Day 1 2023: a snapshot

Explore the diversity and scale of our public education system, by the numbers.

First day 2023 students in our classrooms First day 2023 students in our classrooms

Our students

  • 806,238 students in our classrooms (including students in department-operated preschools and schools for specific purposes)
  • 64,872 students starting kindergarten
  • 483,750 students entering primary school and preschool
  • 53,987 students starting Year 7
  • 322,487 students entering high school


*Enrolments as at 12 December 2022.

First day 2023 where our students can be found First day 2023 where our students can be found

Where can our primary and secondary students be found?

  • 0.5% of our students are in remote areas
  • 24% of our students are in regional areas
  • 75.5% of our students are in metropolitan areas

  • Nearly a quarter of children under 5 years live in regional or remote NSW
First day 2023 our students cultural backgrounds First day 2023 our students cultural backgrounds

Our students also have varied cultural backgrounds

  • 9% of our students are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  • 38% have a language background other than English
First day 2023 our schools and school staff First day 2023 our schools and school staff

Our schools

  • 2,215 public schools in NSW

School staff

  • 96,158 teachers and staff dedicated to students in 2023
First day 2023 students with specific learning needs First day 2023 students with specific learning needs
First day 2023 students with specific needs First day 2023 students with specific needs

Supporting students with specific learning needs

  • 1,974 specialist learning and support teacher positions
  • More than 4,050 specialist support classes** (mainstream and schools for specific purposes (SSP))
  • $300m allocated for integration funding support for 15,400 students in 2022
  • 86% of students with specific learning needs learning in mainstream classes*
  • 11% of students with specific learning needs learning in support classes*
  • 3% of students identifying as living with a disability learning in schools for specific purposes (SSPs)*
  • 23% students identifying as living with a disability*

*Approximate figures
**As at 21 December 2022

First day 2023 technology in our schools First day 2023 technology in our schools
First day 2023 technology in our schools First day 2023 technology in our schools

Technology

  • $33.8m investment in devices and digital techology for rural and remote schools
  • $27.m computer equipment rollout
  • 2,221 schools with faster internet upgrades since Term 1, 2022
  • 982 schools with new or upgraded learning displays
  • 2,922 STEM.T4L technology kits of robotics, 3D printing, filming, VR and AR
  • 850,419 students with access to Adobe, Microsoft & Google software with free, filtered internet and unlimited secure cloud storage
  • 19,882 new student desktop PCs, notebooks, tablets and chromebooks
  • 1,198 schools with upgraded network connectivity
  • 979 schools receiving professional learning through the Digital Classroom Officer program*
  • 1,003 Rural Access Gap schools benefiting from improvements in digital tools

*Received support in 2021-22

First day 2023 Early childhood education First day 2023 Early childhood education
First day 2023 Early childhood education First day 2023 Early childhood education

Early childhood education

  • More than 5,920 early childhood education services
  • 151,000 children attending out of school care (ages 5-12)*
  • 23,000 children attending Department of Education, community or mobile preschool (ages 3-5)*
  • 61,000 children attending day care or centre-based day care (ages 0-5)*
  • 24% year-before-school population attending Department of Education, community or mobile preschool*
  • 62% year-before-school population attending long day care or centre based day care*

*Approximate figures

First day 2023 Skills First day 2023 Skills

Skills

  • 2,574 School Based Apprentices and Trainees (SBATs) approved in 2022
  • 22,261 Apprenticeships approved in 2022 (excluding SBATs)
  • 38,668 Traineeships approved in 2022 (excluding SBATs)
  • 206,270 Smart and Skilled commencements in 2022 (full and part qualifications)
First day 2023 school infrastructure First day 2023 school infrastructure

School Infrastructure NSW

New and upgraded schools

  • 14 new and upgraded schools supporting almost 10,000 students
  • 345 new classrooms
  • 10 new halls
  • 11 new libraries
  • 9 new covered outdoor learning areas
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