A new plan to reserve more than 800 places at selective schools for disadvantaged students will improve equity of access and level the playing field, NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says.
The changes apply to disadvantaged students who sat the entry exam in MarchA 2018 review by the NSW Department of Education found there were fewer applications from students from low socio-economic backgrounds, Aboriginal students, those with a disability and students from rural and remote areas."I think it's about recognising that we have to address some of the unintended barriers that some of these children have to accessing these schools," she said.
The review also revealed the selection system, designed in 1991 for 12 selective high schools, was outdated and didn't reflect the "more diverse range of students and schools spread more widely throughout the state".These places will be available to disadvantaged students who sat the Selective High School Placement Test in March for the 2023 academic year.
Principal Mark Long, who was involved in the policy development, said the scheme would see a broadening of students attending his school. It's also located in an area with a large proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, according to the latest Census data, but only four students are Aboriginal.
He also said the school had worked with the community to create initiatives to enrich learning experiences and celebrate culture. NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns acknowledged the difficulty for students to get into selective schools but was "cautiously optimistic" about the government's changes.
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