meeting the outlined reform commitments (P14).
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11)
Ministerial Announcement – Modernising the HSC
On Tuesday 19 July 2016 at Cherrybrook Technology High School, the NSW Minister for Education,
Adrian Piccoli, and the President of the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW,
Tom Alegounarias, announced changes to the NSW Higher School Certificate. The announcement is
the culmination of a process of consultation and review. The main changes include:
•
A minimum standard in both literacy and numeracy;
•
Better, fairer assessments to reduce excessive student stress;
•
A new science extension course, and encourage more students to study Maths at the highest
possible level;
•
Updated syllabuses in English, Maths, Science and History; and
•
Updated exams questions to encourage deeper analysis and encourage students to achieve
their best.
Ian Baker represented the CECNSW at the announcement.
John Kitney
Commission Secretary
9 August 2016
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BRIEFING BY THE CATHOLIC BLOCK GRANT AUTHORITY WITH BGA DELEGATE
CAPITAL GRANTS – 2016 APPLICATION ROUND
The 2016 Application Round has currently reached the stage where all State Priority Committee Site
visits have been completed. The next step is to consolidate the site visit reports and then to make them
available to the SPC members prior to the next meeting to be held on 27 July to 29 July 2016.
This meeting will also make a recommendation to the CBGA Executive Officer on the composition and
prioritisation of projects in accordance with the CBGA Charter and the CBGA Guidelines.
The step following this meeting will be the issue of Indicative Offers to the proprietors agreeing to the
level of contribution of each project.
AUDIT OF THE CBGA
As part of the general effort by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training
(AGDET) to ensure compliance and value-for-money in relation to its Capital Grants Programme (CGP),
the CBGA is currently the subject of an audit conducted on behalf of the AGDET by McGrathNicol.
The scope of the audit is to undertake an operational review of the administration of the CGP by the
CBGA. The review is examining the efficiency and effectiveness of the CBGA in administering the CGP
and is evaluating the CBGA’s compliance with the requirements of the Australian Education Act 2013,
the Regulations thereto, and in particular the CGP Operating Manual.
Once the report has been finalised the findings and recommendations will be presented to a future
Commission meeting.
TRADE SKILLS CENTRE
2015 Utilisation Reports
The 2015 utilisation reports have been completed and received from the majority of Trade
Training/Skills Centres. The reports have to be quality-checked against VET data held by the CECNSW.
Where there are significant differences in the qualification information this will be queries with the
responsible person in relation to the Trade Training/Skills Centre.
John Kitney
Commission Secretary
9 August 2016
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