A great education system provides equal opportunity for all

5 March 2025

In what may be the least surprising piece of research that will be released this year, a new study launched at the SMH’s Schools Summit this week shows the concentration of disadvantage in our national school system is intensifying.

This important work by former teacher and Education Secretary Dr Michele Bruniges shows that the percentage of schools with concentrated socio-educational disadvantage is growing — from 18 per cent of all schools across the nation in 2017 to 22 per cent in 2023. Michele’s research defines concentrated disadvantage as where more than half the student population at the school are classified in the bottom quartile of socio-educational disadvantage.

That’s nearly 2,000 schools where half the student population faces social, economic, linguistic or physical challenges. Again, unsurprisingly, these numbers are heavily concentrated in public secondary schools. It is for this reason that this week’s announcement of increased public school funding in NSW is so important.

This trend is a warning sign of an increasingly stratified society where there are those who can buy their way into sustained privilege for their children. We are seeing communities broken down along class lines where students who need the most support risk slipping through the cracks.

I was briefed on the research by Michele this week and was taken by the clarity of her work: while we talk about the nation of the fair go, every year we are moving further away from that vision.

When you dig deeper into this work, what is clear is that these findings are a deeper reflection of the injustices NCOSS members deal with every day. It's just another way that a child’s postcode and parent’s pay-packet have an outsized impact on the lives they will live.

I read Michele’s report as a call to arms for anyone who cares about a cohesive society, but also a vindication of the important work NCOSS and our members are already undertaking.

This week NCOSS has also released our Impact Report into our ‘Mirrung’ or ‘belonging’ project which we have been conducting at Ashcroft Public School since 2022.

The focus of this work is to reimagine what a school is, how we might connect the school with its family, its communities and the services they need. You may know it as an integrated service model.

The philanthropically funded project has tested a range of ground-breaking interventions including:

early intervention in both learning and health challenges
allowing children to design extra-curricular activities that would normally be out of their reach
tailored health and well-being services for children and their families, including breakfast clubs and service navigation support
and support for parents with accessing adult education, employment support and volunteering opportunities.

It is early days for this innovative project but the Impact Report shows the signs that this program is making a material difference to the lives of the students:

school attendance has significantly improved
student performance is trending up
student and family well-being are growing
and the school community is an active and engaged one.

Programs like Mirrung are part of the answer to the fundamental question Michele‘s research poses: are we prepared to look at these trends and shrug our shoulders or do we look them in the eye?

Of course, remediation is not enough, Michele also calls for systemic interventions like reviewing school zoning, resource sharing and the perennial issue of funding priorities.

But at its heart the answer begins in seeing a school as more than an ATAR-machine and an integral part of each community.

NCOSS spoke to Olivia Wright, Director of Mirrung School Gateway Project.

What was the inspiration for the project?

NCOSS research released in 2024 finds that child poverty costs the state $60 billion every year. While no single policy, government department, organisation or program can solve the complex and interconnected problems facing people living in poverty, there is good evidence finding that education is one way of breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Research also tells us that one of the key predictors of educational outcomes is a child’s postcode. Children from more disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to enter school with developmental vulnerabilities, have lower school attendance, poorer school achievement and leave school early. Addressing this inequity is critical to ensuring that all children in NSW have a fair chance to reach their education potential.

Inspired by the Our Place initiative in Victoria, NCOSS was fortunate to receive philanthropic funding to explore an integrated approach in an NSW setting. By using the school as a ‘soft entry’ gateway, we can support the education, development and health of children and their families in a community.

Why was Ashcroft school chosen?

The Ashcroft community is one of great strength and resilience, but also deep and concentrated disadvantage. 2021 ABS data indicates that almost 40% of children in the Ashcroft-Busby-Miller SA2 live below the poverty line. The Principal of Ashcroft Public School and her Executive team are committed to education equity and were open to exploring an opportunity to work differently.

What do you see as the main benefit of having the Hub based in a primary school?

Schools are often the physical and social centre of communities, making them convenient places to provide access to services. In schools that have co-located early education facilities such as Ashcroft, there is the added opportunity to provide early and consistent intervention for children and their families. Communication through multiple channels and shared goals for student’s success means that families quickly develop trusting relationships with school staff. These relationships and time spent in class gives an educator a unique understanding and view into each child’s life and potential.

How does the hub work?

NCOSS, the school executive and a team from Western Sydney University spent about 12 months consulting with community and other stakeholders and visiting other school-based hubs, including two of the Our Place schools in Victoria. In this time a framework for Mirrung was developed together with Ashcroft Public School staff, students and community, and the Hub was officially launched in Public Education Week in August 2022.

It has now become embedded in the way the school operates and takes a holistic approach to supporting children and their families to thrive at school. The model includes the following pillars:

a focus on early learning
student enrichment and engagement
support for student and family health and wellbeing
family engagement.

The work of NCOSS as ‘the glue’ consists of building relationships and coordinating resources that enable the school to be the central place for learning and support services. We do not directly deliver or fund services or programs, we seek to influence existing services to serve the community better.

Can you think of an individual family where it’s made a difference?

