Leaders in our rural and remote schools at all levels are equipped with the capabilities to lead with confidence, influence and impact.

Teachers will access contextualised professional learning, career progression and employment opportunities.

• Rural and Remote Leadership Development Program – an action-orientated, evidence-informed program for aspiring and current rural and remote leaders focused on contextual leadership.

Teachers and leaders share a deep understanding of best practice in their teaching methods to meet their community context to improve academic outcomes.

Teachers will have access to learning resources to meet their community’s needs and context.

• Rural Learning Exchange – providing resources and mentoring support to inexperienced teachers delivering Stage 6 courses in small cohort schools.
• Rural and Remote Network Initiatives – providing individual and communities of rural and remote schools the opportunity to develop innovative curriculum programs for their students.
• Rural and Remote Marking Program – providing rural HSC teachers with the opportunity to undertake external marking with NESA online.
• High Potential and Gifted Education Professional Learning Facilitator Network – this network has been established in partnership with the Teacher Quality & Impact Directorate to provide Tier 1 professional learning to rural and remote schools.
• High Potential and Gifted Education Policy Illustrations of Practice – illustrations of practice are designed to support schools to implement the High Potential and Gifted Education Policy in their unique contexts. In 2021, illustrations of practice will be developed with a focus on small schools to answer the question: “How can principals and teachers in small rural and remote schools find potential and high potential in their students across the four domains.”
• High Potential and Gifted Education Early Adopter Schools Network – the Early Adopter Schools’ project was launched in December, 2019. The project follows the early adoption journey of a representative group of schools. Dungog District Community of Schools, Leeton High School, Lindfield Public School and Penrith Selective High School, were selected to represent the diversity of NSW public schools. Tailored support and professional learning is being provided to these schools throughout 2021.
• Maintaining a focus on literacy and numeracy: Secondary Writing – writing is a crucial skill for students, in their learning and beyond school. Students primarily demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of curriculum through writing, including in the HSC. There is a need to lift student writing, as identified in a range of data sources (HSC, HSC MS, NAPLAN) and there is a need to build the capacity of secondary teachers in the teaching of writing. A key recommendation of Teaching Writing: Report of the Thematic Review of Writing (NESA, 2018) is systemic identification and promotion of professional development in effective practice for the teaching of writing.
• Early Childhood Professional Learning E-Modules
  • Building quality in department preschool e-learning modules – the course supports all stakeholders to know, understand and apply the requirements of the National Quality Framework (NQF) in department preschools.  It is part of a suite of 8 self-paced blended online professional learning modules, each focused on one of the quality areas of the National Quality Standard (NQS).
  • Educational Leader e-learning modules – a set of four Educational leaders E-learning modules are being developed to support the vital role of the educational leader in all aspects of the early childhood services. These modules will unpack the skills and tools required to effectively lead a quality early childhood service that improves learning and developmental outcomes for children. The modules are due to be released in second semester 2021 and can be accessed via MyPL or directly from the Early Learning website.
  • Early Years Learning Framework e-learning modules – the modules will support teachers in preschool, early intervention and the early years of school to know, understand and implement the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. The course is part of a suite of six self-paced blended online professional learning modules focussing on the overarching themes, Principles, Practices and Learning Outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework.
• Refugee Education Networks – a new refugee education network has been established in Wagga Wagga in addition to those in Albury and Newcastle. Many students with refugee backgrounds have additional educational needs. Refugee education networks provide professional and collegial support to primary and secondary school staff to develop strategies, share ideas, seek advice and build resources as a community of schools. The Refugee Student Counselling Support Team and the Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) collaborate with network coordinators to strengthen links with other schools and community organisations. Attendees include EAL/D and mainstream teachers, school counsellors, administration staff and executive.
• HSC Professional Learning: A quality teaching practice initiative – a one-day intensive PL where Stage 6 teachers explore proven methods for achieving student lift with expert HSC teachers and colleagues from across the state. New content and resources are presented in the PL each term so that teachers can continue to deepen their teaching practice. The subjects covered in 2021 are
  • biology
  • business studies
  • English (advanced and standard)
  • industrial technology
  • mathematics (advanced and standard 2)
  • modern history
  • personal development, health and physical education
  • visual arts
• This innovative offering from the Quality Teaching Practice unit is co-designed by a community of expert HSC teachers, curriculum experts, leading educators and academic partners. Get in touch with the team via HSCProfessionalLearning@det.nsw.edu.au.

Rural and remote schools have access to the necessary ICT infrastructure to support full delivery of the curriculum and to meet student needs.

Teachers will have knowledge of wellbeing support services to meet student needs.

• Wellbeing Health In-reach Nurse Program – this program supports the health and wellbeing needs of vulnerable school students and their families and coordinate appropriate assessments and referrals to health and social services.
• School Counselling Scholarships – scholarships to boost recruitment into the school counselling service. In partnership with Charles Sturt University and Wollongong University delivering tailored training though Masters of Professional psychology programs. Rural and remote schools are prioritised in our planning.

Community businesses and stakeholders feel engaged in shaping and contextualising local education.

Teachers will have access to formalised partnerships to support their work with students to expand vocational and other post-school opportunities.

• Regional Industry Education Partnership Program – a NSW Government initiative to strengthen connections between local industry and secondary school communities to support students plan their future career pathways.
• Academies of STEM Excellence – academies of STEM Excellence are located in 10 regional locations in NSW; Griffith, Crookwell, Hunter, Northern Rivers, Port Macquarie, Illawarra, Central Coast, Orange, Cessnock, Kingscliff. They are learning communities consisting of secondary school hubs working collaboratively with primary schools. The academies were developed in response to the growing need for students to acquire STEM-based skills, the need to develop teacher capacity in STEM education and to engage with local industry. The academies facilitate greater student access to high-quality STEM curriculum that enhances opportunities for transition to further education and employment. The academies are coordinated locally by STEM Project Officers.
• Targeted Curriculum Pathway Project – The Targeted Curriculum Pathways Project: Stage 4 and 5 is a pattern of study designed to support students who are highly disengaged from learning and are at risk of not meeting the requirements of the Record of School Achievement (RoSA).
• Rural and Regional Research Project – The Gonski Institute for Education and the School of Education at the University of NSW (UNSW) have been engaged by the Department to undertake a research project into rural and regional education. The research is being led by the Director of the Gonski Institute and Head of the School of Education. The key project outcome is to build a stronger evidence base to inform tailored support to schools and support context specific policy decision making and/or policy adjustments aimed at more effectively, efficiently and sustainably improving the outcomes for students in remote and rural public primary and secondary schools in NSW.
• DART Learning – DART (Distance and Rural Technology) Learning is a service provided by the NSW Department of Education. The team provides access and equity to education by supporting teachers with online resources, allowing them to deliver quality and effective lessons and learning experiences with productive educational outcomes. DART Learning provides flexible delivery of events that can be specific to the learning objectives of the teacher’s class and the professional learning of teachers. The program's searchable website is where teachers can find incredible learning experiences delivered by experts from museums, galleries, research institutes, scientists, writers, athletes, artists, educational organisations, musicians, zoos and many more.