Making every Central Coast school a great school

The Minister for School Education, Peter Garrett, and Member for Robertson, Deb O’Neill, today visited Central Coast’s Green Point Christian College to talk with teachers and students about the Australian Government’s vision for the nation’s schools.

Performing arts students from the College joined their counterparts from local high schools at Terrigal, Narara Valley and Brisbane Water Secondary College Woy Woy Campus to showcase their talents at the College’s new performing arts centre.

Green Point’s $3.2 million Creative and Performing Arts Centre was built with funds from the Federal Government’s Building the Education Revolution program.

The 2011-12 Budget delivers a range of measures for schools including performance rewards for teachers, more support for students with disabilities and expanding the school chaplaincy program.

“We want to make every school a great school, offering kids a quality education that helps them achieve their full potential,” Mr Garrett said.

The Government is investing an extra $222 million in the National School Chaplaincy Program, giving another 1 000 schools in regional, remote and disadvantaged areas a chance to apply for a school chaplain.

The new More Support for Students with Disabilities initiative provides teachers and students with resources such as access to speech and occupational therapy, new equipment, for example audio and visual technology and additional support for teachers to improve the learning experience of students with disabilities.

The $425 million Reward Payments for Great Teachers initiative, with the first round of payments beginning in 2014, will give Australia’s top performing teachers access to a reward payment based on their performance.

Secondary students will have greater access to vocational training through the National Trade Cadetships Scheme. From 2012, students from Year 9 will be offered a new National Trade Cadetship as an option under the Australian Curriculum. The cadetship scheme will provide greater consistency in the delivery of vocational training in schools across Australia, and a clearly defined pathway through school and into further study, work or a career in the trades.

The Government has committed $3.1 million to the initial development of the scheme and an additional $25 million for structured work experience places.

Ms O’Neill said the initiatives build on the government’s record of investment and action in education.

“Through funding from the Building the Education Revolution and National Secondary Schools Computer Fund Green Point Christian College has 21st century facilities and tools that will be essential for providing students with an education in this fast-changing digital world,” Ms O’Neill said. 

For more information about the Budget initiatives visit www.deewr.gov.au/Department/Budget.