More than 1.2 million students across NSW will head back to school next week for the new school year, including thousands of kindy kids who will be the first to experience the once-in-a-generation curriculum reform with the new English and mathematics syllabuses.
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the start of a new school year was an exciting one for students and families across the public, Catholic, and independent school system in NSW.
“School is such an important place for our children. It’s a safe space where they learn, play and grow. Our schools shape lives, giving children the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life. We can’t wait to welcome all students, new and returning, to our schools in 2023,” Ms Mitchell said.
“With my youngest daughter starting kindy next week, I know how exciting and nervous this time is – for both the children and the parents! I want to wish all our littlest learners, and those students making the big transition from primary school to high school, the very best for this important milestone in their lives.”
NSW public schools will welcome 64,782 new kindergarten students this year, while 53,987 Year 7 students will make the transition to high school.
The state’s youngest learners will return to school with new kindergarten to year 2 English and mathematics syllabuses being taught for the first time this year.
“These are the first syllabuses of the NSW Curriculum Reform and are key to building strong literacy and numeracy foundations in the early years and beyond,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The students starting kindergarten next week will be the first of the ‘curriculum reform generation’, benefitting from these evidence-based, back-to-basic syllabuses from their very first day.”
“The new curriculum will be supported by nearly 1,700 new assistant principals, Curriculum and Instruction, who have been recruited and will be supporting public schools across the state in implementing the curriculum changes.”
Latest Department of Education data shows that nearly a quarter of all students enrolled in NSW public schools in 2023 live in regional or remote NSW and 9 per cent of students identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, while 38 per cent are from a non-English speaking background.
