Classes are held outside normal school hours, and are open to school-aged students attending a NSW school. In NSW, more than 36,000 students attend community languages schools.

Community languages schools help students learn and use their heritage or background language and deepen their understanding of culture. They can also support students preparing for the Higher School Certificate through the Outside Tutor Scheme and students learning a language for the first time.

Community languages schools are run by parents and community organisations and are supported by grants funded by the NSW Government. Each week, more than 3,000 teachers deliver lessons across NSW.

What are community languages schools

Community languages schools operate outside normal school hours and provide opportunities for students to learn and maintain their language and cultural heritage.

They are open to all students and play an important role in supporting multilingualism and cultural understanding in NSW.

Program benefits

Communities, families and students value the NSW Community Languages Schools Program. The program helps students learn and use another language and connects young people to the language, heritage and culture of their community.

It also helps build strong communities and promotes respect for the many cultures represented across NSW.

Hosting a community language school

Hosting a community language school provides opportunities for NSW public schools to strengthen partnerships with local communities and support students to maintain and develop their language and cultural identity.

Community language schools operate outside school hours and are run by community organisations. Hosting these schools can support student learning, wellbeing and belonging, while promoting inclusive school environments.

Hear from NSW public school principals

The Sydney Institute for Community Languages Education (SICLE), with the support of the NSW Department of Education, has developed a series of videos featuring NSW public school principals sharing their experiences of hosting a community language school.

The videos provide practical insights into working in partnership with community language schools. They explore:

• the benefits for students and school communities
• the impact on school culture, inclusion and community connection
• strategies for managing challenges and building effective partnerships

Hosting a community language school is more than a facility arrangement. It is a partnership that can lead to positive outcomes for students, schools and communities, including improved learning, wellbeing and a stronger sense of belonging.

Connecting with community

Principals discuss the strong relationships they have developed with the community languages school they host. They describe the positive impacts this partnership entails for the students, the school and the community at large.

Benefits for schools

Advice to schools

School principals explain how hosting a community language school has enhanced their school culture. They discuss some of the factors that influenced their decision to host a community language school and the way their school community has become richer, stronger and more inclusive as a result.

Working together

School principals discuss some of the common challenges that may arise when hosting a community language school. They talk about solutions and share some constructive ways of working together with community language schools.