There are so many examples. One in particular that comes to mind. Mirrung worked closely with one mum who was being evicted from her home. She has two young kids and was essentially looking at homelessness as her next option if Mirrung hadn’t stepped in. Just having someone in her corner gave her the agency necessary to navigate the process of appeals and housing support. From an education perspective – what this meant was that her children were able to continue to attend school daily in what was otherwise an extremely stressful period.

Read the Mirrung Impact Report here.

The NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS) in partnership with Linking Communities Network (LCN) invites you to join a one-day Regional Forum for the community and related services sector in the Riverina on Tuesday 1 April 2025 in Wagga Wagga.

The Regional Forum will bring together regionally-based non-government organisations and networks across a range of service areas working in the diverse communities of the Riverina.

The Forum will explore the existing strengths of local communities, and coordinate solutions to shared challenges and unmet needs. We will address topics such as sector workforce and sustainability, as well as the changes to health and related services and the ripple effect on the wider community. A more detailed agenda will be provided shortly.

Why attend?

Engage with experts: Hear and discuss the latest policy changes that impact the sector and your communities.
Share your insights: Contribute your knowledge and experiences through Q&A and open discussion about the growing inequalities and issues for diverse regional communities.
Network with peers: Develop relationships with other community sector organisations and stakeholders to strengthen cross-system coordination and connection.

How do I register?

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/regional-forum-wagga-wagga

Attendance is free with catering provided.

The NSW Government is introducing a new portable long service leave scheme on 1 July 2025.

Called the Community Services Industry (CSI) scheme, it allows eligible workers to submit a claim for long service leave after seven years of service even if they've worked for more than one employer.

The NSW Government sends out email updates on the scheme, such as information on training opportunities and actions you can take now to prepare for the introduction of the scheme.

Subscribe to their updates here.

120 civil society groups, renter advocates, and industry leaders have come together ahead of the upcoming federal election to call for urgent action on improving the quality, affordability, and energy efficiency of rental homes.

In recognition of mounting cost of living pressures alongside climate-related risks, the Healthy Homes for Renters collaboration has released a Joint Statement urging the Federal Government to provide funding and support to States and Territories to implement mandatory minimum energy performance standards in rental homes.

The statement has received backing from a wide range of organisations and people, including tenant advocacy groups, community legal centres, social services organisations, environmental groups, and the real estate industry.

NSW Health has launched a new campaign called 'We are here for you'.

Our healthcare workers have a simple, powerful message for their patients and communities: ‘We are here for you’.

NSW Health provides inclusive, safe, and high-quality care to all members of our community.

No matter who you are or where you are from, you will be treated with kindness, respect, and compassion.

You can download posters and social media tiles to share with your organisation. Translated resources are also available.

Researchers at the University of Sydney are looking for residents of social housing to take part in a study about the comfort of their homes.

The study will involve researchers measuring indoor environmental factors that influence comfort and well-being (temperature, humidity, indoor air quality) at home and participating in survey mainly about housing condition, energy use, and occupants' comfort.

Participants will receive a $150 gift voucher for taking part.

Please contact Dr Shamila Haddad at Shamila.haddad@sydney.edu.au for more information.

Through Children's Eyes conference
Sector Connect
20 March, Campbelltown
$385 | Register here

Join us for this one day conference, highlighting the need for Child-Centred approaches for children impacted by family and domestic violence.

This conference will detail the importance of trauma-informed and effective programs aimed at children and initiate discussions on what is needed to address the needs of vulnerable children and make systemic change to break the cycle of violence.

NCOSS members can receive 5% off the ticket price with the code: NCOSS5off2025.

Workshop: Fundamentals of culturally responsive practice
Settlement Services International
13 May, 9:30am to 12:30pm, Online
$170 | Register here

Culturally responsive practice training is a reflective process which helps participants gain an insight into how their own cultural perspective impacts on their interactions with others as well as how culture influences other people’s worldview.

Through activities and facilitated conversations participants will develop strategies for effective communication, meaningful engagement, and respectful interactions which respond to the unique context of each individual and family.

NAB Foundation Community Grants
Closing Date: 31 March 2025

This grant provides funding of up to $25,000 for local projects that help communities withstand and recover from natural disasters, including:

Educational workshops, practical and strategic planning that help communities prepare for a natural disaster.
Programs to enhance community connection, resilience and wellbeing post natural disaster. Restoration of damaged vegetation and habitat, and rehabilitation of injured wildlife.
Tools, equipment and infrastructure improvements that help communities withstand natural disasters or recover in their aftermath.

For more information, please visit the grant information page.

Disaster Ready Fund
Closing Date: 2 April 2025

The Disaster Ready Fund Round 3 is open for applications from eligible applicants delivering disaster resilience and mitigation projects.

The objectives of the program are to:

increase the understanding of natural disaster impacts, as a first step towards reducing the risk of future natural disaster impacts,
increase the resilience, adaptive capacity and/or preparedness of governments, community service organisations and affected communities to future natural disasters to minimise the potential impact of natural hazards and reduce the risk of future natural disasters, and
reduce the exposure to risk, harm and/or severity of a future natural disaster’s impacts, including reducing the recovery burden for governments, cohorts at disproportionate risk, and/or affected communities.

For more information, please visit the grant information page.